There is hereby created within the Town of Clay
a separate department of town government to be known as the "Department
of Finance."
The Town Board of the Town of Clay enacts this
article to create a new department to be known as the "Department
of Finance," to provide for the appointment of a Commissioner and
Deputy Commissioner of Finance and to define their duties. The Department
is created for the purpose of coordinating and consolidating the fiscal
activities of the Town of Clay.
There are hereby created the offices of Commissioner
of Finance and Deputy Commissioner of Finance to administer the Department
of Finance. The term of either office shall be for a term of two years
and until a successor, or successors, shall have qualified, provided,
however, that the appointees to such offices shall be removable at
the pleasure of the Town Board. The office of Commissioner of Finance
shall be a full-time position. The office of Deputy Commissioner of
Finance shall be a part-time position. The appointees to both positions
shall serve in the unclassified civil service.
The qualifications for the office of Commissioner
of Finance shall be a minimum of a Bachelor of Science degree in accounting
and/or business administration with five years' experience in accounting
or related occupations or a master's degree in accounting or business
administration with three years' experience in accounting or related
occupations, or a CPA or public accountant licensed by the State of
New York.
The Commissioner of Finance shall be responsible
to the Supervisor as the chief executive officer of the town pursuant
to the Suburban Town Law and is hereby further designated as Town
Comptroller and Budget Officer of the Town of Clay, and shall have
the following duties:
A. Exercise those powers and duties necessary for the
general supervision of the Department of Finance.
B. Plan, organize, direct and review administrative procedures
necessary to the operation of the Department of Finance, and, in this
respect, to coordinate said administrative procedures with the office
of Assessor and the office of Tax Collector of the Town of Clay.
C. Establish systems and procedures for a central record
depository of all financial records of the Town of Clay.
D. Supervise and review the work of departmental subordinates
and report periodically to the Supervisor concerning the operation,
financial conditions and future financing needs of the town and his
Department and shall have the power to employ such officers and/or
employees as he deems necessary for the proper operation of the Department
of Finance, within budgetary limitations established by the Town Board
of the Town of Clay.
E. Assist the Supervisor in the preparation of the preliminary
budget and the capital budget, if any, and in the administration of
other fiscal operations of the town for which the Supervisor is responsible
and shall furnish to the Supervisor such information and data as the
Supervisor may require for the purpose of enabling him to exercise
his powers, perform his duties, and make reports as required by law.
F. Have all and shall exercise those powers and duties
heretofore being performed by the Town Comptroller and Budget Officer
as authorized by the laws of the State of New York.
G. Prescribe and enforce a general accounting system
for the government of the town, all of its officers, and each of its
departments.
H. Establish procedures and practices for the management
of the debts of the town.
I. Develop policies to safeguard the financial interest
of the town including the obtaining, if necessary, of surety and indemnification
bonds for town officer.
J. Be responsible for the town insurance program, including
protection for town officers, boards, commissions, employees, agents,
property, equipment and furnishings.
K. Be responsible for the central payroll system for
the town officers and employees and shall coordinate and operate all
authorized town employee benefit programs, including but not limited
to retirement, sickness, and hospitalization, life insurance, disability
and workmen's compensation programs.
L. Be responsible for all town purchasing, shall audit
all town financial records and books and shall be responsible for
establishing a procedure for the efficient flow of all funds received
by the town.
M. Be responsible for the preparation and processing
of all applications for federal, state and county aid and reimbursement
programs in which the Town of Clay is eligible to participate.
N. Be responsible for the preparation of annual special
district budgets and, with the aid of the engineers and attorneys
for the town, shall administer the receipt, expenditure and investment
of all special district funds.
O. Aid the Supervisor in preparing fiscal reports as
may be required by law.
P. Perform the duties and powers imposed upon the Supervisor
pursuant to § 125 of the Town Law as follows:
(1) The keeping of separate appropriation accounts and
preventing funds or appropriation accounts from being overdrawn; and
(2) The drawing upon funds or appropriations, provided
that the countersignature of the Supervisor shall be required.
Q. Such other duties as may be assigned by the Supervisor,
the Town Board or other provisions of this Municipal Code.
The following bureaus of town government are
hereby established within the Department of Finance to perform the
duties specified herein and such other duties as may be assigned by
the Commissioner of Finance:
A. Bureau of Government Aid and Reimbursement. This Bureau
shall be responsible for the preparation and processing of all government
aid and reimbursement applications.
B. Bureau of Bookkeeping and Accounting. This Bureau
shall be responsible for the collection, posting, receipting and preparation
of deposits of all moneys collected by any of the town offices, officers
and departments on a daily basis. The Commissioner of Finance shall
promulgate such systems, rules and/or regulations as are necessary
to ensure that all moneys collected within the town are processed
by the Bureau of Bookkeeping and Accounting.
C. Bureau of Purchasing and Personnel. This Bureau shall
be responsible for all town purchases, for the proper operation of
the central payroll system and for the administration of employee
benefit programs.
There is hereby created a five-member board
to be known as the "Board of Insurance Advisors." The Board shall
be responsible for assisting the Commissioner of Finance in the discharge
of his duties regarding the town's insurance program, the preparation
of specifications for proper insurance coverages for the Town of Clay
properties, officers and employees and the annual review and appraisal
of the town's insurance coverage. The members of the Board shall be
appointed annually by the Town Board and shall serve without any compensation.
The Deputy Commissioner of Finance shall be responsible for aiding the Commissioner in the discharge of his duties as specified in §
14-5 herein and, in the absence of the Commissioner, shall be responsible for the proper administration of the Department of Finance.