The executive power of the city shall be exercised by a mayor, who shall be elected by the legal voters at a general election. The mayor shall be elected to serve for a term of 4 years beginning January 1 next following his election.
A mayor shall have been a registered voter and a resident of the city for at least 4 years immediately prior to the date on which the election for the office is to be held, or prior to the date of an appointment to the office, as the case may be. The mayor's compensation shall be fixed by ordinance and may not be increased or decreased during the term for which he or she was elected.
Whenever the mayor shall be unable to attend to the duties of his or her office, due to his or her absence, disability or other cause, for a period of less than 48 hours, the business administrator or, in the event of his or her inability to serve, a department head designated by the mayor in writing filed with the city clerk, shall serve as acting mayor. Whenever the mayor shall be unable to attend to the duties of his or her office:
(a) 
For a period of less than 48 hours and at a time when neither the business administrator, nor a duly designated department head can serve; or
(b) 
For a period of more than 48 consecutive hours; or
(c) 
At any time during an emergency declared by the council; a council member designated under this section shall serve as acting mayor. The mayor may at any time designate in writing filed with the city clerk a council member to serve as acting mayor under the provisions of this section. Whenever the provisions of this section require a council member to serve as acting mayor and the mayor has failed to make such a designation or the council member so designated by the mayor is unable to serve, the council shall by a majority vote of its whole number appoint an acting mayor from among its membership. Any person appointed pursuant to this section shall succeed to all of the rights, powers and duties of the mayor, until the mayor returns, the disability or other cause ceases.
(d) 
A vacancy in the office of mayor for any of the reasons set forth in N.J.S. 40A:16-3 shall be filled in accordance with the "Municipal Vacancy Law," N.J.S. 40:A-16-1 et seq.
The mayor shall enforce the charter and ordinances of the city and all general laws applicable thereto. He shall annually report to the council and the public on the work of the previous year and on the condition and requirements of the city government and shall from time to time make such recommendations for action by the council as he may deem in the public interest. He shall supervise the departments of the city government and shall require each department to make an annual and such other reports of its work as he may deem desirable. The mayor shall make available to any council member, upon request, any departmental report, official record or document.
(a) 
The mayor shall appoint and remove officers and employees as authorized by the charter or administrative code; and shall, with the advice and consent of the council, make all appointments for which no other provision is made by or pursuant to the charter.
(b) 
The mayor may remove a department head, the business administrator, or corporation counsel, whenever, in his or her discretion, the public interest so requires; and any such removal shall take effect 10 days after the mayor files notice of removal with the city clerk unless prior thereto the council shall at a regular or special meeting disapprove of such removal by resolution adopted by the affirmative vote of 2/3 of the entire membership. In the event of such resolution of disapproval, the affected office shall be restored to his or her office without loss of pay.
The mayor shall have and exercise such additional duties and powers as are prescribed by the charter to direct and supervise the departments, to prepare and submit an executive budget, and to act with respect to such other matters as may be provided by the charter and ordinances of the city.
In the event of an emergency which represents an immediate, clear and present danger to the public health, safety or welfare, the mayor may assume the personal direction of any department, agency or instrumentality of the city government as may, in his discretion, be necessary to alleviate the emergency; and he may take such action as he may deem necessary or desirable to that end.