52:27BBBB-5 Power of Local Finance Board under certain circumstances.

5. a. (1) Notwithstanding the provisions of any law, rule, or regulation to the contrary, if the municipality in need of stabilization and recovery fails to submit a plan, if the commissioner has determined pursuant to subsection c. of section 4 of P.L.2016, c.4 (C.52:27BBBB-4) that the recovery plan is not likely to achieve financial stability for the municipality in need of stabilization and recovery, if the commissioner determines that the municipality is not strictly complying with a recovery plan approved by the commissioner pursuant to subsection c. of section 4 of P.L.2016, c.4 (C.52:27BBBB-4), or if the commissioner determines that a recovery plan approved by the commissioner pursuant to subsection c. of section 4 of P.L.2016, c.4 (C.52:27BBBB-4) is no longer likely to achieve financial stability, the Local Finance Board may, in its exclusive discretion at any time during which the municipality is deemed a municipality in need of stabilization and recovery, assume and reallocate to, and vest exclusively in the director any of the functions, powers, privileges, and immunities of the governing body of that municipality set forth in any statute, regulation, ordinance, resolution, charter, or contract to which the municipality is a party that are, or may be, substantially related to the fiscal condition or financial rehabilitation and recovery of that municipality. The duration of the transfer of the functions, powers, privileges, and immunities of the governing body shall not exceed the duration of the time the municipality is deemed a municipality in need of stabilization and recovery.

(2) In the event the Local Finance Board assumes and reallocates to the director any function, power, privilege, or immunity of the governing body of a municipality in need of stabilization and recovery set forth in a contract to which that municipality is a party, the municipality shall remain the party to the contract and neither the Local Finance Board nor the director shall assume any contractual obligations or liability arising out of that contract or be subject to any claim for breach of that contract or any other claim related to that contract. Any actions or steps taken by the director under P.L.2016, c.4 (C.52:27BBBB-1 et al.) shall be deemed to be by, and on behalf of, the municipality in need of stabilization.

(3) The authorities granted to the director by the Local Finance Board pursuant to this section shall extend to any and all actions that, in the exclusive discretion of the director, may help stabilize the finances, restructure the debts, or assist in the financial rehabilitation and recovery of the municipality in need of stabilization and recovery. Notwithstanding the provisions of any other law, rule, regulation, or contract to the contrary, the director shall have the authority to take any steps to stabilize the finances, restructure the debts, or assist in the financial rehabilitation and recovery of the municipality in need of stabilization and recovery, including, but not limited to:

(a) implementing governmental, administrative, and operational efficiency and oversight measures;

(b) dissolving, terminating, transferring, abolishing, or otherwise disposing of any municipal authority, board, commission, or department, or any function thereof; provided, however, that no such action shall be taken until adequate provision has been made for the payment of the creditors or obligees of the entity to be impacted unless otherwise permitted by law. This shall include the power to take any steps required of the governing body under applicable laws, including but not limited to the "municipal and county utilities authorities law," P.L.1957, c.183 (C.40:14B-1 et seq.), the "Local Authorities Fiscal Control Law," P.L.1983, c.313 (C.40A:5A-1 et seq.), the "Water Infrastructure Protection Act," P.L.2015, c.18 (C.58:30-1 et seq.), the "Local Redevelopment and Housing Law," P.L.1992, c.79 (C.40A:12A-1 et seq.), and the "Municipal Land Use Law," P.L.1975, c.291 (C.40:55D-1 et seq.). To the extent that the Local Finance Board or the director exercise any powers under the "Local Authorities Fiscal Control Law," P.L.1983, c.313 (C.40A:5A-1 et seq.) with respect to any municipal authority or municipal public utility in the municipality in need of stabilization and recovery;

(c) vetoing the minutes of the governing body of the municipality in need of stabilization and recovery, any board, commission, or department of the municipality in need of stabilization and recovery, and any independent board or authority in the municipality in need of stabilization and recovery, including, but not limited to, the housing authority, parking authority, redevelopment authority, planning board, and zoning board of adjustment. A true copy of the minutes of every meeting of the governing body and any board, commission, department, or independent board, or authority shall be delivered forthwith, by and under the certification of the secretary thereof, to the director. No action taken at the meeting shall have force or effect until 15 business days after a copy of the minutes have been so delivered to the director, unless during this 15-day period the director shall approve in writing the minutes or any part thereof, in which case the action shall become effective upon approval. If, within that 15-day period, the director returns a copy of the minutes with a veto of any action taken by the governing body, board, commission, department, or independent board or authority, or any member thereof at the meeting, the action shall be null and void and of no effect. The director may approve all or part of the action taken at a meeting;

(d) controlling litigation and the municipality's legal affairs, including, but not limited to, suing in the municipality's corporate name; prosecuting, defending, and resolving litigation, arbitration, disputes, and controversies; and retaining and directing municipal corporation counsel and other special counsel as the director may deem appropriate;

(e) selling, conveying, leasing, monetizing, or otherwise disposing of any interest in any municipally-owned assets, including but not limited to, any water, sewer, wastewater, and storm water infrastructure, equipment or facilities, services, and in any real property, including any improvements thereon; provided that the director shall not sell, convey, lease, monetize, or otherwise dispose of any municipally-owned water asset pursuant to an agreement with a private entity until one year after the effective date of P.L.2016, c.4 (C.52:27BBBB-1 et al.) to allow the municipality in need of stabilization and recovery to maximize the value of that asset;

(f) amending or terminating any existing contracts or agreements, which shall not include bonds, notes, indentures, or other similar financing instruments and documents to which the municipality is a party, in accordance with the terms thereof; or unilaterally amending or terminating any contracts or agreements which shall not include bonds, notes, indentures, or other similar financing instruments and documents to which the municipality is a party, provided that the director determines that the unilateral termination or amendment is reasonable and directly related to stabilizing the finances or assisting with the fiscal rehabilitation and recovery of the municipality in need of stabilization and recovery;

(g) unilaterally modifying, amending, or terminating any collective negotiations agreements, except those related to school districts, to which the municipality is a party, or unilaterally modifying, amending, or terminating the terms and conditions of employment during the term of any applicable collective negotiations agreement, or both, provided that the director determines that the modifications, amendments, or terminations are reasonable and directly related to stabilizing the finances or assisting with the fiscal rehabilitation and recovery of the municipality in need of stabilization and recovery;

(h) acting as the sole agent in collective negotiations on behalf of the municipality in need of stabilization and recovery;

(i) with respect to any expired collective negotiations agreement to which the municipality in need of stabilization and recovery is a party, unilaterally modifying wages, hours, or any other terms and conditions of employment;

(j) unilaterally abolishing any non-elected positions in the municipality in need of stabilization and recovery at any time. All of the functions, powers, and duties of abolished positions shall be exercised or delegated by the director; provided, however, that the provisions of Title 11A, Civil Service, shall not apply to any employment action under this paragraph;

(k) unilaterally appointing, transferring, or removing employees of the municipality in need of stabilization and recovery, including, but not limited to, department heads and division heads, as the case may be, but excluding appointed officials who have obtained tenure in office; provided, however, that the provisions of Title 11A, Civil Service, shall not apply to any employment action under this paragraph, and that the director shall not remove employees from a public safety department unless the employees of the department have been offered a retirement incentive plan, in writing, pursuant to section 13 of P.L.2016, c.4 (C.52:27BBBB-11);

(l) acting as the appropriate authority, including, without limitation, the appointing authority, for purposes of Title 40A of the New Jersey Statutes;

(m) entering into any agreement with the county in which the municipality in need of stabilization and recovery is located, any of the other municipalities located in that county, or any instrumentality of the State to share or consolidate municipal services pursuant to any law applicable to consolidation or sharing of services, including, without limitation, the "Uniform Shared Services and Consolidation Act," P.L.2007, c.63 (C.40A:65-1 et al.) and P.L.2015, c.279 (C.40A:14-90.1 et al.);

(n) procuring any goods, services, commodities, information technology, software, hardware, or other items on behalf of the municipality in need of stabilization and recovery, in accordance with either the "Local Public Contracts Law," P.L.1971, c.198 (C.40A:11-1 et seq.), or procurement laws applicable to the State, at the discretion of the director;

(o) retaining any professionals on behalf of the municipality in need of stabilization and recovery, and directing the work of professionals or any professionals previously retained by the municipality in need of stabilization and recovery, in accordance with either the "Local Public Contracts Law," P.L.1971, c.198 (C.40A:11-1 et seq.) or procurement laws applicable to the State, at the discretion of the director;

(p) retaining bond counsel, adopting bond ordinances to the extent necessary, making appropriate bond applications, and taking any other steps necessary to restructure and adjust debt, on behalf of the municipality in need of stabilization and recovery;

(q) exercising on behalf of the municipality in need of stabilization and recovery any authority granted to a municipality pursuant to the "Local Redevelopment and Housing Law," P.L.1992, c.79 (C.40A:12A-1 et al.) when the director deems it necessary or appropriate to help stabilize the finances, restructure the debts, or assist with the financial rehabilitation and recovery of the municipality in need of stabilization and recovery;

(r) exercising on behalf of the municipality in need of stabilization and recovery any authority granted to a municipality pursuant to the "Redevelopment Area Bond Financing Law," P.L.2001, c.310 (C.40A:12A-64 et seq.) when the director deems it necessary or appropriate to help stabilize the finances, restructure the debts, or assist with the financial rehabilitation and recovery of the municipality in need of stabilization and recovery;

(s) exercising on behalf of the municipality in need of stabilization and recovery any authority granted to a municipality pursuant to the "Long Term Tax Exemption Law," P.L.1991, c.431 (C.40A:20-1 et seq.) when the director deems it necessary or appropriate to help stabilize the finances, restructure the debts, or assist the financial rehabilitation and recovery of the municipality in need of stabilization and recovery;

(t) authorizing and filing, on behalf of the municipality in need of stabilization and recovery, subject only to the written approval of the majority of the members of the legislative Joint Budget Oversight Committee, a petition and other pleadings and papers with any United States court or federal bankruptcy court for the purpose of effecting a plan of readjustment or composition of debts as set forth in R.S.52:27-40 et seq., and taking any other and further actions necessary or appropriate in connection with any case or proceeding; and

(u) negotiating and executing any contracts, agreements, or other documents on behalf of the municipality in need of stabilization and recovery as may be necessary or appropriate to effectuate any of the actions or steps specifically identified in P.L.2016, c.4 (C.52:27BBBB-1 et al.) or that may otherwise, as the director deems necessary or appropriate, help stabilize the finances, restructure the debts, or assist with the financial rehabilitation and recovery of the municipality in need of stabilization and recovery.

(4) Subject to subsection b. of section 11 of P.L.2016, c.4 (C.52:27BBBB-9), the Local Finance Board may authorize the director to take any action authorized to be taken under the "Local Bond Law," N.J.S.40A:2-1 et seq., and the "Municipal Qualified Bond Act," P.L.1976, c.38 (C.40A:3-1 et seq.) by a governing body of a local unit.

(5) The provisions of P.L.1941, c.100 (C.34:13A-1 et seq.), and regulations promulgated thereunder, shall in no way infringe on the authority of the Local Finance Board or the director set forth in this section or any actions taken by the director pursuant to this section.

(6) Any function, power, privilege, or immunity of the municipal governing body that is not assumed by the Local Finance Board and reallocated to and vested exclusively in the director pursuant to this section shall remain allocated to and vested in that governing body unless and until such time as the function, power, privilege, immunity, or duty may be allocated to and vested exclusively in the Local Finance Board or the director pursuant to this section. The Local Finance Board or the director may exercise any power implied or incidental to a power that has been specifically allocated.

b. (1) Notwithstanding the provisions of any law, rule, or regulation to the contrary, including any requirements set forth in R.S.40:49-1 et seq., the "Senator Byron M. Baer Open Public Meetings Act," P.L.1975, c.231 (C.10:4-6 et seq.), or R.S.52:27-41, the director shall have the exclusive authority to pass, adopt, repeal, or amend any ordinance or resolution of the municipality in need of stabilization and recovery, modify any meeting agenda of the governing body of the municipality in need of stabilization and recovery, and negotiate, enter into, amend, or terminate any contract or agreement, on behalf of the municipality in need of stabilization and recovery, provided that the director deems the action necessary or appropriate to help stabilize the finances, restructure the debts, or assist with the financial rehabilitation and recovery of the municipality in need of stabilization and recovery.

(2) When exercising powers under this section, the director shall, to the extent practicable, comply with all notice, hearing, and other requirements to which the municipality in need of stabilization and recovery is generally subject, but in no instance shall the director be deemed a "public body" pursuant to the "Senator Byron M. Baer Open Public Meetings Act," P.L.1975, c.231 (C.10:4-6 et seq.).

(3) The director may issue to the appropriate elected and appointed officials and employees, agents, and contractors of a municipality in need of stabilization and recovery the orders that the director deems appropriate to stabilize the finances, restructure the debts, or assist the financial rehabilitation and recovery of the municipality in need of stabilization and recovery pursuant to the authority granted by the Local Finance Board pursuant to this section. Any order by the director shall be binding on the appropriate elected and appointed officials and employees, agents, and contractors of a municipality in need of stabilization and recovery and may be enforced as other orders of the director are enforced under general law.

L.2016, c.4, s.5; amended 2017, c.232, s.1.