[HISTORY: Adopted by the Township Council of the Township of Mount
Laurel 8-15-1983 as Ord. No. 1983-25.[1] Amendments noted where applicable.]
[1]
Editor's Note: Section I of this ordinance reads as follows:
"Declarations. The Township Council hereby makes the following declarations:
"(a) One thousand four hundred twenty-two individuals, more than 5%
of the registered voters of the Township of Mount Laurel, petitioned and requested
the Township Council to establish a single fire district for the Township
of Mount Laurel.
"(b) Pursuant to N.J.S.A. 40A:14-70, the Township of Mount Laurel
is mandated to create and establish a fire district which is to be governed
by a Board of Fire Commissioners, which has, pursuant to N.J.S.A. 40A:14-70
et seq., the power to purchase and sell real and personal property and to
raise amounts of money by taxation to fund said purchases."
The Township Council hereby establishes within the Township of Mount
Laurel a single fire district to be known as "Fire District No. 1, in the
Township of Mount Laurel, County of Burlington," the territorial boundary
of which shall be coextensive with the territorial boundary of the Township
of Mount Laurel.
A Board of Fire Commissioners consists of five Fire Commissioners as
established by statute to administer the fire district and shall be known
as the "Commissioners of Fire District No. 1 in the Township of Mount Laurel,
County of Burlington," and said Board shall have the powers, duties and functions
within said fire district as provided by N.J.S.A. 40A:14-70 et seq.
A.Â
General. Pursuant to N.J.S.A. 40A:14-70, the Township
Council hereby directs the Township Clerk to conduct the initial election
of five persons as Commissioners to the aforesaid Board of Fire Commissioners,
said election to be conducted in accordance with a resolution adopted by the
Township of Mount Laurel and in accordance with applicable state law.
B.Â
Nomination of candidates. Candidates for the initial
election shall be nominated in accordance with the procedures and standards
of N.J.S.A. 40A:14-71, which requires verified petitions to be filed at least
28 days prior to the date of the election set forth in the aforementioned
resolution.
C.Â
Notice. The Township Clerk shall provide the appropriate
notice of the election of the Board of Fire Commissioners. It shall be published
at least once in a newspaper circulating in the district at least six weeks
prior to the date fixed for the election in the aforementioned resolution.
The Clerk shall cause a further notice of the holding of the initial election
to be published at least once, not later than one week prior thereto, in a
newspaper circulating in the district.
D.Â
Conduct of election. The election shall be conducted
by the Township Clerk as set forth in N.J.S.A. 40A:14-77 and 14-76. The Township
Clerk is authorized to arrange for the use of voting machines in accordance
with N.J.S.A. 40A:14-75. Ballots shall be prepared in accordance with the
provisions of N.J.S.A. 40A:14-73.
E.Â
Initial organization meeting. At the initial organization
meeting to be held no later than 10 days from the date of the election and
to be at a time and place as established by the Township Clerk, the newly
elected Board of Fire Commissioners shall choose a Chairman and fix the time
and place for the annual election and to perform such other duties as may
be authorized by law.