Article V: Department of Administration

Office of the Township Clerk.

Office of the Municipal Attorney.

Office of Health, Registrar and Vital Statistics.

(4)

Office of Land Use and Zoning.

(5)

Office of Administration.

Departmental powers and duties generally. The Department shall assist the Mayor in the direction and supervision of the departments established by this chapter; coordinate the operation and administration of the various departments, divisions and agencies of the Township government; conduct the business operations of the Township and perform such other duties as the Mayor may designate. With respect to the statutory agencies herein designated, the Department shall have the authority of liaison between such agencies and the departments herein established.

§ 4-26 Office of the Municipal Clerk.

Supervision of office. Within the Department there shall be the Office of the Municipal Clerk, the head of which shall be the Municipal Clerk, who shall be appointed by the Mayor with the advice and consent of Council.

Composition. The Office of the Municipal Clerk shall consist of the Municipal Clerk, who shall be appointed in the same manner and for the same term as herein prescribed for division heads, and such other personnel as may be authorized by ordinance.

Duties and powers.

The Municipal Clerk shall be the Clerk of the Council, performing such functions as may be required by law of Township Clerks generally and perform such other duties as may be prescribed for the Clerk of the Council by this chapter.

The Clerk shall:

(a)

Record all ordinances and resolutions adopted by the Council and, at the close of each year, with the advice and assistance of the Municipal Attorney, bind, compile or codify all the ordinances and resolutions or true copies thereof of the municipality which then remain in force and effect.

(b)

Maintain operating reports of the various departments, divisions, offices and agencies of the municipal government.

(c)

Properly index the record books, compilation or codification of ordinances and resolutions.

(d)

Perform those duties prescribed for Municipal Clerks by the Charter with respect to petitions of recall, initiative and referendum.

(e)

Provide secretarial and clerical services for all officers and employees of the municipal government, except for the statutory agencies herein defined.

(f)

Prepare a copy of all ordinances and proposed ordinances which will require publication under the Charter or general law and cause the same, properly attested, to be published in any newspaper legally qualified for the publication of official advertisements and file in his/her office the requisite proofs of such publication.

(g)

Issue all licenses and permits and collect all fees for which no other provision has been made by this chapter.

(h)

Have custody of the Township Seal and affix it to such books, papers and documents as may be authorized pursuant to law.

(i)

Have and take custody of all official books, papers and documents of the Township for which no other repository is provided by the Charter or ordinance and preserve and keep them safely.

(j)

Prepare an annual directory of Township officials and employees, time and place of meetings of all Township boards, agencies or commissions having regular meetings, office hours of officials and including such other information as the Mayor deems appropriate, which directory shall be available in the office of the Clerk.

(k)

Perform the duties of the Voting Registrar as provided by state statute.

Deputy Clerk.

[Amended 9-8-1999 by Ord. No. 692-99]

There is hereby created and established, pursuant to N.J.S.A. 40A:9-135, the office of Deputy Municipal Clerk.

The Deputy Municipal Clerk shall be appointed by the Mayor with advice and consent of Council. The Deputy Municipal Clerk will report to the Municipal Clerk.

The term of appointment of a Deputy Municipal Clerk that is the holder of a valid New Jersey Registered Municipal Clerk certificate shall be for three years effective from the date of appointment. The term of appointment of a Deputy Municipal Clerk that does not hold the New Jersey Registered Municipal Clerk certificate shall be for one year, subject to annual appointment. The position shall not be subject to the rights of tenure. Employee shall be compensated in accordance with the Salary Ordinance and shall be subject to the terms, conditions and policies contained in the employee manual for all contractual employees.

(4)

The Deputy Municipal Clerk shall have such powers, duties and functions as shall be establish by a job description as recommended by the Municipal Clerk and approved by the Mayor and Council. During the absence or disability of the Municipal Clerk, the Deputy Municipal Clerk shall have all of the powers and duties of the Municipal Clerk and shall perform the functions and duties of such office. The Mayor and Council shall determine when an absence or disability exists.

§ 4-27 Office of Municipal Attorney.

Appointment of Township Attorney. There shall be a Township Attorney, who shall be appointed by the Mayor with the advice and consent of the Council for a term of one year, within the limits of available appropriations. Prior to his appointment he/she shall have been duly admitted to the practice of law in the State of New Jersey for at least three years.

Duties of Township Attorney. The Township Attorney shall represent the Township in all legal matters and shall advise and assist the Mayor, the Council and the Department as required in the administration of the Township government. He shall attend meetings of the Council, draft ordinances and resolutions and give opinions and rulings on questions of law which may arise at Council meetings. He shall prepare or approve all legal instruments relating to the business of the Township. He shall represent the Township in any litigation and conduct trials, appeals and other proceedings affecting the interest of the Township as he/she may in his/her discretion determine to be necessary or desirable or as directed by the Mayor or Council.

Additional duties. The Township Attorney shall also:

Maintain records of all actions, suits, proceedings and matters which relate to the Township's interest and report thereon from time to time as the Mayor or Council may require.

Have power to enter into any agreement, compromise or settlement of any litigation in which the Township is involved, subject to the approval of the Council.

§ 4-28 Department of Health, Welfare and Housing.

Upon the termination of his/her service with the Township, forthwith surrender to his/her successor all Township property, papers and records, together with a written consent to substitution of his/her successor in any pending actions or proceedings.

Special counsel. Whenever he deems the interests of the Township so to require, the Township Attorney may, with the approval of the Mayor and within the limits of available appropriations, appoint special counsel to assist him in the preparation, trial or argument of any issue or in such other capacity as he may determine. If the Township Attorney should be disqualified with respect to any matter, the Mayor may appoint special counsel with the approval of the Council, to represent the Township for and with respect to such matter.

[Amended 9-8-1999 by Ord. No. 693-99; 3-23-2016 by Ord. No. 1081-16]

Board of Health established. Pursuant to N.J.S.A. 26:3-1 et seq., the Board of Health of the Township of Clinton, New Jersey, is hereby established to carry out the mandates and requirements of Title 26 of the New Jersey Statutes, which requires that every municipality in the state establish a local Board of Health to address and regulate public health within its boundaries.

Membership composition and term of office. The Board of Health shall consist of five members, each of whom shall be a member of the governing body. The term of each member shall run concurrently with his or her term of elected office.

Powers and duties. The Board of Health shall have the power to pass, alter or amend ordinances and resolutions, and make rules and regulations with regard to public health within the boundaries of the Township of Clinton, and more particularly for the purposes set forth in N.J.S.A. 26:3-3.

Delegation. The Board of Health may delegate by resolution any or all of its powers and duties to any member of the Board or any officer thereof, or to the Hunterdon County Board of Health, as the local Board of Health may deem proper and appropriate to carry out its responsibilities.

Budget. The Board of Health shall each year, prior to adoption of the budget of municipal taxes to be levied for the year, present to the governing body an estimate of the appropriation which it believes necessary for health purposes. The governing body shall appropriate such amount as it may determine to be sufficient to accomplish the responsibilities of the Board of Health.

§ 4-29 Local Assistance Board.

Within the Department of Health, Welfare and Housing, there shall be a Local Assistance Board.

Composition. The Local Assistance Board shall consist of three members appointed by the Mayor with the advice and consent of the Council pursuant to general law. The Board shall appoint annually a qualified General Assistance Director. The members of the Local Assistance Board shall serve without salary.

Powers and duties. Under the supervision of the Municipal Clerk and of the Local Assistance Board, the General Assistance Director shall:

Administer laws and ordinances relating to relief of the needy, including the furnishing of all forms of public assistance to needy persons who are eligible for assistance provided by law through county and state agencies.

Provide or arrange for shelter and custodial care to dependent and homeless men and women.