40:14B-14 - Powers vested in members, quorum; minutes, approval - New Jersey Statutes

40:14B-14  Powers vested in members, quorum; minutes, approval.

14. a.  The powers of a municipal authority shall be vested in the members thereof in office from time to time.  A majority of the entire authorized membership of the municipal authority shall constitute a quorum at any meeting thereof.  Action may be taken and motions and resolutions adopted by the municipal authority at any meeting of the members thereof by vote of a majority of the members present, unless in any case the by-laws of the municipal authority shall require a larger number.

b.The minutes of every meeting of an authority created by a county organized pursuant to the provisions of the "county executive plan" of the "Optional County Charter Law," P.L.1972, c.154 (C.40:41A-1 et seq.) shall be delivered by the end of the fifth business day following the meeting, except as otherwise provided in subsection d. of this section, by and under the certification of the secretary of the authority to the county executive. Except as otherwise provided in subsection d. of this section, no action taken at a meeting by the members of an authority shall be effective until approved by the county executive or until 10 days after the copy of the minutes shall have been delivered.  If, within the 10-day period, the county executive returns to the authority and to the board of freeholders the copy of the minutes with a veto of any action taken by the authority or any member thereof at a meeting, together with a written explanation of the reasons for his veto of the action, that action shall be of no effect unless the board of freeholders overrides the veto of the action by a majority vote of its full membership within 10 days of the receipt of the veto action.  The county executive may approve all or any part of an action taken at a meeting prior to the expiration of the 10-day period.  If the county executive takes no action with respect to the minutes within the 10-day period, the minutes shall be deemed to be approved.  The veto powers accorded under this subsection shall not affect in any way the covenants contained in the bond indentures of the authority, or any collective bargaining agreement or binding arbitration decisions affecting employees of the authority.

c.No resolution or other action of the authority providing for the issuance or refunding of bonds or other financial obligations shall be adopted or otherwise made effective by the authority without the prior approval in writing of the county executive.  This power shall be exercised with due regard for the rights of the holders of bonds of the authority at any time outstanding, and nothing in, or done pursuant to, this subsection shall in any way limit, restrict or alter the obligations or powers of the authority or any representative or officer of the authority to carry out and perform in every detail each and every covenant, agreement or contract at any time made or entered into by or on behalf of the authority with respect to its bonds or for the benefit, protection or security of the holders thereof.

d.If two-thirds or more of the members of an authority make a determination that an action taken at a meeting is in response to an emergency situation, a copy of the minutes of that meeting shall be delivered to the county executive as soon as practicable following the meeting and the county executive shall have up to 24 hours after the copy of the minutes has been delivered to approve or veto the minutes of that meeting.  If the county executive takes no action with respect to the minutes within the 24-hour period, the minutes shall be deemed approved.  If, within the 24-hour period, the county executive returns to the authority and to the board of freeholders the copy of the minutes with a veto of any action taken by the authority or any member thereof at the meeting, together with a written explanation of the reasons for his veto of the action, that action shall be of no effect unless the board of freeholders overrides the veto of the action by a majority vote of its full membership within 48 hours of the receipt of the veto action.

(e)The minutes of every meeting of an authority created by a county which has not adopted the provisions of the "Optional County Charter Law," P.L.1972, c.154 (C.40:41A-1 et seq.), shall be delivered by the end of the fifth business day following the meeting, by and under the certification of the secretary of the authority to each member of the county board of freeholders.  No action taken at a meeting by the members of an authority shall be effective if within 10 days after the copy of the minutes shall have been delivered to each member of the board of freeholders, such action is vetoed by the director of the board of freeholders, with the concurrence of a majority of the members of the board of freeholders. If, within the 10-day period, the board of freeholders returns to the authority the copy of the minutes with a veto of any action taken by the authority or any of the authority's members thereof at a meeting, that action shall be of no effect.  If the director takes no action with respect to the minutes within the 10-day period, the minutes shall be deemed to be approved.  The veto power accorded under this subsection shall not affect in any way the covenants contained in the bond indentures of the authority, or any collective bargaining agreement or binding arbitration decisions affecting employees of the authority.

L.1957, c.183, s.14; amended 1995, c.91, s.3; 2010, c.52, s.3.