40A:9-152. a. Whenever a person has or shall have held the office of municipal treasurer for 10 consecutive years, the governing body of the municipality may grant tenure in office to such person. In the event the governing body fails to grant tenure in office to a municipal treasurer who has held that office for 10 consecutive years, a petition may be filed for a referendum vote on the question of whether the municipal treasurer shall continue to hold office during good behavior and efficiency, and shall not be removed therefrom except for just cause and then only after public hearing upon a written complaint setting forth the charge or charges against him. The petition shall be signed by at least 10% of the registered voters of the municipality and filed with the municipal clerk. Upon the filing of the petition the question shall be submitted to the voters at the next general election which shall occur not less than 60 days thereafter. The municipal clerk shall cause the question to be placed upon the official ballot to be used at the general election in the manner provided by law in substantially the following form: “Shall the municipal treasurer continue to hold office during good behavior and efficiency and not be removed therefrom except for just cause and then only after public hearing upon a written complaint setting forth the charge or charges against him?”

Immediately to the left of the question there shall be printed the words “Yes” and “No”, each with a square, in either of which the voter may make a cross ( x ), or a plus sign (+) or check mark (v) according to his choice. There shall also be printed the following: “Place a cross (x), or a plus sign (+) or check mark (v) in one of the above squares indicating your choice.” Where voting machines are used, voting thereon shall be equivalent to the foregoing.

The election shall be held in accordance with the general law relating to public questions to be voted on in a single municipality at elections as provided for by Title 19 (Elections) of the Revised Statutes.

b. In the case of a pilot municipality, a tenured municipal treasurer may be dismissed to effectuate the sharing of a service entered into pursuant to the provisions of P.L.2007, c.63 (C. 40A:65-1 et seq.) and such dismissal shall be deemed to be in the interest of the economy or efficiency of the participants in the shared service agreement. The removal of a municipal treasurer under this subsection shall not require the pilot municipality to fulfill the requirements of N.J.S. 40A:9-152.1 Instead, the pilot municipality shall provide the municipal treasurer with a written copy of the shared service agreement entered into by the pilot municipality, and a letter stating that the position of municipal treasurer in the pilot municipality is being eliminated for reasons of economy or efficiency as the result of the shared service agreement. Any such shared service agreement shall be subject to the provisions of section 4 of P.L.2007, c.63 (C. 40A:65-4) and section 3 of P.L.2013, c.166 (C. 40A:65-4.2).

amended 2013, c.166, s.16.