Any person claiming payment from the Borough of Brooklawn shall first
submit a detailed statement of the items or demand necessitating such claim
to the responsible executive agency, specifying particularly how the bill
or demand is made up, and a certification, on forms supplied by the Borough
of Brooklawn, of the party claiming payment that it is correct. No bill, claim
or demand shall be considered for payment unless the voucher includes a certification
from a designated borough employee having personal knowledge of the fact that
the goods have been received by or the services rendered to the Borough of
Brooklawn and that those services or goods are consistent with an existing
contract or purchase order. The Treasurer shall have the duty to audit, warrant
and make recommendations on all claims and bills.
The bill or claim duly certified shall be presented to the Borough Clerk
for inclusion in the proceedings of the next immediate formal meeting of the
Borough Council, and it shall be the duty of the Borough Clerk to examine
all bills or claims submitted for payment in order to ascertain if proper
administrative procedures have been followed. All claims or bills to be considered
by the Borough Council shall be listed systematically and without preference,
and said list shall be made available to every member of said governing body
prior to formal action by that body.
Claims shall be considered by the Borough Council, which shall approve
the same, except that said Borough Council may reject any claim presented
to it, stating the reason for such rejection. Any tie votes may be broken
by vote of the Mayor. Any disapproved claim shall be referred back to the
Borough Clerk with such instructions as the Borough Council may give at the
time of disapproval.
It shall be the duty of the Borough Clerk to record all claims in the
official minutes of the Borough Council, indicating that the Borough Council
has by formal action approved the same, with appropriate records as to any
claims disapproved or rejected. All records pertaining to approved or disapproved
bills or claims shall be available for public inspection.
The Treasurer shall make disbursements pursuant to resolution of the
Borough Council, attested by the Borough Clerk. In the event that the Mayor
vetoes the payment of any claims or bills, the Treasurer may be authorized
to make payment pursuant to resolution of the Borough Council whereby at least
two-thirds (2/3) of all the Council members vote to override such veto of
any claim or bill.
After the Borough Clerk has certified that the claims have been approved,
he or she shall turn the same over to the Treasurer, who shall forthwith prepare
the necessary checks for the payment thereof, which said checks shall be signed
by the Mayor and thereafter signed by the Treasurer. After preparing checks
for the payment of claims, he or she shall record them in proper books of
account and thereafter have the checks mailed to the claimants.