Special charter (New Jersey)

A special charter allows a New Jersey municipality to operate under a charter that differs from those of the traditional forms of government or the many options available under the Faulkner Act. Under the terms of the New Jersey State Constitution of 1947 and the Faulkner Act of 1950, a municipality may obtain a special charter form from the New Jersey Legislature, providing a unique form of governmental organization for that community.^[1]

Municipalities[]

In a July 2011 report, the Rutgers University Center for Government Studies listed 11 municipalities as operating under a special charter:^[2]

Other municipalities include:

References[]

^ Optional Municipal Charter Law, New Jersey Department of Community Affairs, January 2017. Accessed January 14, 2019. "The charter commission may report and recommend:.... (b) That the governing body shall petition the Legislature for the enactment of a special charter or for one or more specific amendments of or to the charter of the municipality, the text of which shall be appended to the charter commission's report pursuant to Article IV, Section VII, Paragraph 10, of the Constitution of 1947 and to the enabling legislation enacted thereunder to the extent that such legislation is not inconsistent herewith;"
^ Inventory of Municipal Forms of Government in New Jersey, Rutgers University Center for Government Studies, July 1, 2011. Accessed November 18, 2019.
^ Local Government, Bloomfield Township. Accessed January 14, 2019. "Bloomfield operates under a Special Charter granted under an Act of the New Jersey Legislature. The township is governed by a mayor and a six member Township Council. The mayor and three council members are elected at-large, and three members are elected from each of three wards, with all positions chosen on a partisan basis as part of the November general election."
^ City Charter, City of Englewood. Accessed January 14, 2019.
^ Assembly Bill, No. 4521 - 215th Legislature, New Jersey Legislature, introduce November 25, 2013. Accessed August 12, 2020. "Synopsis: Amends special charter of Gloucester City in Camden County to revise method of election of members of Common Council..... Statement: This bill would amend the special charter, granted by the Legislature in 1868, of the City of Gloucester City in Camden County."
^ Mountain Hill LLC v. Middletown Township, Accessed January 14, 2019. "Middletown is governed by a five member committee pursuant to a special charter enacted by the Legislature in 1971."
^ About Montville, Montville Township. Accessed January 14, 2019. "The Township of Montville is a municipal corporation which was established by special charter of the New Jersey State Legislature in 1867."
^ Senate No. 2673, 218th Legislature, New Jersey Senate, introduced June 18, 2018. Accessed January 14, 2018. "An Act revising the special charter for the City of Plainfield and amending and supplementing P.L.1968, c.159."
^ Government, Borough of Tenafly. Accessed January 14, 2019. "Tenafly is governed under a special charter granted by the New Jersey Legislature. This charter retains most aspects of the Borough form of government, with the addition of initiative, referendum, and recall features."
^ Westfield Charter, Westfield Leader. Accessed January 14, 2019. "An Act to provide a special charter for the town of Westfield, in the county of Union."
^ Public Law 97 Chapter 198, State of New Jersey. Accessed January 14, 2019. "An act to provide a special charter for the Town of Boonton in the county of Morris."
^ City Charter, City of Summit. Accessed January 14, 2018. "On December 15, 1987, Chapter 314, Public Law 1987, was approved and signed into law with the effective date of January 1, 1988. This act repealed all of the remaining provisions of Summit's original Charter (P.L. 1899,c.52;C.40:109-3) and replaced and saved those sections which were not covered by general law and peculiar to Summit's original Charter."

External links[]

[1] Optional Municipal Charter Law, New Jersey Department of Community Affairs, January 2017. Accessed January 14, 2019. "The charter commission may report and recommend:.... (b) That the governing body shall petition the Legislature for the enactment of a special charter or for one or more specific amendments of or to the charter of the municipality, the text of which shall be appended to the charter commission's report pursuant to Article IV, Section VII, Paragraph 10, of the Constitution of 1947 and to the enabling legislation enacted thereunder to the extent that such legislation is not inconsistent herewith;"

[2] Inventory of Municipal Forms of Government in New Jersey, Rutgers University Center for Government Studies, July 1, 2011. Accessed November 18, 2019.

[3] Local Government, Bloomfield Township. Accessed January 14, 2019. "Bloomfield operates under a Special Charter granted under an Act of the New Jersey Legislature. The township is governed by a mayor and a six member Township Council. The mayor and three council members are elected at-large, and three members are elected from each of three wards, with all positions chosen on a partisan basis as part of the November general election."

[4] City Charter, City of Englewood. Accessed January 14, 2019.

[5] Assembly Bill, No. 4521 - 215th Legislature, New Jersey Legislature, introduce November 25, 2013. Accessed August 12, 2020. "Synopsis: Amends special charter of Gloucester City in Camden County to revise method of election of members of Common Council..... Statement: This bill would amend the special charter, granted by the Legislature in 1868, of the City of Gloucester City in Camden County."

[6] Mountain Hill LLC v. Middletown Township, Accessed January 14, 2019. "Middletown is governed by a five member committee pursuant to a special charter enacted by the Legislature in 1971."

[7] About Montville, Montville Township. Accessed January 14, 2019. "The Township of Montville is a municipal corporation which was established by special charter of the New Jersey State Legislature in 1867."

[8] Senate No. 2673, 218th Legislature, New Jersey Senate, introduced June 18, 2018. Accessed January 14, 2018. "An Act revising the special charter for the City of Plainfield and amending and supplementing P.L.1968, c.159."

[9] Government, Borough of Tenafly. Accessed January 14, 2019. "Tenafly is governed under a special charter granted by the New Jersey Legislature. This charter retains most aspects of the Borough form of government, with the addition of initiative, referendum, and recall features."

[10] Westfield Charter, Westfield Leader. Accessed January 14, 2019. "An Act to provide a special charter for the town of Westfield, in the county of Union."

[11] Public Law 97 Chapter 198, State of New Jersey. Accessed January 14, 2019. "An act to provide a special charter for the Town of Boonton in the county of Morris."

[12] City Charter, City of Summit. Accessed January 14, 2018. "On December 15, 1987, Chapter 314, Public Law 1987, was approved and signed into law with the effective date of January 1, 1988. This act repealed all of the remaining provisions of Summit's original Charter (P.L. 1899,c.52;C.40:109-3) and replaced and saved those sections which were not covered by general law and peculiar to Summit's original Charter."

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