Township of Limerick, PA Chapter 24 Manager, Township

[HISTORY: Adopted by the Board of Supervisors of the Township of Limerick 8-5-1986 by Ord. No. 91. Amendments noted where applicable.]

GENERAL REFERENCES

Salaries and compensation — See Ch. 40.

§ 24-1 Position created. [1]

The position of Township Manager be and the same is hereby created, subject to the right of the Township, by ordinance, at any time, to abolish said position.

[1] Editor's Note: See also 53 P.S. § 66301.

§ 24-2 Appointment and removal; vacancies; residency.

The Township Manager shall be appointed for an indefinite term by a majority vote of all the members of the Township Board of Supervisors. The Township Manager shall serve at the pleasure of the Board of Supervisors, and the Township Manager may be removed at any time by a majority vote of all of its members. At least 30 days before such removal becomes effective, the Board of Supervisors shall furnish the Township Manager with a written statement setting forth its intentions to remove the Township Manager from office. When a vacancy occurs in the position of Township Manager by reason of death, resignation or removal by the Board of Supervisors, the Board of Supervisors shall then appoint a suitable person to hold the office in accordance with the provisions of this chapter. The Township Manager need not be a resident of the Township or the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania at the time of this appointment, but, during the tenure of the Township Manager's office, the Township Manager may reside outside the Township only with the approval of the Board of Supervisors.

§ 24-3 Qualifications.

The Manager shall be chosen solely on the basis of executive and administrative abilities, with special reference to the duties of the office herein outlined.

§ 24-4 Bond required.

Before entering upon the Township Manager's duties, the Township Manager shall, at the expense of the Township, file with the Township a bond to be approved by the Board of Supervisors, with a bonding company as surety, in the sum of $25,000 in favor of the Board of Supervisors of Limerick Township, conditioned for the faithful performance of the Township Manager's duties as Township Manager.

§ 24-5 Compensation.

The compensation of the Township Manager shall be fixed from time to time by resolution of the Board of Supervisors of Limerick Township.[1]

[1] Editor's Note: See also Ch. 40, Salaries and Compensation.

§ 24-6 General authority.

The Township Manager shall carry on the business of the Township under the direction of the Board of Supervisors, and the Township Manager's powers and duties shall relate to the general management of all Township business not expressly imposed or conferred by statute upon other Township officers or hereinafter expressly reserved or restricted.

§ 24-7 Specific powers and duties.

The Township Manager shall be the chief administrative officer of the Township, and the Township Manager shall be responsible to the Board of Supervisors as a whole for the proper and efficient administration of the affairs of the Township. Subject to recall by resolution of the Board of Supervisors and upon the Township Manager's selection and assumption of office, the powers and duties of the Township Manager shall include the following:

A. The Township Manager, on the direction of the Board of Supervisors, shall execute and enforce the laws of the commonwealth and ordinances, resolutions and bylaws of the Board of Supervisors.

B. The Township Manager shall attend all meetings of the Board of Supervisors and recommend such measures as he or she shall deem expedient.

C. The Township Manager shall make a monthly report to the Board of Supervisors, and at such other times as the Board of Supervisors may direct, upon the affairs of the Township and keep the Township Board of Supervisors duly advised of the Township's financial condition and its financial needs.

D. The Township Manager shall supervise and be responsible for the activities of all municipal departments and all Township employees, including the Township Police Department, as related solely to the administration of all nonrelated law enforcement activities, including but not limited to pensions, insurances, vacations, fringe benefits, etc.

E. The Township Manager shall prepare and submit to the Board of Supervisors, pursuant to the terms of the Second Class Township Code,[1] a recommendation budget for the next fiscal year and an explanatory budget when necessary. Such budget shall be submitted in sufficient time to allow for its study and adoption within the time directed by the Second Class Township Code. In preparing the recommended budget, the Township Manager or any officer designated by the Township Manager shall obtain from the head of each department, agency, board or office estimates of revenues and expenditures and such other support data as the Township Manager may require. The Township Manager shall review such estimates and may revise them before submitting the recommended budget to the Board of Supervisors.

[1] Editor's Note: See 53 P.S. § 65101 et seq.

F. The Township Manager shall be responsible for the administration of the budget after its adoption by the Board of Supervisors.

G. The Township Manager shall hold such other municipal offices or head one or more of the municipal departments as the Board of Supervisors may from time to time direct.

H. The Township Manager shall, in addition to attending all meetings of the Board of Supervisors, attend meetings of each department, committee, agency or board when directed to do so by the Board of Supervisors, with the right to take part in the discussions, and the Township Manager shall receive notice of all special meetings of the Board of Supervisors or its departments, committees, agencies and boards.

I. The Township Manager shall prepare the agenda for each meeting of the Board of Supervisors and supply facts pertinent thereto.

J. The Township Manager shall keep the Board of Supervisors informed as to the conduct of the Township's affairs, submit periodic reports on the condition of the Township's finances and such other reports as the Board of Supervisors requests and make such recommendations to the Board of Supervisors as the Township Manager deems necessary.

K. The Township Manager shall submit to the Board of Supervisors, as soon as possible after the close of the fiscal year, a complete report on the financial and administrative activities of the Township for the preceding year.

L. The Township Manager shall see that the provisions of all the franchises, leases, permits and privileges granted by the Township Board of Supervisors are observed.

M. The Township Manager may employ, by and with the approval of the Board of Supervisors, experts or consultants to perform work and to advise in connection with any of the functions of the Township.

N. The Township Manager shall, subject to the Board of Supervisors' approval, attend to the letting of contracts in due form of law, and the Township Manager shall supervise the performance and faithful execution of the same, except insofar as such duties are expressly imposed upon some other Township officer by statute.

O. The Township Manager shall see that all money owed the Township is promptly paid and that proper proceedings are taken for the security and collection of all the Township's claims, provided that the Township Manager shall not be responsible for the payment or collection of any taxes imposed by the Township.

P. The Township Manager shall be the purchasing agent of the Township, and the Township Manager shall have the full power to purchase all supplies and equipment for the use of the Township Manager's own and various departments and offices of the Township; provided, however, that no single article or purchase shall be in excess of $500. The Township Manager shall keep an account of all purchases made by the Township Manager and shall, from time to time and as directed by the Board of Supervisors, make a full written report thereof. The Township Manager shall also issue rules and regulations, subject to the approval of the Board of Supervisors, governing the requisition and purchasing of all municipal supplies and equipment. These duties may also be delegated to any other officer of the Township upon the approval of the Board of Supervisors.

Q. All complaints regarding service or personnel of the Township, except for complaints regarding the service or personnel of the Police Department of the Township, shall be referred to the office of the Township Manager. The Township Manager or an official designated by the Manager shall investigate and coordinate the disposition of such complaints with the head of each department, and the Township Manager shall report thereon to the Board of Supervisors.

R. The Township Manager shall make research and investigation into the administrative and governmental functions of the federal government and state government and of various townships and make recommendations to the Board of Supervisors of all available grants-in-aid and other assistance available to the Township affecting the health, safety, welfare and administration of the Township.

S. A Township Manager who is also a qualified voter of the Township may serve as Secretary of the Township and, when so appointed, shall have all the powers and duties given to the office of Township Secretary by statute and ordinance of this Township.

T. All applications for employment by the Township, except for the appointed offices of the Township, which by law are required to be filled by legislative action of the Board of Supervisors, such as the Township Treasurer, the Township Solicitor and all members of the Police Department, shall be made to the Township Manager. The Township Manager shall present the application to the Board of Supervisors, with the Township Manager's recommendations, for final decision by the Board of Supervisors. The Township Manager shall have the authority to recommend dismissal of any Township employee, except the appointed officers of the Township, which by law are required to be filled by the legislative action of the Board of Supervisors, such as the Township Treasurer, the Township Solicitor and all members of the Police Department. Such recommendations shall contain the reasons asserted by the Township Manager in support of the recommendation. Except for the purposes of inquiry, the Board of Supervisors shall deal with the administrative service solely through the Township Manager, and neither the Board of Supervisors nor any member thereof shall give orders to any subordinates of the Township Manager, either publicly or privately. The Township Manager shall have full power and authority to direct the work, employment and service, including but not limited to suspension of an employee up to a maximum of five days, of said regular Township employees over whom the Township Manager is hereby given the power of employment and dismissal.

[Amended 5-5-1987 by Ord. No. 91-1]

§ 24-8 Designation of Acting Manager.

If the Township Manager becomes ill or needs to be absent from the Township, the Township Manager shall designate one qualified member of the Township staff, who shall perform the duties of the Township Manager during the Township Manager's absence or disability. The person so designated shall not perform these duties for a period longer than two weeks without the approval of the Board of Supervisors.