[HISTORY: Adopted by the Township Committee of the Township of Franklin 2-28-1983
as Ord. No. 83-2. Amendments noted where applicable.]
There is hereby created a Local Assistance Board in the Township of
Franklin, County of Warren, pursuant to the General Public Assistance Law,
P.L. 1947, c. 156, as amended (N.J.S.A. 44:8-107 et seq.). Said Board shall
consist of three members, at least one of whom shall be a woman, and one member
thereof may be appointed from the members of the Township Committee, and they
shall be appointed by the Mayor of the Township upon the approval of the governing
body.
The term of one member of the Local Assistance Board shall be for one
year, and if one member is appointed from the Township Committee, he or she
shall be the member for the one-year term. The terms of the other members
thereof shall be as follows:
A.
The terms of the other members shall be for the term
of two years each, except that the term of the initial members herein referred
to shall be one year for one member and two years for the other member in
order that their terms may expire in alternate years. Thereafter, the term
of each member of this class shall be for two years.
B.
The term of each member of the Local Assistance Board
shall begin on the first day of January, and each member shall continue in
office until his successor shall be appointed and shall qualify. Vacancies
shall be filled for the unexpired terms only by appointment of the Mayor and
upon approval by the Township Committee.
The members of the Local Assistance Board shall serve without compensation
but shall be allowed their necessary and actual expenses.
A.
The Local Assistance Board shall organize and select
a Chairman and Secretary and appoint a Director of Welfare, who shall be the
first executive and administrative officer of the Board. The Director of Welfare
shall hold office for a term of five years from the date of his or her appointment
and shall be paid such salary as may be fixed by such Board, subject to approval
by the Township Committee.
B.
The Local Assistance Board shall reorganize in January
of each year hereafter, at which time it shall again select a Chairman and
Secretary and appoint or reappoint a Director of Welfare if the term of the
Director of Welfare has expired.
C.
If a vacancy occurs in the office of the Director of
Welfare, a Temporary or Acting Director may be appointed to serve for not
more than 90 days.
Other employees, including assistants, clerks, investigators and nurses
in such numbers as may be necessary to properly administer public assistance,
shall be appointed in the same manner as other employees of the municipality;
provided, however, that no employee of any Welfare Department of a municipality
whose compensation is paid from funds received or appropriated for public
assistance or the administration thereof in any manner shall hold any office
in any political party.
The Director of Welfare shall have the following duties:
A.
To supervise, by periodic investigation, every person
receiving public assistance, such investigation to be made by visitation at
least once a month.
B.
To reconsider from month to month the amount and nature
of public assistance given and alter, amend or suspend the same when the circumstances
so require.
C.
To devise ways and means for bringing persons unable
to maintain themselves to self-support or to the support of any other person
or agency able and willing so to do.
D.
To keep full and complete records of such investigation,
supervision, assistance and rehabilitation and of all certifications of persons
for employment or benefits and cancellations thereof in such manner and form
as required by the Commissioner of the Department of Human Services.
E.
To bring about appropriate action for commitment to any
state or County institution when the best interest of the needy persons would
be so deserved.
The Local Assistance Board shall have the powers and duties as prescribed
by the General Public Assistance Law, P.L. 1947, c. 156, (N.J.S.A. 44:8-107
et seq.), as amended, in accordance with the rules and regulations as may
be promulgated by the Commissioner, by the Department of Human Services and
by this chapter and amendments thereto.
