[HISTORY: Derived from Ch. II, Secs. 2-1 through 2-6 and 2-40, of
the Revised General Ordinances of the Borough of Fort Lee, 1978, adopted 3-1-1979.
Amendments noted where applicable.]
This chapter shall be known and may be cited as the "Administrative
Code of the Borough of Fort Lee" and is herein referred to as "the code."
A.
Organization of Borough Council. The Council shall consist
of the Mayor and six Councilmen elected at large in the borough, all of whom
shall be elected and take office in the manner provided by law. The term of
office shall commence January 1 next following their election.
B.
Ordinances and resolutions. Council shall take appropriate
action to ensure that ordinances and resolutions of the preceding year are
compiled or codified.
The Council shall meet for organization on the first day of January,
or during the first seven days in January in any year at the call of the incoming
Mayor. Thereafter, the Council shall meet regularly within the borough at
such times and places as provided by the rules of Council. 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 meetings at such
time and place in the borough as they may designate. Notice of all meetings
shall be given in accordance with the requirements of the Open Public Meetings
Act, N.J.S.A. 10:4-6.
A.
The Mayor shall preside over all meetings of the Council
but shall not vote except to give the deciding vote in case of a tie. Except
as otherwise provided by statute or specific ordinance, the Mayor shall nominate
and, with the advice and consent of the Council, appoint all officers of the
borough, and the Chairman and members of all standing committees. No appointments
requiring Council confirmation shall be made except by a majority vote of
the Council members present at the meeting, provided that at least three affirmative
votes shall be required for such purpose, the Mayor to have no vote thereon
except in case of a tie. Vacancies in appointive offices shall be filled by
appointment in the same manner for the unexpired term only. The Mayor shall
make such nomination to fill a vacancy within 30 days after the appointive
office becomes vacant. If the Mayor fails to nominate within 30 days or the
Council fails to confirm any nomination made by the Mayor, then, after the
expiration of 30 days, the Council shall appoint the officer.
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.
C.
The Mayor shall supervise the conduct and acts of all
officers in the borough.
D.
The Mayor shall execute all contracts made on behalf
of the governing body for the Borough of Fort Lee.
At the organizational meeting the Council, by a majority vote, shall
elect from their number a President of the Council, who shall preside at all
of its meetings when the Mayor does not preside. The President of the Council
shall hold office for one year and until the next annual meeting. He shall
have the right to debate the 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. If the Mayor is absent from the borough
for a period of three consecutive days or for any reason is unable to act,
the President of the Council shall perform all the duties of the Mayor during
his absence or inability. The Mayor, in case of his intended absence from
the borough for more than three days at any one time, shall notify the President
in writing of such intended absence, whereupon the President shall be and
become Acting Mayor from the receipt of such notice and continue to act until
the Mayor's return. In the absence of both the Mayor and the Council President,
the Councilperson with the most seniority shall become Acting Mayor in accordance
with the procedures set forth above.
A.
Established. The position of Municipal Administrator
of the borough is hereby created, and the employment of a person to fill such
position on a temporary or permanent basis is hereby authorized.
B.
Appointment. The Municipal Administrator shall be appointed
by the Mayor with the advice and consent of the Council. The Mayor shall make
such appointment within 30 days after the office becomes vacant. If the Mayor
fails to make such appointment within the 30 days or the Council fails to
confirm any appointment made by the Mayor, then after the expiration of the
30 days, the Council shall appoint the Municipal Administrator.
C.
Term of office. The term of office of the Municipal Administrator
shall be at the pleasure of the Mayor and Council.
D.
Removal of Municipal Administrator. The Municipal Administrator
may be removed by a 2/3 vote of the Borough Council. The resolution of removal
shall become effective three months after its adoption by the Borough Council.
The Council may provide that the resolution shall have immediate effect; provided,
however, that the Council shall cause to be paid to the Municipal Administrator
forthwith any unpaid balance of his salary and his salary for the next three
calendar months following adoption of the resolution.
E.
Salary. The Municipal Administrator shall receive such
salary as may be determined by the Salary Ordinance of the borough.
F.
Qualifications. The Municipal Administrator shall be
chosen on the basis of executive and administrative abilities and qualifications,
with special regard to education, training and expense in government affairs.
G.
At the time of his appointment he need not be a resident
of the Borough of Fort Lee but he shall within one year of the date of his
appointment become a resident of the borough, unless his residence outside
of the borough shall be approved by the Council.
H.
Powers and duties. The Municipal Administrator shall
have the following powers and perform the following duties:
(1)
He shall attend all meetings as directed by the Mayor
and Council.
(2)
He shall provide a liaison between the Mayor and Council
and the various municipal boards, agencies and departments of the borough
and its professional advisors.
(3)
He shall keep the Mayor and Council currently informed
on all matters assigned to him or otherwise within his jurisdiction.
(4)
He shall be responsible for the coordination of intra-departmental
operations. and manage the day-to-day operation of the Borough Hall by coordinating
and supervising the activities of the clerical and stenographic employees.
(5)
He shall make studies and surveys of such municipal problems
of the borough as shall be assigned to him by the Mayor and Council and prepare
and submit written reports of his findings and determinations to the Mayor
and Council for their consideration and action.
(6)
He shall study continually present and future budgets,
purchasing procedures, administrative procedures and personal organization
and policies and make such recommendations to the Mayor and Council relating
thereto as he shall deem necessary.
(7)
He shall be responsible for continually improving communications
between the various borough personnel, departments, agencies, boards and the
Mayor and Council.
(8)
He shall see that all terms and conditions imposed in
favor of the borough or its inhabitants in any statute or contract are faithfully
kept and performed and, upon knowledge of any violation, call the same to
the attention of the Borough Council.
(9)
He shall have the authority to suspend or dismiss any
borough employee. All such action taken by the administrator shall be brought
to the attention of the Mayor and Council as soon as practicable. The administrator
shall submit a full report of his actions to the Mayor and Council. The Borough
Council may by resolution override the Administrator's actions. The Administrator
shall have the authority to establish entrance level salaries for new employees,
job descriptions and work conditions pertaining to hours worked within the
confine of the negotiated employee, employer workers agreements, and upon
approval by the majority of the Borough Council.
(a)
He shall have the authority to make promotions for all
employees and reestablish the salary level as a result of the promotion in
accordance with all rules and regulations promulgated by civil service and
upon the approval of the Borough Council.
(b)
He shall act as the chief labor negotiator for the purpose
of collective bargaining with all employee units, but all settlements and
agreements are subject to approval by the Borough Council.
(10)
He shall continually review and make recommendations
to the Insurance Committee of the Borough Council of the borough's insurance
program.
(11)
He shall be responsible for the overall supervision and
maintenance of real property owned by the borough.
(12)
He shall act as liaison between the borough and the various
county, state and federal agencies, with respect to all applications for funds
and/or services needed or required by the borough.
(13)
He shall review daily any complaints concerning the functions
and obligations of the borough and made by any of its residents, and he shall
have a permanent record of all complaints and the disposition made.
(14)
He shall make any recommendations which he may believe
will increase the efficiency of the operation of the borough.
(15)
He shall prepare and present to the Mayor and Council
a semiannual report of the borough affairs, which shall include a report from
each department head.
(16)
He shall aid in the preparation of the budget, alert
department heads to the submission of their portion thereof and also, on request,
assist the individual Councilmen and department heads in contributing their
share of the responsibility for the municipal budget.
(17)
He shall also perform such other duties as may be assigned
to him by the Mayor and Council.
A.
The office of Purchasing Agent is hereby established
in the borough.
B.
The Purchasing Agent shall have the authority to act
as the governing body's contracting agent, to prepare public advertising for
bids and to receive bids for the purchase of work, materials and supplies
on behalf of the governing body and, in accordance with the provisions of
the Local Public Contracts Law, N.J.S.A. 40A:11-1 et seq., to make awards
of contracts in the name of the governing body.
C.
The Purchasing Agent shall be appointed by the Mayor
and Council.
A.
There is hereby established in the Borough of Fort Lee
department organization in accordance with the chart dated February 7, 1992,
which is available in the office of the Borough Clerk.
B.
Group managers.
(1)
In conjunction with the organizational chart, there are
hereby established the positions of group managers for the following groups:
finance; community service; safety services; code enforcement; and property
management.
(2)
At all times, the group manager for the finance group
shall be the Tax Collector; for community service group, the Superintendent
of the Recreation Department; for the safety services group, the Police Chief;
for the code enforcement group, the Building Subcode Official; for the property
management group, the Director of the Department of Public Works.
C.
Responsibilities of group managers.
(1)
To provide assistance to department heads in the preparation
of budgets.
(2)
To monitor budget reports for departments within the
assigned group and discuss purchases with department supervisor.
(3)
To review goals and policies established by the government
and Administrator to assure compliance by all departments.
(4)
To meet with the Borough Administrator on a regular schedule
to keep her apprised of the operations of the departments.
(5)
To review staffing of departments and authorize temporary
transfers within the assigned group.
(6)
To make recommendations to the Administrator on behalf
of the group.
(7)
Act as liaison between department heads and Borough Administrator.
Whenever a group manager and a department head cannot agree, the problem will
be brought to the attention of the Borough Administrator for a decision.
D.
Inconsistent ordinances. All ordinances establishing
departments or interrelationship between departments inconsistent with those
set forth in the organizational chart, and except for those established by
statute (i.e., Board of Adjustment and Planning Board), are hereby repealed
as to such inconsistencies only. All ordinances setting forth specific responsibilities
and/or legal authorization of the borough's various boards, departments, bureaus,
commissions or other governmental positions are hereby ratified and confirmed.
