[HISTORY: Adopted by the Mayor and Council of the Borough of Bergenfield 12-16-1975 by Ord. No. 1046 as Secs. 2-4 and 2-5 of the Revised General Ordinances. Amendments noted where applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Administrative organization — See Ch. 2.
Code of Ethics — See Ch. 25.
Officers and employees — See Ch. 50.
Adoption of ordinances — See Ch. 54.
A. 
The Mayor shall preside over all meetings of the Borough Council but shall not vote except to give the deciding vote in case of a tie.
B. 
The Mayor shall see that the laws of the state and the ordinances of the Borough are faithfully executed, and shall recommend to the Council such measures as he may deem necessary or expedient for the welfare of the Borough. He shall maintain peace and good order and have the power to suppress all riots and tumultuous assemblies in the Borough. The Mayor shall have all the powers granted by the laws of the state and the ordinances of the Borough.
A. 
Composition. The Mayor and Councilmen of the Borough shall constitute the Borough Council.
B. 
Meetings. The Council shall hold an annual meeting on January 1, at 12:00 noon, or during the first seven days of January in any year, and such other meetings or adjourned meetings at such time and place as they may by resolution direct, but all regular meetings shall be held within the Borough. The Mayor shall, when necessary, call special meetings of the Council; in case of his neglect or refusal, any four members of the Council may call such meeting at such time and place in the Borough as they may designate, and in all cases of special meetings 48 hours written notice shall be given to all the members of the Council left at their places of residence, or by actual contact with the members by telephone or otherwise. Waiver of notice may be made by unanimous consent, and all Councilmen shall sign waiver of notice of any special meeting.
C. 
Quorum. Three Councilmen and the Mayor or, in the absence of the Mayor, four Councilmen, shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business.
D. 
President. The Council at its annual meeting shall, by the vote of a majority of the Council, elect from their number a President of the Council, who shall preside at all its meetings when the Mayor does not preside. He shall hold office for one year and until the next annual meeting. He shall have the right to debate and vote on all questions before the Council. If the Council at its annual meeting fails to elect a president, the Mayor shall appoint the president from the Council, and in that case no confirmation by the Council shall be necessary.
E. 
Acting Mayor. If the Mayor is absent from the Borough for a period of three days or for any reason is unable to act, the President of the Council shall perform all the duties of the Mayor during such absence or inability. In case of his intended absence from the Borough for more than three days at any one time, the Mayor shall notify the President in writing of the intended absence, whereupon the President shall be and become acting Mayor from the receipt of the notice and continue to act until the Mayor's return. In case of the temporary inability of the President of Council to so act, the member of Council having the longest term of service may act temporarily for the President of Council.
F. 
Powers. The Council shall possess all the powers granted by or permissible under the laws of the State of New Jersey.
G. 
Rules of procedure or bylaws. The Council shall provide rules of procedure or bylaws by resolution. These rules shall not be inconsistent with the provisions of this chapter. Except where the Council provides otherwise by resolution, the proceedings at all meetings shall be conducted in accordance with Roberts Rules of Order, revised. The Borough Attorney shall be ex officio parliamentarian and shall be prepared, at the request of any member of the Council, to give his opinion on any question of procedure.
H. 
Attendance at meetings. All regular and special meetings of the Council shall be open to the public. The Borough Attorney, the Clerk, and any other Borough officer or employee whose presence is required by resolution of the Council shall attend such meetings.
I. 
Conference meetings. The Council may convene at any time in informal conference for the study of municipal business or to plan for the agendas of its future meetings.
J. 
Committees.
(1) 
There shall be the following standing committees of the Borough Council:
(a) 
Parks and Public Recreation.
(b) 
Community Affairs.
(c) 
Fire.
(d) 
Police.
(e) 
Public Works-Sanitation.
(f) 
Finance.
(2) 
Each committee shall consist of three Councilmen appointed by the Mayor and Council, one of which shall be designated as Chairman. Insofar as practicable, the Borough government shall be organized into departments corresponding to the standing committees.