[Adopted 10-28-1980 as Ord. No. 80-17 (Ch. 2, Art. 14, of the Revised Ordinances of 1972); amended in its entirety at time of adoption of Code; Amended 5-13-1997 by Ord. No. 97-8]
[1]
Editor's Note: For statutory provisions dealing with this topic, see N.J.S.A. 40A:11-1 et seq.
This Article shall be known as the "Purchasing Ordinance of the Borough of Hillsdale."
A. 
The position of Purchasing Agent is hereby established. The Borough Council by resolution shall appoint the employee or official who shall be designated as the Purchasing Agent and who shall serve at the pleasure of the Council.
B. 
No employee or official of the Borough of Hillsdale shall incur any liability on the part of the Borough of Hillsdale unless it shall have been properly authorized by a purchase order.
A. 
The Purchasing Agent shall act to procure for the Borough the highest quality in supplies and services at the least expense to the Borough.
B. 
The Purchasing Agent shall have general supervision of the purchases for the Borough of Hillsdale and shall coordinate all purchasing activities. The Purchasing Agent shall have the powers and duties prescribed by this Article and shall comply with all state and federal laws regarding purchasing and public contracts.
C. 
The Purchasing Agent shall supervise purchasing and see that items and services are properly purchased for the departments, boards and agencies of the Borough. He or she shall also issue rules and regulations governing the requisition and purchase of all municipal supplies, equipment and services.
D. 
The authority of the Purchasing Agent shall not include construction of buildings, water and sewer improvements, street improvements, parks and other related projects.
A. 
The Borough Administrator shall designate the person or persons who shall prepare and sign requisitions for purchase orders.
B. 
Requisitions shall include prices, if available; otherwise estimated prices should be entered. The budget line item shall be included on the requisition. Purchase orders shall not be issued without prices.
A. 
Upon receipt of a requisition, the Purchasing Agent shall present same to the Chief Financial Officer, who shall check the requisition with the budget appropriation and, if the balance is sufficient, authorize the purchase by signing, dating and returning same to the Purchasing Agent for the preparation of a purchase order.
B. 
Purchase orders shall be numbered and contain six copies. The purchase order copy and Borough voucher copy shall be forwarded to the vendor. The vendor shall complete the voucher and return for payment according to Chapter 9, Claims, Bills and Salaries, Payment of. The office copy shall be filed in the office of the Purchasing Agent until a delivery slip is received from the using agency, at which time the delivery is verified with the purchase order and turned over to the Chief Financial Officer for payment. The Chief Financial Officer shall maintain a file of the paid purchase orders.
C. 
Borough personnel are expected to be good managers and plan ahead. Emergency and confirmed purchases shall be kept to a minimum.
Blanket orders may be issued by the Purchasing Agent to local vendors which are patronized frequently for a period not to exceed the calendar year. Purchases under these blanket orders may be made by designated personnel, and each individual purchase shall not exceed $100.
Borough employees may make purchases of $100 or less and be reimbursed from petty cash upon presentation of a sales receipt and in accordance with the Borough's process for payment of claims.
When a genuine emergency occurs such as utility breaks and vehicle breakdowns, materials or services may be obtained without a purchase order by authorization of employees designated to sign requisitions. In such cases, a purchase order will be required. The authorized personnel shall submit to the Purchasing Agent on the next working day following said purchase an appropriate requisition marked CONFIRMING – EMERGENCY.
Direct payment vouchers shall be issued in cases where it is inappropriate to issue purchase orders. A direct payment voucher will be issued for the purchase of the following services and in other cases at the discretion of the Purchasing Agent:
A. 
Utilities (electric, gas, telephone, water).
B. 
Gasoline.
C. 
Legal advertising.
D. 
Professional services.
E. 
Payroll transfers.
F. 
Insurance coverages.
G. 
Social security.
H. 
N.J.S. pensions.
I. 
Contracted services.
J. 
Debt service payments.
K. 
Dues and conferences.
L. 
Subscriptions.
M. 
Auto mileage allowance.
A. 
New Jersey law requires that individual purchases or annual cumulative purchases within a particular category of materials or services which exceed $1,000 but are less than the statutory minimum set forth below and governed by Subsection B herein shall be awarded in accordance with N.J.S.A. 40A:11-3.
B. 
New Jersey State law requires that individual purchases or annual cumulative purchases within a particular category of materials or services which exceed the maximum indexed amount as adjusted biannually and set forth in N.J.S.A. 40A:11-3 are required to be advertised for public bidding.
C. 
A department with a category of purchases which is expected to be above the maximum set forth in Subsection B above will so inform the Purchasing Agent and assist in the preparation of specifications for bid, as necessary. When a contract is awarded, the purchase order or direct payment voucher method of purchase will be followed as appropriate.