The Fire Department shall be divided into fire
companies known and designated as "Company No. 2," "Company No. 3"
and "Company No. 4," together with any additional fire organizations
or fire companies as may be hereafter become duly constituted by law,
and provided that any new company so organized shall be approved by
the majority vote of the Mayor and Council of Hopatcong. The additional
fire organizations or fire companies receiving the aforesaid majority
vote shall come under municipal control, and no fire company in the
Borough of Hopatcong shall have membership exceeding 40 active members,
and this limitation shall apply to the companies in existence and
to any other company organized and approved by the governing body.
[Added 11-7-1996 by Ord. No. 24-96]
A. The only persons eligible for election to the position
of Chief, First Assistant Chief and/or Second Assistant Chief shall
be the individual who held the immediate subordinate role during the
prior term of office.
[Amended 12-6-2006 by Ord. No. 38-2006]
B. The candidate for the position of Third Assistant
Chief shall be selected on a rotational basis in accordance with the
bylaws of the Hopatcong Fire Department. Said bylaws and any amendments
thereto shall be subject to approval by the Hopatcong Borough Council.
The officer of the department shall be selected so that each of the
three fire companies of the Borough is represented among the four
Chief appointments.
C. The company who is scheduled to select the Third Assistant
Chief on the rotational basis shall meet in November of each year
and, by majority vote of its membership, nominate one proposed Third
Assistant Chief. The Secretary of the company shall notify the Department
Secretary in writing.
D. By November 30 of each year. The Department Secretary
shall notify the Hopatcong Borough Clerk in writing of the names of
the persons so selected by the department for the positions of Chief
and Assistant Chiefs. Said selections must be approved by the Mayor
and Council, which shall have the discretionary right to determine
that any selected individual shall be eligible for the position.
E. All proposed officers must meet the requirements of
the Hopatcong Fire Departments, departmental bylaws as well as the
State of New Jersey or County of Sussex mandated requirements.
F. The Chief, First Assistant Chief and Second Assistant
Chief shall hold their offices, respectively, for two years from the
first day of January of the next ensuing year. All other officers
shall hold their offices, respectively, for one year from the first
day of January of the next ensuing year.
[Amended 12-6-2006 by Ord. No. 38-2006]
G. The Department Secretary-Treasurer and the Chief Engineer
shall be appointed by the Chief for a term of one year. The Chief
may also, as deemed necessary, appoint assistants to these positions.
All appointments shall be approved by the Mayor and Council. The persons
so appointed must be an active member in good standing of the Hopatcong
Fire Department.
H. The Chief may also appoint one or more Department
Chaplains. These appointments shall be for terms of one year, and
said appointments must be approved by the Mayor and Council. These
appointments shall give the person or persons full membership in the
Hopatcong Fire Department for the term of said office.