Municipality of Murrysville, PA Article V Council

§ C-20 Composition.

There shall be a Council of seven members elected at large by the qualified electors of the Municipality.

§ C-21 Term of office.

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.

§ C-22 Limit of number of terms.

No Councilmember shall be eligible to serve more than two consecutive terms.

§ C-23 Compensation.

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.

§ C-24 Authority.

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.

§ C-25 Legislative powers.

The legislative powers and functions of the Municipality shall be exclusively vested in and exercised by Council except as otherwise provided by this Charter.

§ C-26 Powers and duties of Council.

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.

J. Set the compensation of the Tax Collector.[1]

[1] Editor's Note: The position of Tax Collector was abolished 3-7-2001 by Ord. No. 563-01. The position is now filled by the Director of the Department of Tax Collection.

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.

§ C-27 Filling of Council vacancy.

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.