14. a. The governing bodies of any two or more local units may enter into a joint contract, for a period not to exceed 40 years, to provide for the formation of a joint meeting or regional service agency for the joint operation of any public services, public improvements, works, facilities, or undertakings which the local units are empowered to operate. The contract shall be entered into in accordance with the procedures set forth in subsection b. of section 16 of P.L.2007, c.63 (C. 40A:65-16).

b. A joint contract may provide for joint services for any services which any contracting local unit, on whose behalf those services are to be performed, is legally authorized to provide for itself. Those services include, but are not limited to, general government administration, health, police and fire protection, code enforcement, assessment and collection of taxes, financial administration, environmental protection, joint municipal courts, and youth, senior citizens and social welfare programs.

c. The joint contract shall set forth the public services, public improvements, works, facilities, or undertakings which the contracting local units desire to operate jointly, and shall provide in general terms the manner in which the public services, public improvements, works, facilities or undertakings shall be jointly operated, and the respective duties and responsibilities of the contracting local units.

d. No joint contract pursuant to this section shall authorize the operation of any property or service defined as a “public utility” by R.S.48:2-13, except as may otherwise be provided by law.

L.2007, c.63, s.14; amended 2019, c.433, s.6.