ASSEMBLY, No. 1459

 

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

 

INTRODUCED FEBRUARY 5, 1996

 

 

By Assemblymen DORIA and CHARLES

 

 

An Act concerning the appointment of executive assistants to mayors in certain municipalities and amending P.L.1963, c.69 and N.J.S.11A:3-5.

 

    Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

 

    1. Section 1 of P.L.1963, c.69 (C.40:69A-60.1) is amended to read as follows:

    1. a. The mayor of any municipality having a population of more than 300,000, which, prior to January 9, 1982, had adopted the form of government designated as "Mayor-Council Plan C" provided for in article 5 of the act of which this act is a supplement, may appoint one or two deputy mayors, a personal secretary, an executive secretary, and aides, not exceeding 10 in number, who shall serve and be removable at the pleasure of the mayor, and who shall serve in the unclassified service of the civil service of the city and shall receive such salary as shall be fixed by ordinance.

    [No municipality shall adopt the provisions of this section on or after the date occurring six months after the effective date of this amendatory act.]

    b. The mayor of any municipality having a population of more than 80,000, but less than 300,000, which, prior to January 9, 1982, had adopted the form of government designated as "Mayor-Council Plan C" provided for in article 5 of P.L.1950, c.210 (C.40:69A-55 et seq.), may appoint one or two deputy mayors, a personal secretary, an executive secretary, and aides not exceeding seven in number, who shall serve and be removable at the pleasure of the mayor, and who shall serve in the unclassified service of the civil service of the municipality and shall receive such salary as shall be fixed by the mayor.

    c. The mayor of any municipality having a population of less than 80,000 persons according to the latest federal decennial census, which, prior to January 9, 1982, had adopted the form of government designated as "Mayor-Council Plan C" provided for in article 5 of P.L.1950, c.210 (C.40:69A-55 et seq.), may appoint one executive assistant for every 20,000 persons residing in the municipality, who shall serve and be removable at the pleasure of the mayor, and who shall serve in the unclassified service of the civil service of the municipality and shall receive such salary as shall be fixed by the mayor.

(cf: P.L.1990, c.102, s.1)

 

    2. Section 2 of P.L.1963, c.69 (C.40:69A-60.2) is amended to read as follows:

    2. The mayor shall prescribe, in writing, the powers and duties of the deputy or deputies, personal secretary, executive secretary, executive assistants, and aides to the mayor.

(cf: P.L.1970, c.168, s.2)

 

    3. N.J.S.11A:3-5 is amended to read as follows:

    11A:3-5. Political subdivision unclassified service. The political subdivision unclassified service shall not be subject to the provisions of this title unless otherwise specified and shall include the following:

    a. Elected officials;

    b. One secretary and one confidential assistant to each mayor;

    c. Members of boards and commissions authorized by law;

    d. Heads of institutions;

    e. Physicians, surgeons and dentists;

    f. Attorneys of a county, municipality or school district operating under this title;

    g. Teaching staff, as defined in N.J.S.18A:1-1, in the public schools and county superintendents and members and business managers of boards of education;

    h. Principal executive officers;

    i. One secretary, clerk or executive director to each department, board and commission authorized by law to make the appointment;

    j. One secretary or clerk to each county constitutional officer, principal executive officer, and judge;

    k. One deputy or first assistant to a principal executive officer who is authorized by statute to act for and in place of the principal executive officer;

    l. No more than 12 county department heads and the heads of divisions within such departments; provided that the total number of unclassified positions created by the county administrative code pursuant to this subsection shall not exceed 20;

    m. One secretary or confidential assistant to each unclassified department or division head established in subsection l.;

    n. Employees of county park commissions, appointed pursuant to R.S.40:37-96 through R.S.40:37-174, in counties of the second class;

    o. Directors of free public libraries in cities of the first class having a population of more than 300,000;

    p. One secretary to the municipal council in cities of the first class having a population of less than 300,000;

    q. One secretary and one confidential aide for each member of the board of freeholders other than the director, and one secretary and two confidential aides for the freeholder director, of any county of the second class with a population of at least 470,000 which has not adopted the provisions of the "Optional County Charter Law," P.L.1972, c.154 (C.40:41A-1 et seq.) and one secretary or confidential aide for each member of the board of freeholders of any other county which has not adopted the provisions of the "Optional County Charter Law";

    r. In school districts organized pursuant to N.J.S.18A:17-1 et seq., the executive controller, public information officer and the executive directors of board affairs, personnel, budget, purchasing, physical facilities, data processing, financial affairs, and internal audit;

    s. The executive director, assistant executive director, director of staff operations, director of administration, director of redevelopment and the urban initiatives coordinator of a local housing authority;

    t. The sheriff's investigators of any county appointed pursuant to P.L.1987, c.113 (C.40A:9-117a);

    u. Any title as provided by statute or as the board may determine in accordance with criteria established by rule; [and]

    v. One confidential aide for each county clerk, in addition to the titles included under subsection j. of this section; and

    w. Executive assistants of a mayor appointed pursuant to subsection c. of section 1 of P.L.1963, c.69 (C.40:69A-60.1).

(cf: P.L.1991, c.494, s.1)

 

    4. This act shall take effect immediately.

 

 

STATEMENT

 

    This bill would permit mayors to appoint executive assistants in those municipalities which, prior to January 9, 1982, had adopted the form of government designated as "Mayor-Council Plan C" provided for in article 5 of P.L.1950, c.210 (C.40:69A-55 et seq.), and which have a population of less than 80,000 persons according to the latest federal decennial census. The number of executive assistants that could be appointed by a mayor under this bill would be one assistant for every 20,000 persons residing in the municipality. The executive assistants would serve at the pleasure of the mayor and their salaries and duties would be set by the mayor. Except for one confidential assistant, current law does not permit aides or assistants for mayors in those municipalities which, prior to January 9, 1982, had adopted the form of government designated as "Mayor-Council Plan C" provided for in article 5 of P.L.1950, c.210 (C.40:69A-55 et seq.), and with a population of less than 80,000 persons; however, various deputies, secretaries and aides are permitted for mayors of similarly governed municipalities with a population greater than 80,000 persons.

 

 

 

Permits certain mayors to appoint executive assistants in municipalities operating under mayor-council plan.