[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:
The department head or other employee designated by the department
head, the Borough Administrator or the governing body.
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.
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.
