Source: https://www.ecode360.com/15664222
Timestamp: 2019-04-23 12:14:51
Document Index: 305832651

Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 10', '§ 10', '§ 10', '§ 10', '§ 10', '§ 10', '§ 10', '§ 10', '§ 10', '§ 10', '§ 10', '§ 10', '§ 10']

Township of Upper Deerfield, NJ Contracts
Ch 10 Art I Political Contributions
§ 10-2 Prohibition on awarding public contracts to certain contributors.
§ 10-3 Contributions made prior to effective date.
§ 10-4 Contract renewal.
§ 10-5 Contribution statement by business entity.
§ 10-6 Return of excess contributions.
§ 10-7 Exemptions.
§ 10-8 Violations and penalties.
§ 10-9 Citizens' private right of action.
[HISTORY: Adopted by the Township Committee of the Township of Upper Deerfield as indicated in article histories. Amendments noted where applicable.]
[Adopted 8-18-2011 by Ord. No. 679]
A firm; corporation; professional corporation; partnership; limited liability company; organization ; association; and any other manner and kind of business entity;
Any person who owns 10% or more of the equity or ownership or income interest in a person or entity as defined in Subsections A or B above and their spouses and child/children;
Any person, subcontractor, subsidiary, corporation, firm, partnership, limited liability company, organization or association who has received or indefeasibly acquired the right to receive, from a person described in Subsection A above, more than $100,000 in compensation or income of any kind (including, by way of illustration and not limitation, wages, salaries, sums paid to independent contractors, benefits, dividends, profit-sharing, pension contributions, deferred contributions, stock, stock options or gifts, in any twelve-month period prior to the award of or during the term of a contract subject to this article; and
Every candidate for Township of Upper Deerfield elective municipal office;
Every candidate committee established by or for the benefit of a candidate for Township of Upper Deerfield elective municipal office;
Every joint candidate committee established in whole or in part by or for the benefit of a candidate for Township of Upper Deerfield elective municipal office;
Every political party committee of the Township of Upper Deerfield;
Every political party committee of the County of Cumberland; and
Every political committee, continuing political committee, or other form of association or organization that regularly engages in the support of candidates for the Township of Upper Deerfield municipal or Cumberland county elective offices or Township of Upper Deerfield municipal or Cumberland political parties or political party committees.
The terms in the foregoing definition have the meaning prescribed in N.J.A.C. 19:25-1.7.
Has the meaning prescribed in N.J.A.C. 19:25-1.7. By way of illustration, and not limitation, this definition includes pledges, loans and in-kind contributions.
To the extent that it is not inconsistent with state or federal law, the Township of Upper Deerfield and any of its departments, instrumentalities or purchasing agents shall not enter into any agreement or otherwise contract to procure "professional services" as such term is defined at N.J.S.A. 40A:11-2(6) and is used at N.J.S.A. 40A:11-5(1)(a)(i) and/or banking, insurance or other consulting service (hereinafter "professional services"), nor "extraordinary unspecified services" as such term is defined at N.J.S.A.11-2(7) and used at N.J.S.A. 40A:5(1)(a)(ii) and/or media, public relations, lobbying, parking garage management or other consulting and/or management service (hereinafter "extraordinary unspecified services") from any business entity if such business entity has solicited or made any contributions to:
A candidate, candidate committee or joint candidates' committee of any candidates for elective municipal office in the Township of Upper Deerfield or a holder of public office having ultimate responsibility for the award of a contract; or
To any Township of Upper Deerfield or County of Cumberland political committee or political party committee; or
To any continuing political committee or political action committee that regularly engages in the support of Upper Deerfield Township municipal or Cumberland County elections and/or Upper Deerfield Township municipal or Cumberland County candidates, candidate committees, joint candidate committees, political committees, political parties, political party committees, (hereinafter "PAC"), in excess of the thresholds specified in Subsection C within one calendar year immediately preceding the date of the contract or agreement.
No business entity who submits a proposal for, enters into negotiations for, or agrees to any contract or agreement with the Township of Upper Deerfield or any of its departments or instrumentalities, for the rendition of professional services or extraordinary unspecified services, shall knowingly solicit or make any contribution to:
A candidate, candidate committee or joint candidates' committee of any candidate for elective municipal office in Upper Deerfield Township, or a holder of public office having ultimate responsibility for the award of a contract; or
To any Bridgeton or Cumberland County political committee or political party committee; or
Any PAC between the time of first communication between that business entity and the municipality regarding a specific agreement for professional services or extraordinary unspecified services, and the later of the termination of negotiations or rejection of any proposal, or the completion of the performance or specified time period of that contract or agreement.
The monetary thresholds of this article are a maximum of $300 per calendar year each for any purpose to any candidate or candidate committee for mayor or governing body, or $500 per calendar year to any joint candidates' committee for mayor or governing body, or $300 per calendar year to any political committee or political party committee in the Township of Upper Deerfield; $500 maximum per calendar year to a Cumberland County political committee or political party committee; and $500 maximum per calendar year to any PAC. However, for each business entity party to a contract for professional or extraordinary unspecified services as defined in Subsection A, or engaged in negotiations for a contract defined in Subsection A, when such business entity's contribution is aggregated with "all persons" defined in § 10-1, Definitions, above, by virtue of their affiliation to that business entity party, a maximum of $2,500 to all Township of Upper Deerfield candidates, candidate committees, joint candidate committees, and holders of public office having ultimate responsibility of the award of a contract, all Township of Upper Deerfield or Cumberland County political committees and political party committees as described herein combined, without violating Subsection A of this section.
The Township of Upper Deerfield Mayor or governing body, if the contract requires approval or appropriation from the Mayor or governing body; or
The Mayor of the Township of Upper Deerfield, if the contract requires approval of the Mayor, or if a public officer who is responsible for the award of a contract is appointed by the Mayor.
Prior to awarding any contract or agreement to procure professional services or extraordinary unspecified services from any business entity, the Township of Upper Deerfield or its purchasing agents and departments, as the case may be, shall receive a sworn statement from said business entity which is the intended recipient of said contract that he/she/it has not made a contribution in violation of § 10-2 of this article. The Township of Upper Deerfield, its purchasing agents and departments shall be responsible for informing the Township Committee that the aforementioned sworn statement has been received and that the business entity is not in violation of this article, prior to awarding the contract or agreement.
A business entity shall have a continuing duty to report to the Township of Upper Deerfield any contributions that constitute a violation of this act that are made during the negotiation, proposal process or the duration of a contract. The Township of Upper Deerfield, its purchasing agents and departments shall be responsible for informing the governing body within 10 business days after receipt of said report from the business entity, or at the next Township Committee meeting following receipt of said report from the business entity, whichever comes first.
The certification required under this section shall be made prior to entry into the contract or agreement with the Township of Upper Deerfield, or prior to the provision of services or goods, as the case may be, and shall be in addition to any other certifications that may be required by any other provision of law.
A business entity that is a party to a contract for professional services or extraordinary unspecified services may cure a violation of § 10-2 of this article if, within 30 days after the date on which the applicable ELEC report is published, said business entity notifies the municipality in writing and seeks and receives reimbursement of the contribution from the recipient of such contribution.
The contribution limitations prior to entering into a contract in § 10-2A do not apply to contracts which are awarded to the lowest responsible bidder after public advertising for bids and bidding therefor within the meaning of N.J.S.A. 40A:11-4; or are awarded in the case of emergency under N.J.S.A. 40A:11-6. There is no exemption for contracts awarded pursuant to a fair and open process under N.J.S.A. 19:44A-20 et seq.
It shall be a material breach of the terms of a Township of Upper Deerfield agreement or contract for professional services or extraordinary unspecified services when a business entity that is a party to such agreement or contract has:
Made or solicited any contribution on the condition or with the agreement that it will be recontributed to a candidate, candidate committee or joint candidates' committee of any candidate for elective municipal office in Upper Deerfield Township, or a holder of public office having ultimate responsibility for the award of a contract, or any Upper Deerfield Township or Cumberland County political committee or political party committee, or any PAC;
Engaged or employed 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 professional business entity itself, would subject that entity to the restrictions of this article;
Furthermore, any business entity that violates § 10-8A(1) through (8) shall be disqualified from eligibility for future Township of Upper Deerfield contracts for a period of four calendar years from the date of the violation.
Any person who knowingly, purposely, or recklessly violates any provision of this article, or who conspires with another person to violate any provision of this article, or who, with the purpose of promoting or facilitating a violation of this article, solicits another person to commit it, or aids or agrees, or attempts to aid another person in planning or committing it, shall be subject to punishment, including fines and/or imprisonment as fixed by law for violations of the ordinances of the Township of Upper Deerfield.
In addition to any rights that were heretofore available, or which may hereafter be available, to citizens, taxpayers, or associations, to challenge violations of this article, every person aggrieved by a violation of this article, or any taxpayer or resident of the Township of Upper Deerfield has the right, consistent with the Rules of Court, to file charges in a court of competent jurisdiction, and/or to pursue a civil action for a violation of this article in a court of competent jurisdiction, and to seek and obtain declaratory, injunctive, or other legal or equitable relief, including but not limited to, attorney fees and costs, arising from or related to a violation of this article.