[Adopted by Ord. No. 659 (§ 2-18 of the 1987 Code)]
Pursuant to the authority contained in an act
of the legislature of the State of New Jersey known as "Conservation
Commission" Laws of 1968, Ch. 245 (N.J.S.A. 40:56A-1 et seq.), there
is established an Environmental Commission for the protection, development
or use of natural resources, including water resources, located within
the territorial limits of the Borough.
Commission shall be known as the "Environmental
Commission of the Borough of Highland Park."
[Amended by Ord. No. 1576]
A.
The Commission shall consist of seven members, appointed
by the Mayor of the Borough, one of whom shall also be a member of
the Highland Park Planning Board and all of whom shall be residents
of the Borough; the members shall serve without compensation except
as hereinafter provided. The Mayor shall designate one of the members
to serve as chairman and presiding officer of the Commission. The
terms of office of the first Commission shall be one, two or three
years, to be designated by the Mayor in making his or her appointments
so that the terms of approximately 1/3 of the members will expire
each year and their successors shall be appointed for terms of three
years and until the appointment and qualification of their successors.
A vacancy shall be filled for the unexpired term in the same manner
as an original appointment. The term of office of the members shall
commence on April 1 of each year.
B.
There shall be two alternate members of the Environmental
Commission, appointed by the Mayor. The alternate members shall be
designated at the time of appointment as "Alternate No. 1" and "Alternate
No. 2." The terms of the alternate members shall be for two years,
except that the Alternate No. 1 member who is first appointed shall
serve for two years, and the Alternate No. 2 member who is first appointed
shall serve for one year. Alternate members may vote in the absence
of a regular member. In the event that a choice must be made as to
which alternate member is to vote, Alternate No. 1 shall vote.
The Environmental Commission shall have the
power to conduct research into the use of the open land areas of the
Borough and may coordinate the activities of unofficial bodies organized
for similar purposes, and may advertise, prepare, print and distribute
books, maps, charts, plans and pamphlets which in its judgment it
deems necessary for its purposes. It shall keep an index of all open
areas, publicly or privately owned, including open marshlands, swamps
and other wetlands, in order to obtain information on the proper use
of such areas, and may recommend to the Planning Board plans and programs
for the development and use of such areas.
The Environmental Commission shall keep records
of its meetings and activities and shall make an annual report to
the Borough Council.
The Borough Council may appropriate funds for
the expenses incurred by the Environmental Commission. The Commission
may appoint such clerks and other employees as it may require and
as shall be within the limits of funds appropriated to it.
