[HISTORY: Adopted by the Mayor and Council
of the Borough of Palisades Park 7-8-1976 as Sections 2-1 through 2-5 of the Revised
General Ordinances of 1975. Amendments noted where applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Code of Ethics — See Ch. 32.
This chapter shall be known and may be cited
as the "Administrative Code of the Borough of Palisades Park" and
is herein referred to as the "code."
The Council shall consist of the Mayor and six
Councilmen, all of whom shall be elected at large in the borough and
take office in the manner provided by law. Their terms of office shall
commence January 1 next following their election.
A.
Pursuant to the borough law, a vacancy occurring in
the office of the Mayor, whether by resignation or otherwise, shall
be filled by the Council until the next general election and until
the election and qualification of a successor. At such next general
election, the person elected to fill such vacancy shall be elected
for the unexpired term only.
B.
All vacancies in other elected offices shall be filled
by nomination of the Mayor and appointment by him, with the advice
and consent of the Council members present at the meeting, provided
that at least three affirmative votes shall be required for such purpose,
with the Mayor to have no vote thereon except in the case of a tie.
C.
All appointments to fill vacancies on the Council
shall be until January 1 following the next general election. If such
a vacancy shall occur at so short a period of time before the next
general election that the office cannot be filled at the election,
the vacancy shall be filled, in the same manner as though it had occurred
immediately after the election, at the next subsequent general election
for such portion of the term, if any, as may still remain unexpired.
At such next general election, the person elected to fill the vacancy
shall be elected for the unexpired term only.
The Council shall, by resolution, adopt rules
of procedure not inconsistent with this code. The rules shall provide
for standing committees of the Council.
The Council shall take appropriate action to
ensure that ordinances and resolutions of the preceding year are compiled
or codified.
The Council shall meet for organization on the
first day of January or during the first seven days in January in
any year at the call of the incoming Mayor. Thereafter, the Council
shall meet regularly within the borough at such times and places as
provided by the rules of the Council. The Mayor shall, when necessary,
call special meetings of the Council. In case of his neglect or refusal,
any four members of the Council may call such meetings at such time
and place in the borough as they may designate. In all cases of special
meetings, 24 hours' written notice or actual voice contact shall be
given to all members of the Council. Written notice may be by leaving
such notice at their places of residence.
A.
The Mayor shall preside over all meetings of the Council
but shall not vote except to give the deciding vote in the case of
a tie. Except as otherwise provided by statute, the Mayor shall nominate
and, with the advice and consent of the Council, appoint all officers
in the borough. No appointments requiring Council approval and confirmation
shall be made except by a majority vote of the Council members present
at the meeting, provided that at least three affirmative votes shall
be required for such purpose, with the Mayor to have no vote thereon
except in the case of a tie. A vacancy in an appointive office shall
be filled by appointment in the same manner for the unexpired term
only. The Mayor shall make such nomination to fill a vacancy within
30 days after the appointive office becomes vacant. If the Mayor fails
to nominate within 30 days or the Council fails to confirm any nomination
made by the Mayor, then, after the expiration of 30 days, the Council
shall appoint the officer.
B.
The Mayor shall see that the laws of the state and
the ordinances of the borough are faithfully executed and shall recommend
to the Council such measures as he may deem necessary or expedient
for the welfare of the borough. He shall maintain peace and good order
and have the power to suppress all riots and tumultuous assemblies
in the borough.
C.
The Mayor shall supervise the conduct and acts of
all officers in the borough and shall execute all contracts made on
behalf of the Council.
At an organizational meeting, the Council, by
a majority vote, shall elect from its number a President of the Council,
who shall preside at all of its meetings when the Mayor does not preside.
The President of the Council shall hold office for one year and until
the next annual meeting. He shall have the right to debate and vote
on all questions before the Council. If the Council at its annual
meeting fails to elect a President, the Mayor shall appoint the President
from the Council, and in that case no confirmation shall be necessary.
If the Mayor is absent from the borough for a period of three consecutive
days or for any reason is unable to act, the President of the Council
shall perform all the duties of the Mayor during his absence or inability.
The Mayor, in case of his intended absence from the borough for more
than three days at any one time, shall notify the President in writing
of such intended absence, whereupon the President shall be and become
Acting Mayor from the receipt of such notice and shall continue to
act until the Mayor's return. In case of the temporary inability of
the President to so act, the Council member having the longest term
of service as such may act temporarily for the President.
