Township of Lumberton, NJ Chapter 35 Meetings

[HISTORY: Adopted by the Township Committee of the Township of Lumberton as indicated in article histories. Amendments noted where applicable.]

Article I Township Committee Meeting Procedures

[Adopted 2-3-2022 by Ord. No. 2022-01]

§ 35-1 Meetings; attendance; quorum.

A. Regular meetings. The Township Committee shall meet annually for reorganization within the first seven days of January. The Township Committee shall meet regularly thereafter on such dates and at such times as shall be set forth on the resolution establishing that year's meetings as adopted at the reorganization meeting; but in no event shall the Township Committee meet less than monthly.

B. Special meetings. The Mayor may, and upon written request of a majority of the Committee, shall call a special meeting of the Township Committee. The call for a special meeting shall specify the purpose of the meeting, and no business shall be transacted at any special meeting other than that specified. The Mayor's call for a special meeting shall be transmitted to the Clerk at least five days prior to the time for which the meeting is called, however, such date must allow for sufficient time to provide notice by publication as required by the Open Public Meetings Act.[1] The foregoing five-day period shall not apply for emergency special meetings, however, the procedures for emergency meetings under the Open Public Meetings Act shall be followed. The Clerk shall forthwith give notice thereof by telephone and in writing by letter or electronic mail to each member of the Committee, at such place as he or she shall have previously designated for that purpose, and also serve or cause to be served a written copy of the call upon each Committee member by delivery of a copy to him or her personally or by the leaving of a copy at his usual place of abode. The municipal police shall cooperate with the Clerk in effectuating such service of notice. Upon written waiver of notice executed by all of the members of the Township Committee, a special meeting may be held without prior notice, notwithstanding the above provisions of this subsection.

[1] Editor's Note: See N.J.S.A. 10:4-6 et seq.

C. Attendance by the public; exceptions; attendance of municipal officials. All regular and special meetings of the Committee shall be open to the public, subject to those exceptions set forth pursuant to the Open Public Meetings Act that permit the Committee to discuss certain topics in executive session to the exclusion of the public. The Mayor may also institute reasonable meeting requirements for reasons of health, safety or public emergencies, including, but not limited to, attendee spacing/capacity limits, personal protective equipment requirements and/or digital hybrid/remote meeting hosting alternatives via teleconference or internet-based services. The Administrator, Attorney, Clerk and Engineer, and such other municipal officers, employees and professionals as may be required by general or special order of the Township Committee, shall attend regular and special meetings of the Committee.

D. Quorum. Attendance by a majority of all the members elected to the Township Committee shall constitute a quorum at any regular or special meetings of the Committee, but a lesser number than a quorum may adjourn any meeting. If no member of the Committee is present a half hour after the appointed time for any meeting, the Clerk shall adjourn the meeting.

§ 35-2 Conduct.

A. Committee meetings.

(1) The format for Committee meeting agendas shall be as follows:

Call to order.

Salute to the flag.

Statement of conformance with Open Public Meetings Act.

Roll call.

Approval of minutes.

Presentations.

Public hearing and adoption of second reading ordinances.

Introduction of first reading ordinances (by title only).

Consent agenda and resolutions.

Correspondence.

Department head reports.

Unfinished business.

New business.

Approval of purchases over $5,000.

Payment of bills.

Comments from the public.

Comments from the Township Committee.

Caucus agenda.

Executive session.

Adjournment.

(a) Items may be added to or removed from the agenda at any point by a majority vote of those Committee members present.

(b) Additions to the agenda will be considered only after Committee comments have been made.

(c) Beginning at 11:00 p.m., the Mayor will entertain a motion for adjournment at the conclusion of each item of business. An affirmative vote by a majority of those Committee members present shall constitute approval of such a motion.

(2) Procedure for Committee motions or comments.

(a) Motions or comments shall be made only by the member who has the floor.

(b) Motions shall not be discussed until seconded.

(c) Each Committee member will have an opportunity to discuss the motion for five minutes, after which each member will have a second opportunity for a two-minute discussion.

(d) Amendments to motions will be discussed in the same manner as motions, except that both opportunities for discussion shall be limited to two minutes.

(e) A motion to table to a specific date shall be discussed only as to the date. Discussion shall be limited in the same manner provided for amendments to motions.

(f) A motion to table to an unspecified date shall not be debatable.

(g) A Committee member shall not grant his allotted discussion time to another Committee member without the consent of a majority of the Committee members present.

(h) Committee and staff comments at the end of the agenda shall be limited to five minutes per person.

(i) All votes on motions for the consideration of resolutions or ordinances shall be by roll call, with the Township Clerk calling Committee members in alphabetical order, with the exception that the Mayor shall vote only after all other members present have voted or abstained. All other votes on motions, at the discretion of the Mayor as chair, may be taken by voice vote, except that any Committee member may request a roll call vote for such motions with the consent of a majority of the Township Committee.

(j) Rules imposing time limits may be relaxed by a 2/3 vote of the Committee members present.

(3) Procedure for public comment.

(a) The Mayor as chair will receive and direct all comments from and responses to the public. Each Committee member may be given the opportunity to discuss or respond to a public comment. Comments or responses shall be limited to five minutes.

(b) Ordinances. The Committee, by a vote of a majority of the members present, may permit public comment prior to first reading. This comment shall not be considered a public hearing and is subject to the time limitation of five minutes per speaker. The total time for such preliminary public comment shall not exceed 15 minutes. Time limits imposed on such preliminary public comment can be relaxed by a 2/3 vote of those Committee members present.

(c) Resolutions. The Committee, by a vote of a majority of the members present, may permit public comment before a vote on the resolution is taken. This comment shall not be considered a public hearing and is subject to the time limitation of five minutes per speaker. The total time for such preliminary public comment shall not exceed 15 minutes. Time limits imposed on such preliminary public comment can be relaxed by a 2/3 vote of those Committee members present.

(d) In lieu of, or in addition to, preliminary public comment at meetings, the Committee, by a majority vote of the members present, may authorize the Township Clerk to send a copy of a proposed ordinance or resolution to appropriate community groups or residents. The Township Clerk shall include a notice that all comments, if in writing, must be received by the Friday before the next meeting at which the ordinance or resolution is to be considered. Oral comments will be permitted at the meeting in accordance with § 35-2A(3).

(e) Rules imposing time limits may be relaxed by a 2/3 vote of the Committee members present.

B. Procedure for matters not specified. Except as may be provided in this Code or by other applicable law, questions of order, methods of organization and the conduct of business of the Committee shall be governed by the latest revised edition of Robert's Rules of Order. Notwithstanding, the Committee may, from time to time, consider and adopt by resolution any interim procedures and supplemental rules that do not conflict with the procedures of this chapter, which shall expire at the end of the calendar year so adopted unless codified by subsequent ordinance or reauthorized by resolution the following calendar year.