[Adopted 10-5-1977 by Ord. No. 1252 (see
Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I)]
Any person claiming payment from the Town shall
present a detailed bill of demand, per N.J.S.A. 40A:5-16, to the Purchasing
Agent duly certified or, in the alternative, supported by an affidavit
of the claimant.
It shall be the duty of the Purchasing Agent
to see that the materials received were properly billed and comply
with all specifications for said materials.
[Amended 8-15-2012 by Ord. No. 31/12]
Claims shall then be presented to the Commissioner
of the department responsible for the placing of the order, who, if
satisfied that the claims are proper, shall certify that said claims
are proper and shall file the claims with the Commissioner of Revenue
and Finance, who shall then present these claims to the Board of Commissioners
for formal approval at a regular meeting.
[Added 11-25-1992 by Ord. No. 2027;
amended 12-17-2008 by Ord. No. 23/08; 8-17-2017 by Ord. No. 20/17]
A.
In addition to the above procedure, the Chief Municipal Financial
Officer shall be authorized to pay claims, provided that sufficient
funds are budgeted for the same, for each of the following items in
advance of the meeting of the governing body: weekly payroll; insurance
premiums; utility bills; and capital projects with approved contracts
and vouchers for payments; and provided, further, that all of such
payments made by the Chief Municipal Financial Officer pursuant to
the above provisions shall be submitted to the governing body for
its ratification and approval at the next official meeting of the
governing body after payment of the claims by the Chief Municipal
Financial Officer.
B.
Notwithstanding any other provision in this article, in addition
to the above procedure, the Chief Municipal Financial Officer, with
the approval of the Municipal Administrator, shall be authorized to
pay claims for goods and services provided to the Town of West New
York, provided that sufficient funds are budgeted for the same and
requests for payment are received in the normal course and as otherwise
may be required, for each of the following items in advance of the
meeting of the governing body: where authority for payment of bills
on a particular contract has been provided to the Chief Municipal
Financial Officer by resolution of the Board of Commissioners, and
items in an amount not to exceed $5,900 where deemed necessary for
the efficient operation of the Town of West New York by the Municipal
Administrator; and provided, further, that all of such payments made
by the Chief Municipal Financial Officer pursuant to the above provisions
shall be submitted to the governing body for its ratification and
approval at the next official meeting of the governing body after
payment of the claims by the Chief Municipal Financial Officer.
[Amended 12-18-2019 by Ord. No. 26/19]
A list of all claims shall be presented for
approval at the next regular meeting, and said schedule or list shall
be made available to every member of the Board of Commissioners as
soon as it is closed before the claims are subject to formal action
by that Board. Once they are placed on the list of claims they have
undergone five phases of approval; namely, 1) initial approval authorizing
purchase by the Municipal Administrator; 2) certification of fund
availability by the Chief Financial Officer; 3) certification of proper
purchasing procedure by the qualified Purchasing Agent; 4) certification
of satisfactory receipt of goods and services rendered (as noted in the
purchase order) by the authorized designee; and 5) certification of
satisfactory claim by the department head. Such claims shall be considered
by the Board of Commissioners, which shall finally approve the same
as a governing body, except that the Board of Commissioners may reject
any claim presented to it, stating the reason for such rejection.
Any disapproved claim shall be referred back to the Commissioner of
the department responsible for the placing of the order with such
instructions as the Board of Commissioners may give at the time of
disapproval.
It shall be the duty of the Town Clerk to record
all claims in the official minutes, indicating that the Board of Commissioners
has by formal action approved the same, with an appropriate record
as to any claims disapproved or rejected. After approval, claims shall
be listed in the permanent minutes of the Board of Commissioners,
which listing shall be designated as "Claims approved by the Board
of Commissioners (insert date)"; this listing shall be amplified by
appropriate detail in the minutes to permit ready identification.
[Amended 8-15-2012 by Ord. No. 31/12]
It shall be the duty of the Commissioner of
Revenue and Finance to indicate on said claims that they have been
approved for payment, with the date of approval thereof noted on the
claim.
[Amended 8-15-2012 by Ord. No. 31/12; 12-18-2019 by Ord. No. 26/19]
After the Commissioner of Revenue and Finance
and the Chief Financial Officer have certified that the claims have
been approved for payment by the Board of Commissioners, they shall
turn the same over to the Treasurer or the Chief Financial Officer,
who shall forthwith prepare the necessary checks for the payment thereof.
Said checks shall include two of three of the following signatures:
the Mayor, the Commissioner of Revenue and Finance, and/or the Municipal
Administrator. After preparing checks for the payment of claims, the
Treasurer or other Chief Financial Officer shall record them in proper
books of account and shall thereafter mail or otherwise distribute
the checks to the claimants.
In the case of payrolls, the appropriate department
heads, or such officer or employee as may be designated by resolution
of the Board of Commissioners, shall prepare the necessary payrolls
for all employees, which payrolls shall be duly certified by the person
authorized to certify that the services have been rendered and that
the amount specified is in fact due and owing to the employee or employees.
Said payroll shall then be approved by the department head responsible
therefor and presented to the Board of Commissioners for approval
and, after approval, shall be paid in due course.
This chapter shall provide for the establishment
of a payroll account, and the Board of Commissioners may thereafter
by resolution prescribe the manner in which payroll checks shall be
drawn, who shall sign the same and the dates on which payment shall
be made. In addition, the Town may, if it so elects, adopt a resolution
providing for the biweekly payment of salaries, wages and compensation.
