[HISTORY: Adopted by the City Council of the City of Somers Point 5-23-2019 by Ord. No. 7-2019. Amendments noted where applicable.]
There shall be, by this chapter, hereby established within the City of Somers Point, County of Atlantic, a Veterans Advisory Board, which shall serve as an ad hoc advisory board to the Mayor and City Council for the purpose of keeping the Mayor and Council informed of developments regarding veterans and for the purposes of coordination of Veteran related activities, issues, parades, and developments which, in effect, affect the entire community.
The Veterans Advisory Board shall meet on no fewer than four occasions (quarterly) throughout the year, and at such other times as deemed necessary in the discretion of the Board Chairperson, to discuss matters of interest to veterans, current and pending City ordinances, county or state laws affecting veterans and other issues of interest to veterans which may have an impact upon the City as a whole. The Advisory Board shall report to the Mayor and City Council as requested by the Mayor or City Council, or as often as the Advisory Board believes it is necessary, on activities and discussions and provide the Council with a summary of the issues it has discussed and the positions it believes should be advanced on behalf of veterans. The Advisory Board shall be strictly advisory, and its recommendations, decisions, comments or other observations shall not be binding in any way on the City Council or any other municipal body, board or agency.
A. 
The Veterans Advisory Board shall consist of the following members who shall be appointed in the following manner and for the following terms:
(1) 
The Mayor of the City of Somers Point shall appoint by proclamation seven members who are residents of the City of Somers Point and who have served in the Armed Forces of the United States which shall include service with the Air Force, Army, Coast Guard, Marines, Navy, National Guard (Air/Army) and Reserves (all services). The appointed members must be of good moral character and have no criminal arrests or convictions;
(2) 
The Post Commanders of the following organizations are automatically ex officio members of the Board, without any voting rights, by virtue of their position: AMVETS Post 911; American Legion Post 352; and VFW Post 2189; and
(3) 
The City Council of the City of Somers Point will appoint a maximum of two Council members (preferably veterans) who shall serve as liaisons to the Board. These liaisons shall have full membership and voting rights.
B. 
Each member shall be appointed to a three-year term. All terms shall expire on December 31 of the appropriate year and shall begin on January 1 of the appropriate year. The members of the Veterans Advisory Board shall be residents of the City of Somers Point.
C. 
Initially, three appointments made by the Mayor shall serve a full three-year term. The remaining four appointments shall serve for the remainder of the current year and for the following full year to establish staggered terms. Thereafter all regular appointments will be for a full three-year term.
D. 
All interim appointments shall serve for the remainder of the unexpired term to which they are appointed.
E. 
The Veterans Advisory Board shall meet during the month of January of each year to choose a Chairman, Vice Chairman and Secretary of the Board. The Chairman will be responsible for the running of all meetings, serve as spokesperson of the Board and the scheduling of all meetings. The Vice Chairman will act in the place of the Chairman during meetings when the Chairman is absent. The Secretary shall keep notes of all Board meetings which will be submitted to the City Clerk within a reasonable time after the completion of the meeting. The Chairman, along with the assistance of the Secretary, will publish an agenda for the next meeting which will be forwarded to the City Clerk and members of the Board at least 48 hours prior to any scheduled meetings. The term of the Chairman, Vice Chairman and Secretary shall be for one year. There shall be a limit of three one-year consecutive terms for these positions.
F. 
The Board shall comply with the New Jersey Open Public Records Act (OPRA, P.L. 2001, c. 404)[1] and Open Public Meeting Act (Sunshine Law, N.J.S.A. 10:4) as it pertains to the scheduling of meetings, meeting agenda, and meeting minutes. Meetings will be conducted in accordance with Roberts Rules of Order with adherence to parliamentary procedures.
[1]
Editor's Note: See N.J.S.A. 47:1A-1 et seq.
The Veterans Advisory Board shall have no authority to expend any funds of the City and no funds shall be appropriated in the City budget for the Board. Any and all projects proposed by the Board which may require funding must be first submitted to City Council for approval. Furthermore, the Board shall not have the legal authority to enter into any contract on behalf of the City or to otherwise legally obligate the City regarding the expenditure of funds or any other obligation.
It is the intent of this chapter that the Veterans Advisory Board shall be solely an advisory board consisting of volunteers appointed by the City Council.
It is expressly intended that the Veterans Advisory Board is an ad hoc group to assist the Mayor and City Council in addressing issues and problems confronting veterans. The Board shall be permitted to communicate with other agencies in order to render suggestions, opinions and recommendations with regard to veterans; provided, however, that all such communication should be first directed to the City Council for approval.
A. 
If any section, subsection, sentence, clause or phrase of this chapter is for any reason held to be unconstitutional, invalid, or unenforceable by a court of competent jurisdiction, such decision shall not affect the remaining portions of this chapter.
B. 
Any ordinance inconsistent with the terms of this chapter is hereby repealed to the extent of such inconsistency
This chapter shall take effect upon its final passage and publication as provided by law.