[Amended by Ord. No. 77-44; Ord. No. 77-50; Ord. No. 79-27; Ord. No. 82-6; Ord. No. 90-6]
The following independent agencies, already established when this chapter was adopted, are continued. Except as provided herein, they shall continue to operate as provided by statute and agency policies, subject to the supervision of the County Executive and such other administrative services as the County may provide:
A. 
Mercer County Board of Social Services (N.J.S.A. 44:4-2 et seq.);
B. 
Improvement Authority (N.J.S.A. 40:37A-44 et seq.);
[Amended 10-22-2019 by Ord. No. 2019-5]
C. 
Park Commission (N.J.S.A. 40:37-95.1 et seq.);
D. 
College Board of Trustees (N.J.S.A. 18A:64A-18 et seq.);
E. 
Vocational-Technical Board of Education (N.J.S.A. 18A:54-11 et seq.);
F. 
Special Services School District Board of Education.
Agency size, composition and method of appointment shall be as provided in the chapter of this title relating to that independent agency. The County Executive shall be a nonvoting, ex officio member of each agency.
Commissioners who are members serving on any agencies shall not be eligible to serve in any elective capacity of such agency.
Whenever a civil or a criminal action has been or shall be brought against any person for any act or omission arising out of and in the course of the performance of his or her duties as a member of an independent agency, as set forth in § 3.01.010, and in the case of a criminal action such action results in final disposition in favor of such person, the governing body of the County shall defray all costs of defending such action, including reasonable counsel fees and expenses, together with costs of appeal, if any, and shall save harmless and protect such person from any financial loss resulting there from.
[Amended by Ord. No. 77-50]
Failure to attend three consecutive scheduled meetings without reasonable justification shall be grounds for removal of any board member from his/her respective board. Such removal shall be initiated by the County Executive, but shall not become final without the approval of the Board of County Commissioners.
[Amended by Ord. No. 79-27]
A. 
Each agency shall be subject to the same annual budget requirements as apply to other County departments. They shall prepare and submit an annual budget in accordance with instructions of the County Executive; shall operate within the budget approved by the Board and submit such periodic budget reports as may be requested; shall not divert for capital purposes any budgeted sums approved for operations or vice versa, without prior approval of the Board on recommendation of the County Executive; and, shall make cooperative use of such administrative services as may be agreed upon with the County Executive.
B. 
Each agency shall, prior to undertaking any major new program or any addition or any significant change from the program budget as approved by the Board, present a full description thereof in writing to the Board for its approval.
C. 
The provisions of this section are hereby limited in scope to those agencies identified in N.J.S.A. 40:41A-125 and the authority set forth in N.J.S.A. 40:41A-125 does not extend to autonomous agencies but is limited to those agencies identified in said statute for budgetary concerns and procedures, specifically the County Board of Taxation, the County Board of Elections, the County Clerk, the Surrogate, the County Superintendent of Elections and the sheriff.
[Amended 10-22-2019 by Ord. No. 2019-5]
A. 
Each agency shall cause an audit of its accounts and records to be made annually in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards and such additional requirements as may be specified by the County Executive. They shall submit a copy to the County Executive by August 31 of each year.
B. 
The County Executive shall review the audit report and comment thereon in writing to the Board, within 30 days of receipt, both as to finances and as to such deficiencies and recommendations as noted therein.
Each agency subject to N.J.S.A. 40:41A-125 shall be subject to accounting controls, central purchasing, personnel regulations and central data processing services unless excepted there from by Board resolution or recommendation of the County Executive.