(A) Any person claiming payment from the Township shall first submit a detailed statement of the items or demand necessitating such claim to the responsible municipal department, specifying particularly how the bill or demand is made up, and a certification of the party claiming payment that it is correct. No bill, claim or demand shall be considered for payment unless the voucher has attached to it or includes certification by a department head (or other municipal official responsible for certain functions) or his duly designated representative, having personal knowledge of the facts, that the goods have been received by or the services rendered to the Township and that those services or goods are consistent with any existing contract or purchase order. The Chief Financial Officer or administrator shall have the duty to audit, warrant and make recommendations on all claims and bills.
(B) Payments are only to be made for goods and services obtained in accordance withe the Local Public Contracts Law, N.J.S.A. 40A:11-1 et seq., as the same may be amended from time to time.
(C) All purchases of goods and services shall be pre-approved in accordance with the following procedures:
(1) When a contract is awarded, in accordance with the Local Public Contracts Law, the department head shall prepare a detailed contract/purchase order specifying in sufficient detail the goods and/or services being acquired from the vendor/contractor, the name, address, federal tax identification number of the vendor/contractor, the price of each good or service unit and the number of units being acquired, the department for whom the goods or services are being acquired and specifying what type of contract, under the Local Public Contracts Law, the particular contract is classified (i.e., less than $2,625; price quotes were obtained; State contract; public bidding or exception to bidding).
(2) The contract/purchase order shall then be submitted to the Chief Financial Officer who shall certify that funds to satisfy the contract are available and that the acquisition or service is within the applicable budgetary appropriation.
(3) The contract/purchase order is then presented to the Township Administrator for approval.
(4) Upon approval of the contract/purchase order, the Accounts Payable Supervisor shall encumber the funds for the good or services, then the contract/purchase order shall be returned to the appropriate department head.
(D) When an item or a service is acquired under an approved contract/purchase order, the top page of purchase order shall be sent to the vendor/contract.
(1) The vendor/contractor shall sign the purchase order on the "Payee Declaration" block certifying that the goods have been furnished and/or that the services have been rendered and that the purchase order is correct in all particulars.
(2) The purchase order shall be certified by the department head indicating that the goods and/or services have been received.
(3) The signed and certified purchase order shall then be returned to the Accounts Payable Supervisor who will prepare the payment.
(4) An original invoice, statement or bill from the vendor/contractor shall be attached to the executed purchase order. Any an all other pertinent information must also be attached to the purchase order (i.e. price quotes).
(E) Approved, completed and executed purchase orders shall be paid only after the following procedures are completed:
(1) The Chief Financial Officer shall prepare a list of purchase orders ("bills") submitted for payment in accordance with the procedures set forth above, and this bill will be submitted to the Township Clerk prior to the next scheduled public meeting of the Township Committee, which bill list will be included in the official agenda for such public meeting for consideration and approval by the Township Committee.
(2) All approved bills will be submitted to the Accounts Payable Supervisor who will prepare the necessary checks for payment of such approved bills.
(3) All checks written on Township accounts must be signed by three persons: a member of Township Committee, the Chief Financial Officer or Deputy Treasurer and the Township Clerk or the Deputy Clerk. Two of the three required signatures may be facsimiles but one signature must be an original.
(4) The bill list and the action taken by the Township Committed thereon shall be included in the official minutes of the public meeting at which such bill list was considered.
(5) The Chief Financial Officer shall record all payments in the appropriate books of account.
(6) The Accounts Payable Supervisor shall mail all approved payment checks to the respective vendor/contract.
(7) All records pertaining to approved or disapproved purchase orders shall be made available to the public for inspection.
('74 Code, § 6-1) (Ord. 46-1977, passed 12-27-77; Am. Ord. 32-00, passed 11-13-00)