There shall be a Council of seven members elected
at large by the qualified electors of the Municipality.
The Councilmembers shall serve four-year terms
commencing on the first Monday in January following their election.
There shall be elected four Councilmembers at the municipal election
to be held in the year 1977 and every four years thereafter and three
Councilmembers at the municipal election to be held in the year 1979
and every four years thereafter.
No Councilmember shall be eligible to serve
more than two consecutive terms.
A.
The initial compensation of the Councilmembers shall
be $50 for each Council meeting attended, with a maximum of $100 per
month. The rate of compensation may be increased or decreased by ordinance,
provided that any increase shall be limited to 10% of the compensation
rate then in effect, and provided further that compensation cannot
be increased more often than once in four years. The compensation
of Councilmembers shall not be increased or decreased during their
terms of office, and no ordinance shall operate to increase or decrease
the compensation of any member of Council unless adopted at least
12 weeks prior to the primary election preceding the municipal election
at which the member is elected.
B.
Councilmembers shall receive no other compensation,
direct or indirect, for the performance of their duties; they shall
receive no pensions, insurance or other forms of fringe benefits except
liability insurance. They shall, however, be entitled to their actual
expenses incurred in the performance of their duties when such expense
is authorized by Council at a public meeting and included in an itemized
list presented prior to payment.
All Council authority shall be asserted by Council
as a body only. No individual Councilmember shall have any authority
whatsoever under this Charter unless such authority is specifically
delegated by this Charter or by Council as a body.
The legislative powers and functions of the
Municipality shall be exclusively vested in and exercised by Council
except as otherwise provided by this Charter.
Council shall:
A.
Adopt, amend, or repeal all ordinances and resolutions,
provided they do not violate this Charter or the laws of the Commonwealth
and United States of America.
B.
Create or abolish all boards, commissions or departments
except as otherwise provided by this Charter.
C.
Appoint members of all boards, commissions and authorities.
D.
When appropriate, receive and accept all gifts or
donations of real or personal property or interest therein, in the
name of the Municipality.
E.
Hold public hearings on any matter in accordance with
this Charter.
F.
Adopt the budget in accordance with this Charter.
G.
Adopt a personnel system in accordance with this Charter.
H.
Set the compensation of employees of the Municipality.
I.
Set the compensation of the Mayor in accordance with
this Charter.
K.
Designate the depository of monies.
L.
Designate which publications of general circulation
in the Municipality shall carry the legal notices of the Municipality.
M.
Levy taxes.
N.
Adopt and amend an Administrative Code.
O.
Adopt rules of procedure for its meetings in accordance
with this Charter.
P.
Have any additional power needed to carry out its
legislative duties.
A.
If any vacancy shall occur in the office of Council,
for any reason whatsoever, the Councilmembers shall fill the vacancy
by appointing, by resolution, a person eligible under this Charter
to hold the office until a successor assumes office. Council shall
publish notice of the vacancy at least 14 days prior to filling same.
B.
In the event Council shall neglect, refuse or fail
to fill any vacancy within 45 days after the vacancy occurs, then
the Court of Common Pleas, upon petition of Council or 10 qualified
electors of the Municipality, shall fill the vacancy by appointment
of an eligible person until a successor assumes office.
C.
All officials holding office by appointment shall
hold that office until the first Monday in January following the next
municipal election at which a successor shall be nominated and elected
for the unexpired or full term, as the case may be.