Any municipal youth guidance council having an adjustment committee may petition the Superior Court, Chancery Division, Family Part, in its discretion, to either:
Any case requiring the detention of a child shall be referred to the Family Part for hearing.
Upon receipt of a petition to appoint a referee the Family Part shall proceed to appoint a member of the adjustment committee, or some other suitable person, as referee, in accordance with N.J.S. 2A:4-12. Nothing in this provision shall limit the present discretionary power of the Family Part to appoint referees on their own initiative or to prevent such a court from hearing cases scheduled to be heard in the petitioning municipality in place of the referee so appointed by it.
N.J.S. § 9:22-9