Source: https://ecode360.com/6273988
Timestamp: 2019-04-20 08:34:14+00:00

Document:
§ 54-6 Prohibition of entering into or amending redevelopment agreements with certain contributors.
§ 54-7 Contributions made prior to the effective date.
§ 54-8 Notice given by municipality; sworn statement of redeveloper.
§ 54-9 Contribution restrictions and disclosure requirement applicability to consultants.
§ 54-10 Return of excess contributions.
§ 54-11 Violations and penalties.
Editor’s Note: Former Art. I, Prohibition of Awarding Contracts to Certain Contributors, adopted 10-28-2003 by Ord. No. 3405, was repealed 3-27-2018 by Ord. No. 4222-18. This ordinance also provided for the adoption of N.J.S.A. 19:44A-1 et seq., the New Jersey Campaign Contributions and Expenditures Reporting Act, by reference.
Any other provision of law to the contrary notwithstanding, the Township of Franklin (hereinafter "Township") or any of its purchasing agents or agencies or those of its independent authorities, as the case may be, shall not enter into an agreement, amend an agreement, or otherwise contract with any redeveloper for the planning, replanning, construction or undertaking of any redevelopment project, including the acquisition or leasing of any public property in conjunction with the redevelopment of any area within the Township pursuant to the Local Redevelopment and Housing Law, if that redeveloper has made any contribution of money or pledge of a contribution, including in-kind contributions, during the applicable time period as specified below, to a campaign committee of any Township candidate or holder of public office within the Township having responsibility for arranging, entering into, or approving the redevelopment agreement, or for appointing those who enter into the agreement on behalf of the Township, or to any municipal political campaign committee, or to any Somerset County party committee, or to any political action committee which regularly engages in the support of municipal elections and/or municipal parties or which engages in the support of Township municipal campaigns (PAC). For purposes of this section, the "applicable time period" shall be defined as the time period between the date that the property which is the subject of the redevelopment project has been included in a memorializing resolution adopted by the governing body directing the Planning Board to conduct a preliminary investigation to determine if the site is in need of redevelopment pursuant to and in accordance with the New Jersey Local Redevelopment and Housing Law, N.J.S.A. 40A:12A-1 et seq., and the date of entering into the redevelopment agreement.
All redevelopment agreements or amendments thereto entered into by the Township shall contain a provision prohibiting redevelopers as defined in Subsection C to solicit or make any contribution of money or pledge of a contribution, including in-kind contributions, to any Township candidate or holder of public office within the Township having responsibility for arranging, entering into, or approving the redevelopment agreement, or for appointing those who enter into the agreement on behalf of the Township, or to any Township political campaign committee, or to any Township or Somerset County party committee, or to any political action committee which regularly engages in the support of municipal elections and/or municipal parties or which engages in the support of Township municipal campaigns (PAC), between the time of first communication between that redeveloper and the municipality regarding a redevelopment project and the later of the termination of negotiations or the completion of all matters specified in the redevelopment agreement.
Provide for an Urban Enterprise Zone grant.
The Franklin Township Redevelopment Agency, if it is the designated redevelopment entity.
No contribution of money or any other thing of value, including in-kind contributions, made by a redeveloper to any Township candidate for Mayor or Township Council or Township political campaign committee shall be deemed a violation of this section nor shall an agreement for redevelopment projects of any kind whatsoever be disqualified thereby if that contribution or agreement was made by the redeveloper prior to the effective date of this section.
It shall be the municipality's continuing responsibility to give notice of this section when the municipality gives notice of redevelopment pursuant to N.J.S.A. 40A:12A-6 and when the municipality adopts a resolution directing the Planning Board to prepare a redevelopment plan and at the time that the municipality adopts the ordinance to implement the redevelopment plan.
Prior to arranging and entering into the redevelopment agreement with any redeveloper, the Township or any of its purchasing agents or agencies or independent authorities, as the case may be, shall receive a sworn statement from the redeveloper that the redeveloper has not made any contribution in violation of § 54-6A above. Furthermore, the redeveloper shall have a continuing duty to report any violations of this article that may occur while arranging and entering into the redevelopment agreement, and until all specified terms of the agreement have been completed. The certification required under this subsection shall be made prior to entry into the agreement with the municipality and shall be in addition to any other certifications that may be required by any other provision of law.
Performing the terms of a redevelopment agreement.
It shall be a breach of the consultant's contract, and shall require immediate termination, for a consultant to violate the contribution limits and disclosure requirements in this article.
A redeveloper who participates in, or facilitates, the circumvention of the contribution restrictions through consultants or professionals shall be deemed to be in breach.
A redeveloper or municipal candidate or officeholder or municipal or county party committee or PAC referenced in this article may cure a violation of § 54-6 of this Act, if, within 30 days after the date on which the applicable ELEC Report is published, the redeveloper notifies the Municipal Council in writing and seeks and receives reimbursement of a contribution from the municipal candidate or municipal or county political party or PAC referenced in this article.
It shall be a breach of the terms of the Township redevelopment agreement for a redeveloper to: a) make or solicit a contribution in violation of this article; b) knowingly conceal or misrepresent a contribution given or received; c) make or solicit contributions through intermediaries for the purpose of concealing or misrepresenting the source of the contribution; d) make or solicit any contribution on the condition or with the agreement that it will be contributed to a campaign committee of any candidate or holder of the public office of Township; e) engage or employ a lobbyist or consultant with the intent or understanding that such lobbyist or consultant would make or solicit any contribution which if made or solicited by the redeveloper itself would subject that entity to the restrictions of this article; f) fund contributions made by third parties, including consultants, attorneys, family members, and employees; g) engage in any exchange of contributions to circumvent the intent of this article; or h) directly or indirectly, through or by any other person or means, do any act which would subject that entity to the restrictions of this article.
Furthermore, any redeveloper who violates Subsection A shall be disqualified from eligibility for future Township redevelopment agreements for a period of four calendar years from the date of the violation.

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