[HISTORY: Adopted by the Township Committee of the Township of Delaware 7-28-1986 by Ord. No. 1986-15 as Sec. 2-1 of the 1985 Revised General Ordinances. Amendments noted where applicable.]
The Township Committee shall be composed of five members. At each annual election, members of the Township Committee shall be elected for three years, as the terms of office may expire.
All legislative power of the Township shall be exercised by the Township Committee pursuant to law.
The Township Committee will organize annually on the first day of January, unless such day is Sunday, in which case it shall meet on the next succeeding day, at which time it will elect a Mayor and Deputy Mayor from among its members. The Mayor shall preside at meetings of the Township Committee and perform such other duties as the Township Committee may prescribe. The Deputy Mayor shall serve in the absence of the Mayor and exercise all the powers and duties prescribed for the Mayor and permitted by law.
The Mayor shall have the power to make proclamations concerning holidays and events of interest to the Township. He may appoint committees and have such other appointment powers as are conferred upon him by law. He shall have and exercise the ceremonial power of the Township and he shall exercise every other power usually exercised by township mayors or conferred upon him by law.
A. 
Regular meetings. The Township Committee shall meet annually on the first day of January unless that day is Sunday, in which case it shall meet on the next succeeding day. The Committee shall meet regularly thereafter on the second and last Monday of each month at 8:00 p.m., except that the Committee may, by resolution, dispense with or change the date of a regular meeting. When the time for any regular meeting of the Committee falls on a legal holiday as prescribed by law, such meeting shall be held at the same hour on some other day of the week at the convenience of the Committee.
B. 
Special meetings.
(1) 
A special meeting may be called at any time upon request of a majority of the members of the Township Committee or by the Mayor. The request and call for a special meeting shall specify the purpose of the meeting, and no business shall be transacted at any special meeting other than that specified. The call for a special meeting shall be filed with the Clerk and served upon each committee member as provided by law. Upon the filing of any call for a special meeting, the Clerk shall forthwith give notice thereof by telephone or email to each Committee member, at such place as he shall have previously designated for that purpose, and shall also serve or cause to be served a written copy of the call upon each Committee member, by delivery of a copy to him personally or by the leaving of a copy at his usual place of abode. The Police Department shall cooperate with the Clerk in effectuating such service of notice.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I).
(2) 
Notice of all meetings shall be given in accordance with the requirements of the Open Public Meetings Law, c. 231, P.L. 1975.[2]
[2]
Editor's Note: See N.J.S.A. 10:4-6 et seq.
All regular and special meetings of the Township Committee shall be open to the public. The rules of procedure to be followed for the conduct of business of the Township Committee shall be Robert's Rules of Order unless otherwise provided by resolution.
The Committee may meet at any time when proper notice is given for the consideration of any Township business or to meet with any officer or employee of the Township or any other person on Township business. No person other than those specifically invited by the Committee shall be authorized to participate in any such conference.
A majority of the whole number of members of the Township Committee shall constitute a quorum, and no ordinance shall be adopted by the Township Committee without the affirmative vote of a majority of the quorum of the Committee. If a quorum is not present 1/2 hour after the appointed time for any meeting, the presiding officer or the Clerk may declare the meeting adjourned.
The vote upon every motion, resolution or ordinance shall, when requested, be taken by roll call, and the yeas and nays shall be entered on the minutes. The minutes of each meeting shall be signed by the Township Clerk.
All ordinances shall be introduced, read, heard and enacted in the manner provided by general law.
The ordinance book shall be signed by the Mayor and Clerk.
Township Committee shall take appropriate action to insure that ordinances and resolutions of the preceding year are compiled or codified.
Pursuant to N.J.S.A. 40:146-13.1,[1] the Committee shall have the power and authority to elect, from among its members, a Deputy Mayor of the Committee. In the absence or disability of the Mayor, the Deputy Mayor shall have all the powers and duties of the Mayor and shall serve and be known as the Deputy Township Mayor.
[1]
Editor's Note: Said statute was repealed effective 1-1-1990 by L.1989, c. 157.
A. 
Pursuant to N.J.S.A. 40A:9-135, the office of Deputy Municipal Clerk of the Township is hereby created.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I).
B. 
The term of the office of Deputy Municipal Clerk shall commence on January 1 of each year, or as soon thereafter as the appointment may be made, and shall expire at the end of December 31 next ensuing.
C. 
The Township Committee shall appoint the Deputy Municipal Clerk.
D. 
The Deputy Municipal Clerk shall have all the powers and perform all the duties of the Municipal Clerk during such time and for such specific periods as the Municipal Clerk shall be absent, and shall assist the Municipal Clerk when the Municipal Clerk shall be present. The compensation of the Deputy Municipal Clerk shall be as provided in the salary ordinance each year.
[Amended 3-9-1998 by Ord. No. 1998-06]
A. 
The members of the Township Committee shall appoint all committees by majority vote.
B. 
The following standing committees of the Township Committee consisting of one or two members each shall be appointed at the annual reorganization meeting:[1]
Finance
Public Safety
Public Works
Insurance
Recreation Commission
Personnel
Delaware Township School Liaison
HCRHS Liaison
Senior Citizen Liaison
Open Space Liaison
Municipal Court Liaison
[1]
Editor's Note: Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I).
C. 
Each committee member shall serve as a member of one or more of the standing committees named in this section.
D. 
Standing committees are appointed to expedite and facilitate the work of the Township Committee, but only within statutory limits, as the Township Committee is held responsible for any and all acts.
(1) 
A standing committee shall:
(a) 
Plan, study, direct, make commitments within budgetary limitations, and carry on the routine activities for which it has primary responsibilities.
(b) 
Perform such acts as may be assigned to it by the Township Committee.
(c) 
Report and make recommendations to the Committee regarding its responsibilities and activities.
(2) 
Except as provided above, a standing committee shall not:
(a) 
Exceed its budgetary appropriations without prior consent of the Township Committee.
(b) 
Make promises or commitments to anyone which directly, or by inference, bind the Township Committee.
E. 
Special committees of the Township Committee may be appointed for purposes other than those included in the duties of the standing committees.
F. 
At the time of the appointment of any committee, the Mayor, with the advice and consent of the Township Committee, shall name some member thereof as the Chairman of such committee. The Mayor may, with the concurrence of a majority of the Township Committee, change existing committee assignments and/or Chairman when it is in the best interests of the Township to do so.
G. 
The Chairman of each standing or special committee shall be prepared to report to the Mayor and Township Committee as needed on the principal activities and achievements of his or her committee.