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.