[HISTORY: Adopted by the Mayor and Council of the Borough of Highland Park by Ord. No. 1004 (§ 2-25 of the 1987 Code). Amendments noted where applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Administration of government — See Ch. 3.
As used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:
DEPARTMENT REPRESENTATIVE
The department head or other employee designated by the department head, the Borough Administrator or the governing body.
PURCHASING AGENT
The Borough Administrator or in the Administrator's absence, another employee designated by the governing body, or in the absence of such employee, the Council liaison to the department in question.
Any and all purchases to be made by the Borough or any department or agency thereof, not requiring sealed bidding pursuant to N.J.S.A. 40A:11-1 et seq. or other applicable statute, shall be made in accordance with the method designated hereafter.
A. 
A five-part purchase order form shall be prepared by the Finance Committee of the Borough Council, which shall consist of the original and three copies of the purchase order and the voucher.
B. 
All requests for purchases in excess of $50 shall be made by a requisition form, signed by the department head or a duly authorized representative of the department. The signed requisition form shall be submitted to the purchasing agent for review and approval. The approval of the purchasing agent shall be indicated by his or her signature on the requisition form.
C. 
Pursuant to N.J.S.A. 40A:11-6.1, whenever practicable, on any purchase, contract or agreement, except in the case of the performance of professional services, where the estimated cost or price of which is $2,500 or more, the department head or duly designated employee shall solicit quotations. The award thereof shall be made on the basis of the lowest responsible quotation received, which quotation is most advantageous to the Borough, price and other factors considered; provided, however, that if the department head or duly designated employee deems it impracticable to solicit competitive quotations in the case of extraordinary, unspecifiable service, or in the case of such service or any other purchase, contract or agreement awarded hereunder, having sought such quotations, determines that it should not be awarded on the basis of the lowest quotation received, the department head or duly designated employee shall file a statement of explanation of the reason or reasons therefor, which shall be placed on file with the purchase, contract or agreement.
[Amended 11-12-2019 by Ord. No. 19-1991]
D. 
After the requisition form has been signed by the purchasing agent, a purchase order shall be prepared by the department representative setting forth in full the materials, goods or services to be purchased.
E. 
The purchase order shall be signed by the department representative, certifying that each of the items indicated on the purchase order is necessary for the department, that each price charged is correct, that no price is higher than the prevailing price as far as can be ascertained or no more than the contract price and that the expenditures are within the scope of the authority of the department.
F. 
The purchase order shall also be signed by the Treasurer certifying the existence of proper and sufficient appropriations for the payments to be made.
G. 
The purchase order and voucher shall then be forwarded to the vendor.
H. 
One copy of the purchase order shall remain with the department for which the purchase of materials, goods or services is being made.
I. 
One copy of the purchase order shall be submitted to the Borough Treasurer as an outstanding commitment of the department.
J. 
One copy of the purchase order shall be submitted to the Borough Administrator or such other person as is designated by the Mayor and Council.
Any person claiming payment from the Borough on a purchase order issued to them shall present a detailed bill or items or detailed invoice on the voucher form supplied to them, and shall return the voucher to the department where the purchase order and voucher originated. The claimant shall sign the voucher certifying that the bill is correct in all its particulars, that the articles have been furnished or services rendered as stated therein. Upon receipt of the vouchers signed by the vendor, the department representative shall review the voucher. If the voucher is correct in all its particulars, the department representative shall certify that each item has been received and that the quantity is as ordered, that the work specified has been properly done and that no bonus has been given or received on account of the bill and shall sign the voucher and forward the voucher along with all supporting documents to the Borough Treasurer.
The Borough Treasurer shall examine all vouchers submitted and shall determine that the required signatures and certifications required by §§ 16-3 and 16-4 appear on the voucher.
Completed vouchers shall be presented by the Borough Treasurer to the purchasing agent for review and approval, which approval shall be indicated by the signature of the purchasing agent on the voucher. Approved vouchers shall then be submitted to the Chairperson of the Committee whose department placed the purchase order. When the Chairperson is satisfied that the voucher is proper, he shall approve the same by signing the voucher. If the Chairperson is not available, another member of the Committee whose department originated the purchase order shall approve the voucher. All approved vouchers shall be forwarded to and signed by a member of the Finance Committee. After all required approvals have been secured, the Borough Treasurer shall present all vouchers to the Borough Council for approval at the Council Meeting held on the third Tuesday of the month, except as otherwise required, or for emergency payments which may be presented for approval at any other regular meeting of the Borough Council.
[Amended by Ord. No. 1116]
The voucher shall be considered by the Borough Council which shall approve same, except that the Borough Council may reject any vouchers presented by them, stating the reason for such rejection. Any disapproved voucher shall be referred back to the Borough Treasurer with such instructions as the Borough Council may give at the time of disapproval or rejection. Vouchers shall be approved by resolution, allowing a detailed list to be accepted and made a part of the minutes or recorded in a permanent Bills List Journal without the necessity of reading each and every voucher.
[Amended by Ord. No. 1116]
The Borough Clerk shall record all vouchers in the official minutes of the Borough Council by including in said minutes a copy of the resolutions approving said vouchers and including a list of the vouchers approved either: in said minutes; or in a permanent Bills List Journal as may be determined from time to time by resolution of Borough Council.
[Amended by Ord. No. 1077; 2-21-2017 by Ord. No. 17-1931]
The Finance Department shall prepare the necessary checks for payment. Checks shall be signed by the Mayor and countersigned by the Mayor's designee. The Finance Department, after preparing the checks for payment of vouchers, shall record payments in the proper books of account and thereafter forward the checks to the appropriate claimants.
Any request for additional compensation or overtime pay for persons serving on Borough Boards or Commissions, or supplying services to a Board or Commission, shall be paid by voucher, following the procedures set forth in this chapter.