2907-25 Ordinance Establishing Citizens Budget Advisory Board 3.13.25.pdf

1 2907-25 AN ORDINANCE AMENDING AND SUPPLEMENTING CHAPTER 2, SECTION ___ OF THE REVISED GENERAL ORDINANCES OF THE TOWNSHIP OF WEST ORANGE TO ESTABLISH A CITIZENS BUDGET ADVISORY BOARD BE IT ORDAINED BY THE MUNICIPAL COUNCIL OF THE TOWNSHIP OF WEST ORANGE, NEW JERSEY that Chapter 2 of the Revised General Ordinances of the Township of West Orange be and are hereby amended as follows: I. PURPOSE The purpose of this Ordinance is to establish a Citizens Budget Advisory Board via Ordinance. § 2-____: Definitions Citizens Budget Advisory Board: An advisory board made up of members of the public appointed by both the Township Council and the Mayor charged with reviewing the Township’s Budget, its services, programs and expenditures, compiling the Board’s collective analysis, input and suggestions and presenting them to the Township Council by regular reports and presentations, as appropriate. § 2-____: Establishment of a Citizens Advisory Board A. The Citizens Budget Advisory Board shall be comprised of: (i) one member appointed by the Mayor; (ii) one member appointed by each of the five members of the Township Council; and (iii) one consensus candidate chosen by the majority of the Council. B. Candidates for the board shall be Township residents, work in the Township, employed by a company based in the Township, or own or lease property in the Township. The chair shall be selected by a majority vote of the members, as promptly as practicable once appointments are made. The term of each Board member will be one calendar year, starting on January 1 of the year that the members serve, and members may be reappointed in subsequent years. Appointments shall be made before January 1 of the year that members serve. In the case of any newly elected Councilmember, his/her appointment, as well as the appointment of the Council consensus, should be made as soon as practicable once he/she takes the oath of office. C. A Board member can resign by sending a letter or email to the Municipal Clerk which shall take effect immediately. Any Board member may be removed with or without cause, at any time, by the person appointing the Board member. D. Board members are required to attend all scheduled Board meetings and strongly encouraged to attend all Council meetings that focus on the budget, including review of any video or audio recordings of such meetings. Failure to attend three

ll scheduled Board meetings and strongly encouraged to attend all Council meetings that focus on the budget, including review of any video or audio recordings of such meetings. Failure to attend three Board

2 meetings may be grounds for removal from the Board by a written motion to dismiss that can be offered by any Board member. The Board member at issue may request a public hearing of the cause(s) and present a defense. That hearing shall be followed by deliberation in open session. A majority vote decides the issue, with a tie vote allowing the Board member to continue to serve. E. The Board shall: a. Make all requests for information or materials following a majority vote of the members present. b. Have access to all financial and budget documents that it believes are needed to advise the Council that are not otherwise subject to privacy or other non- disclosure limitations. The Board shall make its request in writing to the Council, which will review the request and forward it to the Business Administrator or his/her designee, and the Chief Financial Officer. c. Request in writing through the Council to the Business Administrator or his/her designee, and the Chief Financial Officer to meet with the Chief Financial Officer or others as appropriate for presentations and discussions on these financial issues outside of a regular or special Council meeting. d. Take minutes of meetings and submit approved Minutes to the Council, Business Administrator and Chief Financial Officer. The Board will also provide the minutes to the Municipal Clerk for public availability in the Clerk’s office and for posting to the Township website. e. Submit written reports to the Council, Business Administrator and Chief Financial Officer on a regular basis of the Board’s findings, questions and recommendations. f. Appear as requested by the Town Council at Council meetings to present and/or engage in discussions with Councilmembers and Administration personnel, as appropriate. g. Meet at least once a month in the year that members serve, because Budget issues are a year-round responsibility, including year-end account reconciliations and pre-planning for the following calendar year. Meetings may occur more frequently depending on the majority vote of members.

3 h. Communicate as appropriate with the Councilmember or Mayor who appointed them on budget matters. Members can also communicate through the Board Chair or his/her designee with county or state agencies as appropriate, as well as other municipalities and other entities that may perform similar advisory duties in other municipalities. When communicating, the Chair or designee shall clearly describe his or her role as a member of the West Orange Citizens Budget Advisory Board, a volunteer body created by Ordinance advising the Township Council to develop the annual budget and related financial areas. II. REPEAL OF CONFLICTING ORDINANCES Any Ordinances of the Township which are in conflict with this Ordinance are hereby repealed to the extent of such conflict. III. SEVERABILITY If any part of this Ordinance shall be deemed invalid, such determination shall only apply to those specific section(s), paragraph(s), subparagraph(s), clause(s) or provision(s) and those parts shall be severed. The invalidity thereof shall not affect the remaining parts of this Ordinance which shall be deemed valid and effective. IX. EFFECTIVE DATE This Ordinance shall take effect upon final passage and publication in accordance with the law. SUSAN McCARTNEY, MAYOR JOE KRAKOVIAK COUNCIL PRESIDENT KAREN J. CARNEVALE, R.M.C., MUNICIPAL CLERK INTRODUCED: March 25, 2025 ADOPTED: April 8, 2025

4 7907-25 Legislative History This Ordinance will establish the creation of a Citizens Board Advisory Board (the “Board”) by Ordinance. In years past, the Township previously had the Board by Resolution. The purpose of this Ordinance is to codify the rules and regulations of the Board via Ordinance. VOTE SHEET 2907-25 AYE NAY ABSTAIN 3.25.25 FIRST RDG. MOVED BY SECOND Casalino Ghebremicael Rudin Scarpa Krakoviak