Township of Toms River, NJ Chapter 80 Claims Approval

[HISTORY: Adopted by the Mayor and Township Council of the Township of Dover (now Toms River) 6-22-2004 by Ord. No. 3884-04.[1] Amendments noted where applicable.]

GENERAL REFERENCES

Adoption of Administrative Code — See Ch. 1, Art. III.

Department of Finance — See Ch. 44.

[1] This ordinance also superseded former Ch. 80, Municipal Utilities Authority, adopted 12-11-1979 by Ord. No. 1888. See now § 71-1F, Municipal Utilities Authority.

§ 80-1 Submission of detailed statement.

Any person claiming payment from the Township of Toms River shall first submit a detailed statement of the items or demand necessitating such claim to the Chief Financial Officer, specifying particularly how the bill or demand is made up, and a certification of the party claiming payment that it is correct. No bill, claim or demand shall be considered for payment unless the voucher has attached to it or includes a certification of a department head, or other municipal official responsible for certain functions, or of his duly designated representative having personal knowledge of the facts that the goods have been received by or the services rendered to the Township of Toms River, and that those services or goods are consistent with any existing contract or purchase order. The Chief Financial Officer shall have the duty to audit, warrant and make recommendations on all claims and bills.

§ 80-2 Inclusion in agenda.

The bill or claim duly certified shall be presented to the Municipal Clerk for inclusion in the agenda of the next immediate formal meeting of the Township Council, and it shall be the duty of the Clerk to examine all bills or claims submitted for payment in order to ascertain if proper administrative procedures have been followed. Claims or bills to be considered by the Township Council shall be listed systematically without preference, and said list shall be made available to every member of said Township Council prior to formal action by that body.

§ 80-3 Approval or disapproval of claims.

Claims shall be considered by the Township Council, which shall approve the same, except that said Township Council may reject any claim presented to it, stating the reason for such rejection. Any disapproved claim shall be referred back to the Municipal Clerk with such instructions as the Township Council may give at the time of disapproval.

§ 80-4 Records.

It shall be the duty of the Municipal Clerk to record all claims in the official minutes or through an appropriate claims register, indicating that the Township Council has by formal action approved the same, with appropriate record as to any claims disapproved or rejected. All records pertaining to approved and disapproved bills or claims shall be available for public inspection.

§ 80-5 Payment of claims.

After the Clerk has certified that the claims have been approved, he or she submit said claims to the Chief Financial Officer, 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 Township Clerk and Chief Financial Officer. After preparing checks for the payment of claims, he or she shall record them in proper books of account and forward said checks to claimants.

§ 80-6 Payment of advances for travel expenses.

Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, the Township Council may, by resolution, provide for and authorize the payment of advances to specific Township officers and employees for travel expense and incidental expenses thereto when such travel and incidental expenses are necessary and proper, as the Township Council in its sole discretion shall determine, in advancing the scope and nature of the work of the particular Township officer or employee, subject to § 80-8.

§ 80-7 Payment of advances for vendor services.

Notwithstanding any other provisions of this chapter, the Township Council may, by resolution, provide for and authorize the payment of advances for vendor services, excluding the provision of materials and supplies, when such services are of a professional nature as defined in the Local Public Contracts Law of New Jersey, N.J.S.A. 40A:11-1 et seq., and when the Township Council, in its sole discretion, shall determine that circumstances exist which require the simultaneous payment for the services when the services are provided.

§ 80-8 Procedure for payment of advances.

In making advances, pursuant to this chapter, to any individual and/or vendor, the following procedure shall govern:

A. A resolution shall be prepared by the Township Administrator, setting forth the department head requesting the advance, the party to whom the advance is to be paid and the purpose and amount of the advance.

B. The original resolution shall be approved, in writing, by the Township Administrator and maintained on file in his office.

C. A voucher requesting the advance and completed in accordance with § 80-1 shall be attached to the original resolution on file in the office of the Township Administrator, bearing the signature of the appropriate department head requesting the advance and the party to whom the advance is to be paid.

D. The advance resolution shall be approved at a public meeting of the Township Council, pursuant to §§ 80-2 and 80-3.

E. Following approval, an advance check shall be issued pursuant to § 80-5.

F. Within 10 days of the completion of the authorized travel or payment for the vendor's services, the Township department head from whose department the request originated shall countersign the previously submitted voucher, submit a detailed bill and require any necessary adjustment to be made as to the advance payment to any officer or employee within his department, including the repayment of any excess advance, under the supervision of the Township Administrator.