[HISTORY: Adopted by the Township Council of the Township of Verona 2-8-2021 by Ord. No. 2021-03. Amendments noted where applicable.]
There is hereby established an account in the General Trust Fund which shall be funded through a dedication by rider designated as the "Verona Children's Fund" (hereinafter referred to as the "Children's Fund"). Private donations shall be considered the funds from which the Children's Fund may, as directed by the Fund Coordinator with approval from the Fund Committee, be utilized exclusively for the following purposes list in § 180-2.
The purpose of the Children's Fund shall be to assist children of Verona families in need of support as a result of serious illness, unemployment, homelessness, domestic violence, death or divorce. The Children's Fund shall allow children to benefit from stability while their parents, legal guardians or guardians as appropriate are overcoming adversity. The Children's Fund may also be used to support seriously injured or ill children whose family is in financial distress because of a child's medical condition. The Children's Fund shall aid children who are at risk due to their family situation. It shall provide for a healthy and safe environment and positive socialization with peers by subsidizing recreational programs, school functions, public pool memberships, meal assistance, holiday assistance, medical care and like uses.
The Children's Fund shall be funded entirely through private donations. The Children's Fund shall also be permitted to accept testamentary bequests, any other nonmonetary donations, and such supplementary funding as the Fund Committee may, in their sole discretion, to authorize and appropriate-subject to oversight by the Chief Financial Officer and to be audited by the Township Auditor. Nonmonetary donations shall be received, inventoried and disbursed in accordance with the policies set by the Fund Committee pursuant to this chapter. Any and all interest accruing with respect to the Children's Fund shall be credited to the Children's Fund.
The Children's Fund Coordinator shall be the Director of the Department of Community Services. The Fund Coordinator shall file, catalogue, and distribute all requests for assistance to other Fund Committee meetings. Private donations shall be processed through the Finance Department.
A. 
There is hereby established a Children's Fund Committee which shall consist of the following members:
(1) 
Director of the Department of Community Services.
(2) 
Chief Financial Officer.
(3) 
Township Manager.
B. 
The Fund Committee shall be responsible for the development of policies and procedures for the collection, inventory and disbursement of funds and donations received by the Children's Fund. No funds shall be disbursed without a recorded vote of the majority of the Fund Committee.
C. 
No member of the Fund Committee shall be permitted to act on any matter in which the member has, either directly, indirectly or remotely, any personal or financial interest, and she/he shall adhere to and abide by the provisions of the Local Government Ethics Law of the State of New Jersey, P.L. 1991, c. 29 (N.J.S.A. 40A:9-22.5). Whenever any such member shall disqualify himself or herself from acting on a particular matter, he or she shall not continue to sit with the Fund Committee on hearing any such matter nor participate in any discussion or decisions relating thereto.
D. 
The Fund Committee shall issue a quarterly report to the Township Council as to the amount and number of donations received and the amount and number of donations made to those in need from donated funds. The identity of all recipients shall remain confidential unless required by law for such identities to be disclosed. The personal, familial, and financial circumstances shall, at all times, remain under sealed file and may only be released upon approval of the Township Manager with written advice issued by the Township Attorney.
E. 
The Fund Committee shall develop a priority system to determine how donated funds are to be distributed, recognizing that many cases may be worthy of consideration and the timing of circumstances may impact disbursement of funds.