[HISTORY: Adopted by the Township Committee
of the Township of Mansfield 2-12-1975 (§ 2-1 of the 1975 General Ordinances). Amendments
noted where applicable.]
All legislative power of the Township, except
in matters of health, shall be exercised by the Township Committee
pursuant to law, and in matters of health, by the Board of Health.
The Township Committee shall organize annually
during the first week in January, at which time it shall elect a Mayor
from among its members. The Mayor shall preside at meetings of the
Township Committee and perform such other duties as the Township Committee
may prescribe. In the absence or disability of the Mayor, the deputy
Mayor shall have the power and duties of the Mayor.
The Mayor shall have the power to appoint subcommittees
of the Township Committee with the consent of the Township Committee.
He shall sign and execute documents and agreements on behalf of the
Township. He shall have the power to make proclamations concerning
holidays and events of interest in the Township. He shall exercise
the ceremonial power of the Township and every other power usually
exercised by Township mayors or conferred upon him by law. In the
absence or disability of the Mayor, the Committee shall designate
the Township Deputy Mayor.
A.
Regular meetings. The Township Committee shall meet
annually within the first week in January. The Committee shall meet
regularly thereafter on the second Wednesday and on the fourth Wednesday
in each month at 7:30 p.m., except that the Committee may, by resolution,
dispense with or change the date of a regular meeting. When the time
for any regular meeting of the Committee falls on a legal holiday
as prescribed by law, such meeting shall be held at the same hour
on some other day of the week at the convenience of the Committee.
[Amended 5-8-1996 by Ord. No. 07-96]
B.
Special meetings. A special meeting may be called
at any time upon written request of one member of the Township Committee
or by the Mayor. The request and call for a special meeting shall
specify the purpose of the meeting and no business shall be transacted
at any special meetings other than that specified. The call for a
special meeting shall be filed with the Township Clerk and shall be
served upon each Committee member as hereinafter provided at least
24 hours prior to the time for which the meeting is called, provided
that the Mayor may determine that an emergency exists affecting the
health or safety of the people, which requires consideration by the
Township Committee within a shorter time, and upon such determination
which the Mayor shall set forth in the call, the call may be filed
with the Clerk at any time prior to the time set for the meetings.
Upon the filing of any call for a special meeting, the Clerk shall
forthwith give notice thereof by telephone or telegraph to each Committee
member, at such place as he shall have previously designated for that
purpose, and shall also serve or cause to be served a written copy
of the call upon each Committee member, by delivery of a copy to him
personally or by the leaving of a copy at his usual place of abode.
The Police Department shall cooperate with the Clerk in effectuating
such service of notice. Upon waiver of notice by all members of the
Township Committee, a special meeting or a change of the agenda thereof
may be held without prior notice, notwithstanding the above provisions
of this section.
[Amended 8-13-2014 by Ord. No. 2014-13]
All regular and special meetings of the Township
Committee shall be open to the public. The rules of procedure to be
followed and rules for the consideration of nominations submitted
by the Mayor and for the conduct of other business of the Committee
shall be provided by resolution.
The Committee may meet at any time in executive
session for the consideration of any Township business or to meet
with any officer or employee of the Township or any other person on
Township business. No person other than those specifically invited
by the Committee shall be authorized to participate in any such executive
session.
A majority of the whole number of members of
the Township Committee shall constitute a quorum, and no ordinance
shall be adopted by the Township Committee without the affirmative
vote of a majority of the quorum of the Committee. If a quorum is
not present 1/2 hour after the appointed time for any meeting, the
presiding officer or the Clerk may declare the meeting adjourned.
The vote upon every ordinance and upon every
motion or resolution, when requested, shall be taken by roll call,
and the yeas and nays shall be entered on the minutes. The minutes
of each meeting shall be signed by the Township Clerk.
All ordinances shall be introduced, read, heard
and enacted in the manner provided by general law.
The ordinance book shall be signed by the Mayor
and Clerk.
Pursuant to N.J.S.A. 40:146-13.1,[2] the Committee shall have the power and authority to elect
from among its members a Vice Chairperson of the Committee. In the
absence or disability of the chairperson, the Vice Chairperson shall
have all the powers and duties of the Chairperson and shall serve
and be known as the "Deputy Township Mayor." In the absence of the
Mayor, the Deputy Mayor shall have the powers of Mayor.
