[HISTORY: Adopted by the Board of Health
of the Township of Andover 12-12-1973 as Chapter BH-II of the 1973
Code. Amendments noted where applicable.]
This chapter shall be known and may be cited
as the "Administrative Code of the Board of Health of the Township
of Andover," and is herein referred to as the "code."
There shall be a President of the Board of Health
who shall preside at all its meetings. The President shall be appointed
by the Board from among its members for a term of one year.
There shall be a Secretary of the Board of Health
who shall be responsible to the Board and who shall issue all licenses
authorized by the Board. The Secretary shall be appointed by the Board
for a term of one year.
There shall be a Registrar of Vital Statistics
who shall be responsible to the Board of Health. The Township Clerk
shall be the Registrar of Vital Statistics and shall serve for a term
of three years.
There shall be a Health Officer of the Board
of Health who shall be responsible to the Board of Health. The Health
Officer shall hold the necessary licenses and he shall be appointed
by the Board of Health for a term of one year. The Health Officer
shall, subject to the superior authority of the Board, be the general
agent of the Board for the enforcement of its ordinances and the sanitary
laws of the State of New Jersey.
When appointed by the Board, there shall be
special health officers of the Board of Health who shall promptly
report to the Board every violation of health ordinances, rules and
regulations which may come within their observation or knowledge.
The police and fire officers of the Township of Andover may be designated
special health officers of the Board of Health.
There shall be a Plumbing Inspector of the Board
of Health who shall be responsible to the Board. The Plumbing Inspector
shall be appointed by the Board for a term of one year.
The Board may employ such other personnel as
it deems necessary, including technicians, inspectors and others necessary
to carry out the powers vested in the Board by law and by this revision.
All such personnel shall be appropriately licensed where required.
Whenever the Health Officer finds that the public
safety will not permit delay, he may exercise one or more of the following
powers without having to resort to legal proceedings and without the
necessity of giving notice or holding any hearing which would otherwise
be required under any provision of this revision:
A.
Power to prevent the sale of food. The Health Officer
may prohibit the importation into the Township or sale of any food,
drink or other item intended for human consumption or use from a source
suspected of being infected, contaminated, unsanitary, unhealthy or
dangerous.
B.
Power to seize and destroy unwholesome food. The Health
Officer may order the seizure and destruction of any food, drink or
other item intended for human consumption which is unwholesome or
dangerous or likely to cause sickness or injury to the persons who
consume it.
A.
Inspection of premises. The Board of Health, its agents
and employees shall have the right to inspect any premises in the
Township of Andover if they have reason to believe that any provision
of this chapter is being violated, or as part of a regular program
of inspection.
B.
Search warrant. If the owner or occupant of any premises
refuses to permit entry for the purpose of inspection, the Board of
Health may apply to the Municipal Judge for a search warrant. The
application shall be based upon an affidavit setting forth that the
inspection is part of a regular program of inspection or that conditions
and circumstances provide a reasonable basis for believing that a
nuisance or unsanitary or unhealthy condition exists on the premises.
If the Judge is satisfied as to the matters set forth in the affidavit,
he shall authorize the issuance of a search warrant permitting access
to and inspection of the premises.
A.
Notice to abate nuisances.
(1)
Whenever anything declared by this chapter to be a
nuisance or any unsanitary or unhealthy condition is found on any
premises within the Township, notice shall be given to the owner or
person in control of the premises to remove or abate it within the
time specified not less than five days from the date of service in
the notice.
(2)
Whenever anything declared by this chapter to be a
nuisance or any unsanitary or unhealthy condition is found on any
public property, highway or other public premises or place, notice
shall be given to the person in charge to remove or abate the same
within the time specified. If that person fails to comply with the
notice within the time specified, the Board of Health or its agents
or employees may remove or abate such nuisance or condition in the
manner provided for a like condition existing on a private premises
or place.
B.
Abatement by Health Officer. If the owner or person in control of the premises, upon being notified as provided by Subsection A, does not comply with the notice within the time specified and fails to remove or abate the nuisance or condition, the Board of Health or its agents or employees shall proceed to abate the nuisance or condition or may cause it to be removed or abated in a summary manner by such means as shall be deemed proper.
C.
Recovery of costs. Whenever any cost or expense is
incurred by the Township as a result of the Board of Health, its agents
or employees abating or removing or causing to be abated or removed
any nuisance or unsanitary or unhealthy condition, such costs and
expense may be recovered in the following manner:
(1)
In all cases where practical and permitted by law,
such costs shall be certified to the tax assessment authority and
shall be a part of the taxes next assessed against the premises upon
which the nuisance or unsanitary or unhealthy condition was located.
(2)
Where it is impossible or impractical to proceed under Subsection C(1) above, the cost or expense shall be recovered in an action at law in any court of competent jurisdiction, the action to be instituted by the Board of Health in the name of the Township or ex rel the State of New Jersey. Regardless of how costs are actually recovered, they shall be in addition to and shall not affect the imposition of any penalties for the violation of this section.
The Board of Health may by resolution make rules
and regulations which interpret or amplify any provision of this chapter
or for the purpose of making the provisions of this chapter more effective.
No such regulation shall be inconsistent with, alter or amend any
provision of this chapter and no regulation shall impose any requirement
which is in addition to or greater than the requirements that are
expressly or by implication imposed by any provision of this chapter.