The purpose of this chapter is to prescribe the manner in which bills,
claims and demands against the Township of Colts Neck shall be approved or
disapproved and the manner in which payments of moneys shall be authorized.
No bill, claim or voucher shall be honored by the Township of Colts
Neck unless a proper appropriation has been made therefor and there are sufficient
moneys to cover the expenditure.
The bill, claim or voucher, duly certified, shall be presented to the
Township Clerk or Deputy Clerk for inclusion in the agenda of the next immediate
formal meeting of the governing body, and it shall be the duty of the Clerk
or Deputy Clerk to examine all bills or claims submitted for payment in order
to ascertain that proper administrative procedures have been followed. All
claims or bills to be considered by the Township Committee shall be listed
systematically without preference, and said list shall be made available to
every member of said governing body at or before the meeting at which formal
action is to be taken by such body.
All claims or demands for payment must be received by the Township Clerk
or Deputy Clerk within 48 hours of the last Thursday in the month. Any claims
or demands received after such time shall be considered by the Township Committee
at the next succeeding regular monthly meeting.
All bills, claims or demands (vouchers) which have been duly approved
by the Township Clerk or Deputy Clerk shall then be presented to the member
of the Township Committee who has been designated as Director of Finance and
Budget, who shall then examine all such vouchers and shall indicate his or
her approval on each such voucher prior to submission to the Township Committee
for payment.
Said bills, claims and vouchers shall then be considered by the Township
Committee, and approval shall be indicated by a majority vote of all members
voting, a quorum being present; provided, however, that the Township Committee
may reject any bill, claim or voucher presented to it, stating the reason
for such rejection. Any rejected bill, claim or voucher shall be referred
back to the Administrator with such instructions as the Township Committee
may give at the time of disapproval.
All bills, claims and vouchers approved for payment by the Township
Committee shall be paid by check after such check is signed by the Mayor or
Deputy Mayor and countersigned by the Treasurer or Deputy Treasurer and the
Township Clerk or Township Deputy Clerk. The Township Treasurer or Assistant
Treasurer shall record all the checks in the proper books of account and thereafter
cause the checks to be delivered to the claimant.