Intro to How Our Municipal Corporation Works, Part IV

WEEKLY REPORT BY MAYOR JOHN L. MADDEN

AN INTRODUCTION TO HOW OUR MUNCIPAL CORPORATION WORKS, PART IV: 

This is the fourth report on a series of reports on how our local form of government works and some of our key municipal employees. 

To recap, our borough is an incorporated municipality which operates similarly to any large, public corporation.  You, the residents, are our shareholders.  The Council is the Board of Directors who meet from time to time to vote on various topics that involve policy, budget, and revenue.  As Mayor, I act as Chairman of the Board, run the meetings and am the figurehead of the Board.  Our Municipal Clerk, Linda Chismar, by state statute, serves as Secretary to the Corporation.  As Clerk, she is also the Chief Administrative Officer of all elections held in the Borough, the Chief Registrar of Voters in the Borough, Secretary to the Governing Body, and is also the Administrative Officer.  Middlesex Borough’s Chief Executive/Chief Operating Officer is the Borough Business Administrator.  Our CEO/COO is Marcia Karrow who is responsible, by State law and municipal ordinance, for the day-to-day operations of our local government.  She oversees personnel, the budget and all operations.  The Administrator reports directly to the Mayor. 

Every major corporation has a Chief Fiscal Officer.  Our CFO is Caroline Benson, who, prior to becoming our Acting CFO last year, was our Treasurer.  Ms. Benson is currently finishing up coursework and will sit for the CFO state exam for certification.  As CFO, Ms. Benson oversees all things financial in the borough.  Generally, CFO’s manage all finance personnel including the Tax Collector, Tax Assessor, Purchasing Agent and Payroll Clerk.  Her duties, by law, include Custodian of all Public Funds, Assist in Preparation of the Annual Budgets – Operating & Capital, Maintain & Monitor Financial Software i.e General Ledger, Sub-Ledgers & Trial Balances, Develop Fiscal Policy i.e. Cash Management Plan, Debt Service Plan, Internal Controls, File Continuing Financial Disclosures, Certify Availability of Funds, Manage Pensions & Benefits, Oversee Payroll, Salary Ordinances, Quarterly Tax Filing, Annual Financial Reporting ie. Annual Financial Statement, Annual Debt Statement, Supplemental Debt Statements, Maintain Fixed Asset List, Monitor Adherence to Collective Bargaining Agreements, and Ensure Compliance to all State Purchasing Guidelines. 

Additionally, because Acting CFO Benson is also the Treasurer, commonplace in small towns such as ours, she also has the following duties: Reconcile Monthly Bank Statements for all Accounts, Verify Daily Deposits for all Departments (including Swim Pool) and Take Deposits to Financial Institution, Verify Available Funds in Budget Lines to Issue Purchase Orders, Ensure Timely Payment To All Vendors for Services/Purchases, File Monthly/Quarterly Pension Reports, Prepare Monthly Swim Pool Financial Report, and provides Budget Reports for Department Heads and the Mayor/Council.

Next week, in Part V of the series, I will be covering the job of the head of our corporation’s physical plant, the Superintendent of the Department of Public Works.

Keep Safe and Be Well,
Mayor John L. Madden