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Borough of Washington, NJ
Warren County
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Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Code
New Laws (8) Index
A. 
The municipal government shall be organized under the administrative control, supervision and direction of the Manager. The administrative services shall be broken down into the following departments and offices:
(1) 
Office of the Clerk, Article V.
(2) 
Department of Law, Article VI.
(3) 
Department of Finance, Article VII.
(4) 
Department of Public Works, Article VIII.
(5) 
Department of Safety, Article IX.
(6) 
Department of Health and Welfare, Article X.
(7) 
Department of Building and Planning, Article XI.
(8) 
Department of Library, Article XII.
(9) 
Parking Authority and other appointments, Article XIII.
B. 
Each of these departments shall be developed and subdivided into divisions and offices as are provided for in this chapter, the general laws and the Charter of the municipality of Washington.
A. 
There is hereby created the position of Municipal Manager as prescribed by Charter. The Manager shall be appointed and may be removed as is provided by the Charter. His compensation shall be as is provided in the Salary Ordinance.[1] The Manager may delegate to a qualified employee of the municipality the authority to perform his duties during his temporary absence or disability. In the event of his failure to make such designation, the Council may, by resolution, appoint any qualified employee of the municipality to perform said duties until the Manager shall return or his disability ceases.
[1]
Editor's Note: See Ch. 17, Salaries and Compensation.
B. 
The Manager shall be entitled to 15 working days a year for personal vacation, which shall not include holidays that shall fall within the same period taken for his vacation. In the event that the Manager shall not use the entire 15 working days during any one year for vacation purposes, he shall be authorized to carry forward into the next year, and the next year only, up to 1/2 of said 15 working days. This provision of carry-over vacation days shall not exceed the period of one year beyond the year in which the days were earned. Prior to taking vacation days, the Manager shall appoint an Acting Manager to take his place, with the advice and consent of the Council, to perform the duties of the office of the Manager and any other position held by the Manager during his absence.
[Added 5-10-1977 by Ord. No. 5-77]
The Manager shall be the chief executive and administrative officer of the municipality. He shall see that all ordinances, resolutions and policies of the Council and that all state laws, subject to municipal action, are truthfully enforced and executed. He shall further and specifically:
A. 
Represent and assist the interest of the municipality in relation to the state and other political subdivisions and with respect to municipal contracts and franchises.
B. 
Attend all Council meetings with a right to take part in the discussion and debate but without any right to vote.
C. 
Keep the Council advised of the financial condition of the municipality and make reports to Council as needed and requested. At least once each year, he shall make an annual report on the administration of the municipal government for the benefit of the Council and the general public.
D. 
Prepare and make recommendations on the necessity and desirability of plans and programs and present studies on future needs.
E. 
Investigate any affair or office, employee, department or board of the municipality.
F. 
Make such appointments as are required by general law, ordinances and resolutions of the Borough Council.
G. 
Be responsible for the faithful execution of the municipal budget.
H. 
Perform such other duties as may be required by ordinance or resolution of the Borough Council.
The Manager shall, in addition to the above general duties, perform the following:
A. 
Direct and supervise all departments relative to administration and be responsible for sound personnel and administrative practices.
B. 
Approve all bills and vouchers for payment, subject to preaudit and control, as provided herein, and by resolution and ordinances of the Borough Council.
C. 
Maintain a continuing review and analysis of budget operation, work programs and costs of municipal services.
D. 
Establish working, personnel, vacation and sick leave schedules and appropriate records and reports.
E. 
Approve or prescribe the internal organization of various departments not controlled by statutory boards.
F. 
Assign and transfer administrative functions, powers and duties among and within departments, subject to the Charter and this chapter.
G. 
Delegate to department heads such duties and power as he may deem necessary for efficient administration of the affairs of the Borough of Washington.
H. 
Serve as Personnel Director for the municipality unless and until Council may provide for the appointment of a personnel officer and the establishment of a Division of Personnel within the Department of Finance.
I. 
Appoint and remove or suspend all department heads and all other officers, employees or boards not otherwise provided for in this chapter or by general law.
Except where otherwise expressly required by Charter or general law, department heads and subordinate officers and employees subject to appointment by the Manager shall be appointed for an indefinite term, subject to suspension or removal by the Manager.
A department head, subject to Charter, general law and this Administrative Code and the approval and direction of the Manager, shall:
A. 
Prescribe the internal organization of work of his department.
B. 
Direct and supervise the subordinate officers and employees of his department.
C. 
Make, alter and enforce individual work assignments for his department.
D. 
Maintain such records as may be approved and required by state laws, orders, resolutions and directives of the Manager.
E. 
Exercise such other orders or powers of administrative supervision and direction as the Manager may delegate to him.
A. 
Every officer and employee of the municipality should devote his full time, during his work period, to the duties of his office. He shall not have any interest, directly or indirectly, in any contract, job for work or material, or the profits thereof, to be furnished to or performed for the municipality.
B. 
Full-time personnel of the municipality shall not engage in other occupations or positions without notifying their department head and a clear-cut understanding that it should not and cannot interfere with the employee's work with the municipality.
[Amended 8-3-1993 by Ord. No. 20-93]
The Office of Purchasing Agent is hereby established and the Manager is hereby designated as the Purchasing Agent in accordance with N.J.S.A. 40A:11-9. All materials, supplies, equipment, work and labor required by any office, department or agency will be purchased by or under the direction and supervision of the Manager.
A. 
The Manager may delegate an administrative officer to serve as the Purchasing Agent.
B. 
Purchases shall be authorized only upon request of a department head, which shall be made to the Manager in manner and form as directed. The Manager may specifically authorize, in cases of emergency, the purchases of necessary material and labor without prior approval through emergency purchase orders. No bill, claim or voucher shall be approved unless prescribed purchasing procedures shall have been followed, with a properly filled request, purchase order, receiving slip and invoice received and recorded.
C. 
The Purchasing Agent shall purchase, store and distribute all supplies, material and equipment according to the needs and efficient purchasing methods. He shall establish and enforce suitable specifications and standards for all supplies, materials and equipment. He may make transfers of supplies and materials between departments and sell surplus, obsolete, unused or waste material supplies and equipment as authorized by Council.
D. 
The Purchasing Agent is designated as the contracting agent for the Borough and shall be authorized to prepare public advertising for bids and to receive bids for the purchase of work, materials and supplies on behalf of the Borough and, unless otherwise required by state law, to make awards of contracts in the name of the Borough.
[1]
Editor's Note: See also Ch. 7, Claims Approval.
The Manager may prescribe or approve certain rules and regulations in the interest of the administrative affairs of the Borough. These rules and regulations, when filed with the departments involved and with the Borough Clerk, shall then take immediate effect unless otherwise directed.