SENATE, No. 2040

 

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

 

INTRODUCED MAY 8, 1997

 

 

By Senator SACCO

 

 

An Act authorizing the payment of honoraria to parking authority members and amending P.L.1948, c.198.

 

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

 

    1. Section 5 of P.L.1948, c.198 (C.40:11A-5) is amended to read as follows:

    5. No commissioner of any authority may be an officer or employee of the municipality or county for which the authority is created; provided, however, that a municipality may appoint its traffic engineer or chief of police to such authority. A commissioner shall hold office until his successor has been appointed and has qualified. A certificate of the appointment or reappointment of any commissioner shall be filed with the clerk and such certificate shall be conclusive evidence of the due and proper appointment of such commissioner. A commissioner shall receive no compensation for his services but he shall be entitled to the necessary expenses, including traveling expenses incurred in the discharge of his duties; provided, however, that a municipality may provide an annual honorarium of $750 to the chairman of the authority and $500 to each authority member to reward the efforts of those persons on behalf of the municipality. The powers of each authority shall be vested in the commissioners thereof in office from time to time. A majority shall constitute a quorum of the authority for the purpose of conducting its business and exercising its powers and for all other purposes. Action may be taken by the authority upon a vote of the majority of the commissioners present, unless in any case the bylaws of the authority shall require a larger number. The authority shall select a chairman and a vice-chairman from among its commissioners, and it may employ a secretary, technical experts and such other officers, agents and employees, permanent and temporary, as it may require, and shall determine their qualifications, duties and compensation. For such legal services as it may require, an authority may call upon any chief law officers of the municipality, or the county, as the case may be, or may employ its own counsel and legal staff. An authority may delegate to one or more of its agents or employees such powers and duties as it may deem proper. No commissioner or employee of an authority shall acquire any interest direct or indirect in any parking project or in any property included or planned to be included in the project nor shall he have any interest direct or indirect in any contract or proposed contract for materials or services to be furnished or used in connection with any parking project. If any commissioner or employee of an authority owns or controls an interest direct or indirect in any property included or planned to be included in a parking project he shall immediately disclose the same in writing to the authority and such disclosure shall be entered upon the minutes of the authority. Failure so to disclose such interest shall constitute misconduct in office. Upon such disclosure such commissioner or employee shall not participate in any action by the authority affecting such property. For inefficiency or neglect of duty or misconduct in office, a commissioner of an authority may be removed by the governing body which made the original appointment, but a commissioner shall be removed only after he shall have been given a copy of the charges at least 10 days prior to the hearing thereon and had an opportunity to be heard in person or by counsel. In the event of the removal of any commissioner, a record of the proceedings, together with the charges and findings thereon, shall be filed in the office of the clerk.

(cf: P.L.1978, c.98, s.1)

 

    2. This act shall take effect immediately.

 

 

STATEMENT

 

    This bill would authorize municipalities to provide an annual honorarium of $750 to the chairman of the parking authority and $500 to each of the parking authority members.

    Although these amounts are small relative to the tremendous time, effort and responsibility put forth by volunteers all over the State, this bill would authorize municipalities to express a small token of appreciation for those efforts on behalf of parking authorities.

 

 

                             

Authorizes annual payment of honoraria to parking authority members.