At the time and date fixed in accordance with
law, following their election, the members-elect of the Municipal
Council shall assemble at the usual place of meeting of the governing
body of the municipality and organize and elect one of their number
as Mayor. The Mayor shall be chosen by ballot by majority vote of
all members of the Municipal Council. If the members shall be unable,
within five ballots to be taken within two days of said organizational
meeting, to elect a Mayor, then the member who, in the election for
members of the Municipal Council, received the greatest number of
votes shall be the Mayor. Should such person decline to accept the
office, then the person receiving the next highest vote shall be the
Mayor, and so on, until the office is filled. (See N.J.S.A. 40:69A-86 [2])
[2]
Editor's Note: 0rdinance No. 1245, adopted
12-10-1984, read in part as follows: "Pursuant to N.J.S.A. 40:45A-1,
the date and time of the reorganization meeting of the Township Council
are hereby fixed at 8:00 p.m., prevailing time, on the first Monday
in January, except that during a year that the first meeting shall
be January 2."
A.
The Mayor shall have only such functions, powers and
duties as are prescribed by the Charter, as follows:
B.
Any provision of a statute conferring the appointing
power or other power upon the Mayor or other executive head of the
municipality shall be construed as meaning the Township Manager, except
as otherwise provided by the Charter.
A.
All powers of the Township and the determination of
all matters of policy shall be vested in the Council, except as otherwise
provided by or pursuant to the Charter or this chapter.
B.
It is the intention of this chapter that, unless otherwise
specifically provided by the Charter, the Township Council shall act
in all matters as a body, and it is contrary to the spirit of the
Charter for any of its members to seek individually to influence the
official acts of the Manager or any other officer or for the Council
or any of its members to direct or request the appointment of any
person to, or his removal from, office or to interfere in any way
with the performance by such officers of their duties.
C.
The Council and its members shall deal with the administrative
service solely through the Manager and shall not give orders to any
subordinates of the Manager, either publicly or privately.
D.
Nothing herein contained shall prevent the Council
from appointing committees or commissions of its own members or of
citizens to conduct investigations into the conduct of any officer
or department or any matter relating to the welfare of the Township
and delegating to such committees or commissions such powers of inquiry
as the Township Council may deem necessary.
Members of the Council shall be paid such sum
as shall be provided by ordinance, in the same manner as other township
salaries are paid, in full compensation for their services and expenses,
except as may be otherwise provided by resolution with respect to
occasional and specific expenses.
The Council shall, by resolution, determine
its regular meeting time and provide for special meetings, rules of
procedure and its standing order of business and agenda for each meeting.
As to any matter not covered by the rules of procedure, Robert's Rules
of Order shall apply.
B.
Prior approval by administrative staff. All ordinances,
resolutions and contract documents, before presentation to the Council,
shall have been approved as to form and legality by the Township Attorney
or his authorized representative and shall have been examined as to
administration by the Manager or his authorized representative. The
Manager shall submit to the Council a written memorandum concerning
the administrative aspects of each ordinance, resolution and contract,
unless he shall advise the Council that no administrative questions
are involved. Each administrative memorandum shall include the specific
comments and recommendations of the department head concerned with
the subject of the memorandum.
C.
Introducing for passage or approval.
(1)
Ordinances, resolutions and other matters or subjects
requiring action by the Council shall be introduced and sponsored
by a member of the Council, except that the Manager or Attorney may
present ordinances, resolutions and other matters or subjects to the
Council, and any Councilman may assume sponsorship thereof by moving
that such ordinances, resolutions, matters or subjects be adopted;
otherwise, they shall not be considered.
(2)
Resolutions.
[Amended 4-19-2004 by Ord. No. 9-2004]
(a)
No resolution shall be adopted without prior listing
on the Council agenda, unless the Council agrees, by unanimous vote
of those Council members present, to act on the resolution at the
same session wherein it is introduced.
(b)
Upon presentation of a resolution and prior to any
vote thereon, there shall be an opportunity for public comment on
the resolution for a period of up to five minutes unless a longer
period is authorized by a majority vote to extend the lime for public
comment.
