There shall be a Board of County Commissioners which shall consist of nine members whose terms of office shall be staggered as set forth in the Charter.
A. 
Election, term and compensation. There shall be a Board of County Commissioners which shall consist of nine members whose terms of office shall be staggered as set forth in the Charter, of which five shall be elected from County Commissioners Districts and four shall be elected at large for three-year terms beginning January 1 of the year following the November general election at which they were elected. They shall receive such compensation as shall be provided by ordinance.
B. 
Powers and duties. The Board of County Commissioners shall have and exercise all the powers and duties now or hereafter conferred or imposed upon it by the Charter or other applicable laws or Acts of Legislature not inconsistent with the Charter, including the power to make such studies and to cause such investigations and inquiries to be made as it deems to be in the best interest of the County and germane to any act or problem of the County and to the exercise of its legislative powers, and in connection therewith to obtain and employ professional and technical advice, appoint temporary legislative advisory boards of citizens, subpoena witnesses, administer oaths and require the production of books, papers and other evidence deemed necessary or material to such study or inquiry, all in accordance with the provisions of N.J.S.A. 40:20-82 et seq. and N.J.S.A. 2A:67A-1 et seq., including the advice and consent of the executive appointments of the Administrator, department heads, division heads and the members of all boards, commissions and authorities.
(1) 
The Board, with the approval of the County Executive, may establish a revolving petty cash fund for any administrative unit or subdivision thereof or officer in such amounts as it deems necessary. Any petty cash fund heretofore established by the Board shall be continued in existence as a petty cash fund for the administrative unit or subdivision thereof or officer for which it was established or the successor of such unit or officer created pursuant to the provisions of the Charter or this chapter. The County Executive shall determine which administrative unit, subdivision or officer shall be considered to be the successor administrative unit, subdivision or officer for the purpose of this section. The Board, upon recommendation of the County Executive, may increase, decrease or abolish any petty cash fund established or continued pursuant to this section. Any petty cash fund shall otherwise continue in existence from year to year until abolished.
(2) 
Expenditures from a petty cash fund may be made only for payment of properly itemized and verified or certified bills for materials, supplies or services other than regular employment furnished to the County for the conduct of its affairs and upon terms calling for payment to the vendor upon the delivery of any such materials or supplies or the rendering of any such services. Moneys in any such fund also may be used for the purpose of making change when such is required in the performance of official duties. Moneys in any such fund established for the office of the Sheriff or County Prosecutor, County Clerk or Surrogate may also be used to advance travel funds to personnel in said departments when required to travel on official business and as certified to be the aforesaid specific department heads thereof.
[Amended 2-15-1992 by Ord. No. 12-1992]
(3) 
Upon audit of bills, such petty cash fund shall be reimbursed from the appropriate budgetary item or items in the amount equal to the amount audited and allowed. The Treasurer immediately shall notify the Executive, in writing, of the disallowance of any such bills or any portion thereof, stating the amount in each case disallowed and the reason therefor. Any of such bills or any portion thereof as shall be disallowed upon audit shall be the personal liability of the official responsible for the use of the petty cash fund from which payment on account thereof was made. Such official shall forthwith reimburse such petty cash fund in the amount of such disallowances. If such reimbursement has not been made by the time of the first payment of salary to such official after the disallowance of any such bill or any portion thereof, the amount of such disallowance shall be deducted from such salary payment and, if necessary, subsequent salary payments, and paid into such petty cash fund until an amount equal to the amount of such disallowance has been repaid to such petty cash fund.
(4) 
The Chairman of the Board of County Commissioners shall notify the Treasurer of encumbrances of petty cash funds and shall be the authorizing agent for any petty cash budget established for use by the Board.
(5) 
Post audit. The Board shall approve a contract to retain a registered municipal accountant of New Jersey to prepare and submit annually a post audit of all County accounts and financial transactions in accordance with state laws and regulations.
C. 
Vacancies.
(1) 
Unless otherwise provided by law, the office of County Commissioner shall become vacant upon his or her death, resignation or removal from or forfeiture of office in any manner authorized by law.
(2) 
In the event of a vacancy in the office of County Commissioner, the vacancy shall be filled as provided by law.
D. 
Rules of the Board. The rules of the Board of County Commissioners (also referred to as "bylaws") shall be attached hereto and incorporated by this reference. Except as may be provided in the Charter, questions of order, methods of organization and the conduct of business of the Board of County Commissioners shall be governed by Robert's Rules of Order, Revised (75th Edition), in all cases to which they are applicable and in which they are not inconsistent with the rules of procedure adopted by the Board of County Commissioners, as amended and supplemented from time to time.
E. 
Functions and duties of Legislative Counsel.
[Added 8-6-1996 by Ord. No. 12-1996]
(1) 
The counsel to the Board, also known as the "Legislative Counsel," shall advise the Board on all legal matters relevant to the performance of the functions and duties of the Board. He or she shall act as parliamentarian at all meetings of the Board if so designated by the Chairman, shall prepare all resolutions required by the Board, shall review all negotiated contracts prior to approval by the Board and shall represent the Board in any litigation or dispute with the Executive Branch.
(2) 
The Legislative Counsel shall be deemed a full-time employee of the Board of County Commissioners; however, the Legislative Counsel shall be exempt from the requirements of § 4-102.
A. 
Appointment; term; compensation. The Board shall create an office of the Clerk and shall appoint a Clerk to the Board of County Commissioners and such other personnel to perform functions, including secretarial, investigative and legislative areas, as may be required. The Clerk shall serve for a term of three years and shall receive such compensation as shall be provided by ordinance.
[Amended 11-9-1977; 8-21-1984 by Ord. No. 21A-1984]
B. 
Powers and duties. The Clerk of the Board shall have and exercise all the powers and duties now or hereafter conferred or imposed upon him or her by the Charter or other applicable laws or Acts of the Legislature not inconsistent with the Charter and also such other duties as may be, from time to time, assigned to him or her by the Board. The Clerk of the Board shall supervise the legislative and investigative acts of the Board and shall administer the office of the Clerk of the Board. His or her other duties shall include but not be limited to the following:
(1) 
Recording secretary to the Board. The Clerk shall keep minutes of the proceedings of the Board and shall engross all ordinances and all resolutions of a permanent character in the books to be provided for that purpose. After each ordinance he or she shall also engross and certify the proof of publication thereof, as required by law. Each ordinance so engrossed shall be signed by the presiding officer of the Board and the Clerk, who shall attest that it was duly adopted upon a date stated, pursuant to law. When so signed, the engrossed copy shall be deemed to be a public record. Any omission by the Clerk or presiding officer of the Board to engross, sign or certify as herein required shall not impair or affect the validity of any ordinance which has been duly adopted. At the close of each year, with the advice and assistance of County Counsel, the Clerk shall bind, compile or codify all the ordinances and resolutions or true copies thereof which then remain in force and effect. He or she shall properly index the record books, compilation or codification of ordinances or resolutions. The Clerk shall supervise the administrative, legislative and clerical staff of the Board.
(2) 
Custodian of records. The Clerk shall have custody of and shall safely keep all original copies of the records, books and documents of the County, except such as shall be committed by Charter or ordinance to any other office or except such as shall be transferred to any other office by resolution of the Board. He or she shall provide to the County Executive a copy of all contracts, bonds or other instruments requiring the consent of the County Executive. He or she shall, upon request and upon the payment of fees prescribed therefor by ordinance of the Board, furnish a certified copy of any such paper in his or her custody, under the seal of the County. The Risk Manager shall be the depository and custodian of all official surety bonds furnished by or on account of any County officer or employee and of all insurance policies upon or with respect to risks insured for the benefit of the County or to protect it against any claim, demand or liability whatsoever; all formal contracts for work, labor, services, supplies, equipment and materials to which the County may be a party; and all leases of property owned by the County.
[Amended 2-15-1992 by Ord. No. 12-1992]
(3) 
Corporate seal. The Board Clerk shall cause the corporate seal of the County to be affixed to any instruments and writings when authorized to do so by any ordinance or resolution of the Board or when necessary to exemplify any document on record in his or her office or to certify any act or paper which from the records of his or her office shall appear to have been a public act of the County or a public document. He or she shall not affix the said seal or permit it to be affixed to any instrument or writing or other paper, except as herein provided, unless required to do so by law or ordinance.
(4) 
Notice to attend meetings of the board. The Board Clerk, in addition to issuing notices to the members of the Board, shall also issue notices to all other persons whose attendance is required by the Board at any regular or special meetings of the Board. Such notice shall be in accordance with the schedule which the Clerk is required to prepare at the organization meeting of the Board.
(5) 
Personnel forms. The Clerk of the Board, acting for the Board of County Commissioners, shall receive a copy of all Civil Service 6 forms as soon as they have been executed and shall receive an updated record of other personnel actions immediately upon their execution.
(6) 
Preparation of agenda. The Clerk of the Board shall prepare an agenda, in writing, for all meetings of the Board, except special emergency meetings, after consultation with all County Commissioners; and the same shall be distributed to all County Commissioners at least 24 hours prior to the meeting.
[Added 11-9-1977]
(7) 
Coordination of committees. The Clerk of the Board shall work in conjunction with the respective chairmen of the committees of the Board and shall coordinate the gathering of information for use by such committees.
[Added 11-9-1977]
(8) 
Assistance to legislative aides. The Clerk of the Board and his or her staff shall assist all legislative aides in gathering information in preparing reports, when requested.
[Added 11-9-1977]
(9) 
Summaries of work meetings. The Clerk of the Board shall prepare written summaries of work meetings, which shall include all issues discussed and decisions reached, copies of which shall be sent to all County Commissioners
[Added 11-9-1977]