§ 40:41A-86 — Separation of powers

In any county that shall have adopted a charter under this act, the board of chosen freeholders shall deal with county employees only through the officials responsible for the over-all executive management of the county's affairs as designated in articles 3 through 6 of this act--i.e., through the county executive, the county manager, the county supervisor, and the board president, respectively. All contact with county employees, all actions and communications concerning the administration of the county's government and provision of services, shall be through the aforementioned officials, except as otherwise provided in this act. Nothing in this act shall be construed to prohibit the board's inquiry into any act or problem of the county's administration. Any freeholder may require a report on any aspect of the government of the county at any time by making a written request to the head of the executive branch of county government. The board may, be majority vote of the whole number of its members, require the head of the executive branch to appear before the board sitting as a committee of the whole, and to bring before the board such records and reports, and such officials and employees of the county as the board shall deem necessary to insure clarification of the matter under study. The board further may, by majority vote of the whole number of its members, delegate any number of its members as an ad hoc committee to consult with the head of the executive branch to study any matter and to report to the board thereon. It is the intent of this act to confer on the board general legislative and such investigative powers as are germane to the exercise of its legislative powers, but to retain in the head of the executive branch full control over the county administration and over the administration of county services provided for in this act. L.1972, c. 154, s. 86, eff. Sept. 19, 1972.