ARTICLE I. CITY CORPORATION

1.1 Short title.

This act shall be known and may be cited as the Plainfield Charter (1968).

1.2 Incorporation.

The inhabitants of the city of Plainfield. in the county of Union, within the boundaries heretofore established by law or as may be hereafter amended, shall be and remain a municipal body corporate and politic with perpetual succession.

1.3 Definitions.

For the purposes of this act, and for the interpretation of any law, ordinance or resolution applicable to the city, unless the context otherwise requires:

(a) '"Charter" shall mean this act and all statutory provisions of the State of New Jersey which are now or may hereafter be applicable specifically to the city of Plainfield or to all cities alike, and which are not inconsistent with this act.

(b) "Council" shall mean the governing body of the city, constituted and elected pursuant to the charter.

(c) "Mayor" shall mean the mayor of the city duly elected pursuant to the charter.

(d) "Administrative code" shall mean an ordinance providing, subject to the charter, for the organization or administration of the city government, for the exercise or discharge of its functions, powers and duties, or for the management or control of its property, affairs or government.

(e) "Administrator" shall mean the city administrator duly appointed pursuant to the charter.

(f) "Department" shall mean an administrative organization unit of the city government established or designated by or pursuant to the charter as a department.

(g) "Director" shall mean the administrative head of a department.

(h) "Division" shall mean an administrative organization unit of the city government established, allocated or assigned within a department.

(i) "Ordinance" shall mean any act of local legislation heretofore or hereafter adopted pursuant to law.

(j) "Month" shall mean a calendar month unless otherwise specifically provided.

(k) "Person" shall mean any corporation, firm. partnership, association, organization or other entity, as well as an individual.

(1) "City" shall mean the city of Plainfield within the boundaries now existing or which may be hereafter established pursuant to law.

(m) "Year" shall mean a calendar year unless otherwise specifically provided.

1.4 Construction.

For the purposes of the charter, other laws, administrative codes and any ordinances heretofore or hereafter adopted, except as the context may otherwise require:

(a) The present tense includes the past and future tenses and the future, the present.

(b) The masculine gender includes the feminine and neuter.

(c) The singular number includes the plural and the plural, the singular.

(d) The time within which an act is to be done shall be computed by excluding the first and including the last day, and if the last day be a Sunday or a legal holiday, that day shall be excluded.

(e) "Writing" and "written" shall include printing, typewriting and any other mode of communication using paper or similar material which is in general use, as well as legible handwriting.

1.5 Powers.

In addition to such powers as may otherwise be conferred by the charter, the city may:

(a) Organize and regulate its internal affairs, and establish, alter, and abolish offices, positions and employments and define the functions, powers and duties thereof and fix their term, tenure and compensation;

(b) Adopt and enforce ordinances and impose penalties for violation thereof, by fine or imprisonment or both as authorized by general law;

(c) Construct, acquire, operate or maintain any and all public improvements, projects or enterprises for any public purpose, subject to

referendum requirements otherwise imposed by law;

(d) Sue and be sued, have a corporate seal, contract and be contracted with, buy, sell. lease, hold and dispose of real and personal property, appropriate and expend moneys, and adopt, amend and repeal such ordinances and resolutions

as may be required for the management of the city and the good government thereof;

(e) Exercise powers of condemnation, borrowing and taxation in the manner provided by general law;

(f) Exercise all powers of local government in such manner as its governing body may determine.

1.6 Self-government generally.

The general grants of municipal power contained in this article are intended to confer the greatest power of local self-government consistent with the Constitution of this State. Any specific enumeration of municipal powers contained in the charter shall not be construed in any way to limit the general description of power contained in this article, and any such specifically

enumerated municipal powers shall be construed as in addition and supplementary to the powers conferred in general terms by this article. All grants of power to the city, whether in the form of specific enumeration or general terms, shall be liberally construed, as required by the Constitution of this State, in favor of the city.