[Adopted 4-23-1996 by Ord. No. 96-3]
There is hereby established a Local Assistance Board in accordance
with N.J.S.A. 44:8-114 et seq.
The Local Assistance Board shall be comprised of five persons
who shall be appointed by the Mayor subject to confirmation from the
Council. At all times, at least one of the persons comprising the
Local Assistance Board shall be a woman.
Members of the Local Assistance Board shall serve without compensation
but shall be allowed their necessary and actual expenses consistent
with the applicable regulations.
The term of office of members of the Local Assistance Board
shall be as follows:
A.
The
term of one member (Member No. 1) of the Local Assistance Board shall
be a one-year duration, and such member may, but need not be, appointed
from among the membership of the Governing Body of the municipality.
B.
The
terms of all other members shall be as follows:
(1)
Member No. 2 shall be appointed for an initial term of one year.
Thereafter, the term for Member No. 2 shall be four years.
(2)
Member No. 3 shall be appointed for an initial term of two years.
Thereafter, the term for Member No. 3 shall be four years.
(3)
Member No. 4 shall be appointed for an initial term of three years.
Thereafter, the term for Member No. 4 shall be four years.
(4)
Member No. 5 shall be appointed for an initial term of four years.
Thereafter, the term for Member No. 5 shall be four years.
C.
The
intention of this article is that Member No. 1 shall at all times
be serving a one-year term, and Member Nos. 2, 3, 4 and 5 shall have
their initial terms staggered so that one term expires each year and
thereafter all terms shall be four years.
D.
The term
of each member of a Local Assistance Board shall begin on the first
day of January, and each member shall continue in office until his
successors shall be appointed and qualify. Vacancies shall be filled
for the unexpired terms only and shall be filled by the Governing
Body in the same fashion as appointments.
The Local Assistance Board shall organize and select a Chairman
and Secretary and shall appoint a Director of Welfare, who shall be
the first executive and administrative officer of the Board. The Director
of Welfare shall hold office for a term of five years from the date
of appointment and shall be paid such salary as may be fixed by the
Governing Body. In the case of vacancy in the office of Director of
Welfare, one temporary or acting Director may be appointed to serve
for not more than 90 days.
Other employees, including assistance clerks, investigators
and nurses, if any, and in such number as may be necessary to properly
administer public assistance, shall be appointed in the same manner
as other employees of the municipality.
No employee of the Welfare Department whose compensation is
paid from funds received or appropriated from public assistance or
the administration thereof in any manner shall hold any office in
any political party.
The Director of Welfare of the Borough of Westwood shall have
the following duties:
A.
Supervise by periodic investigation every person receiving public
assistance, said investigation to be made by visitation at least once
a month.
B.
Reconsider from month to month the amount and nature of public assistance
given and alter, amend or suspend the same where the circumstances
so require.
C.
Devise ways and means for bringing persons unable to maintain themselves
to self-support or to the support of any person or agency able and
willing to support them.
D.
Keep full and complete records of such investigation, supervision,
assistance and rehabilitation and all certifications of persons for
employment or benefits and cancellations thereof, in such manner and
form as required by the Commissioner.
E.
Bring about appropriate action for commitment to any state or county
institution when the best interests of needy persons would be so served.
F.
Supervise the obtaining of the sworn affidavits required, pursuant
to N.J.S.A. 44:8-119, of any applicant for public assistance.
Immediate public assistance shall be rendered promptly to any
needy person by the Director of Welfare where the person is found
at the time of application. Notwithstanding the foregoing, needy persons
residing in public or private facilities providing residential therapeutic
medical services shall be deemed the responsibility of the municipality
of their customary place of abode prior to placement in said facility.
The Director of Welfare shall also, without limitation, undertake
the following duties:
A.
Inquiries pursuant to N.J.S.A. 44:8-121.
B.
Determinations and orders pursuant to N.J.S.A. 44:8-123.
C.
Administration of continued assistance pursuant to N.J.S.A. 44:8-124.
D.
It shall be the duty of the Director of Welfare to comply with the
applicable statutes and supporting regulations relative to the administration
of public assistance within the Borough of Westwood. It shall be the
duty of the members of the Local Assistance Board to oversee the performance
of the Director of Welfare and compliance with applicable regulations.
A.
In addition,
the Local Assistance Board shall adopt such rules, regulations and
guidelines as may be necessary to provide for the discharge of the
municipality's obligations pursuant to N.J.S.A. 44:8-124 and other
statutes.
B.
The Local
Assistance Board shall, except where expressly exempted by specific
regulation pertaining to its functions, comply with the Local Budget
Law, the Local Fiscal Affairs Law, and the Local Public Contracts
Law.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: See N.J.S.A. 40A:4-1 et seq., N.J.S.A. 40A:5-1
et seq., and N.J.S.A. 40A:11-1 et seq., respectively.
C.
This article
is intended to specifically authorize the Local Assistance Board to
undertake and discharge all of its duties as provided by law, and
the enumeration of its duties and obligations herein is not intended
to limit or abridge any statute or regulation that applies to same.
