There shall be an Office of the Municipal Clerk,
the head of which shall be the Municipal Clerk. The Council shall
appoint a Municipal Clerk for a term as provided by law. Prior to
appointment, he or she shall have been qualified by training and experience
to perform the duties of his or her office and as provided by N.J.S.A.
40A:9-133 et seq. He or she shall serve as Clerk of the Council and
have such other functions, powers and duties are provided for by this
Code or law.
A.Â
The Council shall appoint a Municipal Clerk who shall
serve as Clerk of the Council, keep its minutes and records of its
proceedings, maintain and compile its ordinances and resolutions as
required and perform such functions as may be required by law.
B.Â
In addition thereto, the Municipal Clerk shall:
(1)Â
Provide secretarial and clerical services for Councilmen
in the discharge of their official duties.
(2)Â
Municipal Seal. The Clerk shall cause the Municipal
Seal to be affixed to instruments and writings when directed by the
Mayor or by Council resolution or specifically authorized by law or
when necessary to exemplify any document or record in his office or
to certify an act or paper which, from the records of his office,
shall appear to be a true copy of any public record or proceeding.
He shall not affix the Seal or cause or permit it to be affixed to
any instrument, writing or other paper except as provided in this
subsection, unless required by law.
(3)Â
Ordinances; publication. The Clerk shall publish ordinances
as required by law and shall file in his office the requisite proofs
of such publication.
(4)Â
Notices to Council. The Clerk shall issue and deliver
all notices of meetings required to be given to the Council and shall
promptly inform Council members of action taken by the Mayor with
respect to any ordinance.
(5)Â
Fees. The Clerk shall charge and receive for the use
of the municipality such fees for transcripts and certifications as
shall be authorized by the Council.
(6)Â
Election duties. The Clerk shall perform all the functions
required of municipal clerks by the General Election Law and any other
law or ordinance and receive for municipal use the fees prescribed
therefor.
(7)Â
Other functions. The Clerk shall perform such functions
as are vested in municipal clerks by state law and ordinances relating
to bingo and raffles licensing and have such other, different and
additional functions, powers and duties as may be prescribed by law
or ordinance.
(8)Â
The Township Clerk, as the custodian of government
records for documents, may, in accordance with N.J.S.A. 47:1A-1 et
seq. and in consultation with the Township Business Administrator,
appoint deputy custodians of government records for documents requested
under N.J.S.A. 47:1A-1 et seq. for the various Township departments.
The Clerk shall be the depository and custodian
of all official surety bonds furnished by or on account of any Township
office, officer or employee, except his own bond, which shall be placed
in the custody of the Township Chief Financial Officer, all insurance
policies upon or with respect to risks insured for the benefit of
the Township or to protect it against any claims, demands or liability
whatsoever and all formal contracts for work, labor, services, supplies,
equipment and materials to which the Township may be a party. The
Clerk shall also have custody of all leases of property owned by the
Township. The Clerk shall be the depository for and have custody of
all performance bonds running to the Township as obligee and other
forms of noncash security given by any contractor, subdivision developer
or other persons on account of work done or to be done in or for the
Township.
There may be Deputy Municipal Clerks appointed
by the Council who shall have, exercise and perform the functions,
powers and duties of the Clerk in the absence or upon the direction
of the Clerk.
The Clerk is designated as the official who
shall prepare and issue certificates as to the approval of a subdivision
of land, pursuant to law. Prior to the issuance of any such certificate,
the Clerk shall ascertain from the records of the Planning Board,
Division of Engineering in the Department of Community Development
and otherwise, as well as from the records in the Office of the Clerk,
the status of the subdivision in question.