Township of Freehold, NJ Article VII Department of Finance; Chief Financial Officer

§ 2-28 Establishment.

The financial business of the Township shall be committed to a Department of Finance.

§ 2-29 Director of Finance/Chief Financial Officer.

A. Establishment of position. There is hereby established the position of Director of Finance (Director), who shall also serve as Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of the Township of Freehold.

B. Duties. The Director/CFO shall perform his/her duties and obligations of said position in accordance with N.J.S.A. 52:27BB-26 et seq. and N.J.S.A. 40A:9-140.1 et seq., as amended. The Director/CFO shall be responsible for the Division of the Treasury, the Division of Tax Collection, the Division of Tax Assessments and shall perform such other duties as assigned by the Township Administrator.

[Amended 12-27-2005 by Ord. No. O-05-48; 5-24-2022 by Ord. No. O-22-8]

C. Requirements. The Director/CFO shall be a certified municipal finance officer having successfully fulfilled the requirements as set forth in N.J.S.A. 40A:9-140.2, as amended. No person shall be appointed or reappointed as the Chief Financial Officer unless he/she holds a municipal finance officer certificate issued pursuant to law. The Director/CFO must also possess a four-year college degree (B.S. or equivalent) from a college of recognized standing, with major course of study in financial or business administration, accounting, economics, or a related financial major.

[Amended 12-27-2005 by Ord. No. O-05-48; 5-24-2022 by Ord. No. O-22-8]

D. Term. The Director/CFO shall continue to hold such office during good behavior and efficiency, and shall not be removed therefrom except for just cause and then only after a public hearing upon a written complaint setting forth the charge or charges against him/her, or upon expiration or revocation of certification by the Director of the Division of Local Government Services.

[Amended 5-24-2022 by Ord. No. O-22-8]

E. Vacancies. Upon the just cause removal by the Township Committee, upon the expiration or revocation of certification as set forth in Subsection D above or upon the death, resignation or other vacancy created in the office, the Township Committee shall appoint a successor Chief Financial Officer, which individual shall satisfy all requirements as set forth in Subsection C above.

F. Tenure. In accordance with N.S.J.A. 40A: 9-140.8: Notwithstanding the provisions of any other law to the contrary, any person who has served as the Chief Financial Officer of a municipality for four consecutive years and who is reappointed as that municipality's Chief Financial Officer shall be granted tenure of office upon filing with the clerk of the municipality and with the Division of Local Government Services in the Department of Community Affairs a notification evidencing his/her compliance with this section. etc.

[Amended 5-24-2022 by Ord. No. O-22-8]

§ 2-30 Division of the Treasury.

A. Township Treasurer. Within the Department of Finance there shall be a Division of the Treasury, the head of which shall be the Township Treasurer. The Collector, the Director/CFO or any other suitable person may be appointed Treasurer by the Township Committee. The Treasurer shall serve for a term of one year.

[Amended 12-27-2005 by Ord. No. O-05-48]

B. Powers and duties of the Treasurer. The Treasurer shall have, perform and exercise all the functions, powers and duties provided by general law and Township ordinances. He/she shall keep and maintain books and records of all financial transactions of the Township in accordance with the standards and requirements of the Division of Local Finance in the Department of Community Affairs of the State of New Jersey. He/she shall have custody of all public moneys of the Township and shall make monthly reports to the Township Committee of all receipts, expenditures, commitments and unexpended appropriations. Within 60 days after the end of each fiscal year he/she shall, under penalties prescribed by law, make to the Township Committee and file with the Township Clerk a detailed statement of the amount of bonds issued and outstanding and a full and detailed account of his/her receipts and disbursements for the preceding fiscal year. The statement shall be in writing and verified by his/her oath, and may be prepared with the advice, assistance and consultation of the Township auditor. All moneys received from any source by or on behalf of the Township or any department, board, office or agency thereof, except as otherwise provided by Township ordinance, shall be paid to the Treasurer who shall, within 48 hours after their receipt, deposit them in the authorized public depository of the Township to the credit of the proper account.

[Amended 5-24-2022 by Ord. No. O-22-8]

C. Self-Insurance Fund for Group Health Benefits.

(1) There is hereby established a trust fund to be known as "The Self-Insurance Fund for Group Health Benefits" (hereafter "the fund") pursuant to N.J.S.A. 40A:10-1 et seq. and regulations established by the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs.

(2) The Township Chief Financial Officer/Treasurer shall remain and bear responsibility for the fund in the same manner and to the same extent as other public funds under his/her care. All interest earned on the fund shall accrue to the fund's principal.

(3) The Township Administrator shall annually estimate the probable maximum exposure of the fund during the coming year. He/she shall make this estimate on such factors as contributory and non-contributory self-funded or partially self-funded health benefits to Township employees, their dependents, retirees or both in accordance with rules and regulations of the Director of the Division of Local Government Services in the Department of Community Affairs.

(4) The Township Administrator shall include as part of the recommended annual operating budget for the coming year, an amount, in his/her opinion, over and above the current balance in the fund needed to adequately and responsibly account for the costs associated with the above estimate as to Fund exposure for the coming year.

(5) The Township Administrator shall fix reasonable rates of premium for all insurance carried by the insurance fund to be applied to the various covered persons and dependent categories, and shall effect all insurance in the insurance fund or with any insurance company or companies authorized to do business in the State of New Jersey.

(6) The Township Committee of the Township of Freehold shall appropriate such funds as are necessary to accomplish the purposes for which the Freehold Township Self-Insurance Fund for Group Health Benefits is established.

(7) The Township Chief Financial Officer/Treasurer shall collect and incorporate in the fund employee and retiree contributions for health benefits which are made pursuant to applicable Township ordinances and contracts or in accordance with Chapter 78, P.L. 2011.[1]

[1] Editor's Note: Former Subsection C(8), regarding an effective date, which immediately followed, was repealed 5-24-2022 by Ord. No. O-22-8.

§ 2-31 Division of Tax Collection.

A. Within the Department of Finance there shall be a Division of Tax Collection, the head of which shall be the Tax Collector.

B. The Tax Collector shall possess all the powers and duties established by law. He/she shall enter in suitable books to be kept for that purpose the sums received by him/her each day for taxes, with the names of the persons on whose account the same have been paid; shall keep a record and account of the finances of the Township; and shall, within 60 days after the end of the fiscal year, or when otherwise required by the Township Committee, make and furnish a report thereof, with a detailed and true statement of all moneys received by him/her and disbursed therefrom and for what purposes, from the commencement of his/her official year to the date of his/her report, or for such period as the Township Committee may require, and a list of delinquent taxpayers for the previous year. He/she shall file the report, with two copies of the statement and list of delinquents, with the Clerk within the time hereinabove specified or when otherwise required by the Township Committee. He/she shall as necessary and as directed, arrange for sales of real estate for delinquent taxes.

[Amended 5-24-2022 by Ord. No. O-22-8]

§ 2-32 Division of Tax Assessments.

[Amended 12-27-2005 by Ord. No. O-05-48]

Within the Department of Finance there shall be a Division of Tax Assessments, the head of which shall be the Tax Assessor. The Tax Assessor shall:

A. Have, perform and discharge all the functions, powers and duties prescribed by law for a municipal assessor.

B. Make assessments for benefits for local improvement and for that purpose have and exercise the powers and duties of a board of assessment for local improvement as provided by law.

C. Maintain adequate assessment records of each separate parcel of real property assessed or exempted.

D. Supply the Engineer with necessary data for proper maintaining of a current Tax Map of the Township as a public record and cause to be recorded thereon all changes in ownership or character of the real property assessed, employing for that purpose the facilities of other departments as provided by the code.

E. Report to the Township Committee as to equalization proceedings and other matters involving the County Tax Board and make recommendations as to action to be taken in that regard.

F. Defend, with assistance from counsel appointed by the Township Committee, tax appeals before the County Tax Board and New Jersey Tax Court and file counter-claims as necessary to protect the assessed value of real property within the Township.

[Added 5-24-2022 by Ord. No. O-22-8]

§ 2-33 Tax Search Officer.

[Amended 5-24-2022 by Ord. No. O-22-8]

The Tax Search Officer shall be appointed by the Township Committee. He/she shall furnish reports and certificates relating to property taxes and assessments in the Township.