Borough of Ambridge, PA Advisory Boards and Commissions

Purpose. The advisory boards and commissions specified in this chapter have been or are hereby established for the proper and efficient conduct of municipal affairs. The purpose of these boards is to perform duties of a continuing nature in specific areas as designated by this chapter or other ordinances of the Borough.

Establishment of advisory boards and commissions; authority.

(1)

The boards and commissions designated in the following subsections of this article have been previously established by ordinance or are established by this chapter. Additional boards shall, from time to time, be established by ordinance as deemed necessary by Council. However, no additional boards may be created until Council has determined that the functions of the proposed board cannot feasibly be performed by one or more of the existing boards.

(2)

The boards and commissions specified as being advisory boards or commissions in this chapter have been or are hereby established within the requirements of the law and the ordinances of the Borough to provide advice, guidance and recommendations to the Borough Manager and Council. No board designated as an advisory board shall perform administrative duties or have executive authority.

Expenditure of public funds; contracts. No advisory board or commission shall have the authority to spend Borough funds unless provided for in the budget, specifically approved by Council and subsequently approved by the Borough Manager or a member of the administrative staff authorized to do so by the Manager. The Manager shall assign employees of the Borough to serve as liaison to and provide staff services to the boards and commissions. No advisory board or commission shall have the authority to enter into contracts of any nature.

Appointment, vacancies, removal and compensation of members.

(1)

Appointment. Council shall appoint the members of advisory boards and commissions. Appointments to fill vacancies shall be only for the unexpired portion of the term.

(2)

Removal. Any member of an advisory board or commission may be removed prior to the expiration of his appointed term by a majority vote of Council or in accordance with the law.

(3)

Compensation. No member of any advisory board or commission shall be compensated for his duties.

Indemnification.

(1)

Each member shall be indemnified against expenses, including (attorney's fees), judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement, actually and reasonably incurred by him in connection with any adverse action by reason of the fact that he is or was a member if the member acted in good faith and in a manner he reasonably believed to be in the best interests of the Borough and, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe his conduct was unlawful. The termination of any action, suit or proceeding by judgment, order, settlement, conviction or upon a plea of nolo contendere or its equivalent shall not, of itself, create a presumption that the member did not act in good faith and in a manner which he reasonably believed to be in the best interests of the Borough and, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, had reasonable cause to believe that his conduct was unlawful.

(2)

To the extent that the member has been successful on the merits or otherwise in defense of any adverse action, he shall be indemnified against expenses (including attorney's fees) actually and reasonably incurred by him in connection therewith as of right. In all other instances, indemnification should be made by the Borough only as authorized in a specific case upon a determination that the indemnification of the member is proper in the circumstances because he has met the applicable standard of conduct set forth above. Such determination shall be made by Council.

(3)

Expenses incurred in defending a civil or criminal action, suit or proceeding may be paid by the Borough in advance of the final disposition of such action, suit or proceeding as authorized by Council in a specific case upon receipt of an undertaking by or on behalf of the member to repay such an amount unless it shall ultimately be determined that he is entitled to be indemnified by the Borough as provided herein.

(4)

The indemnification provided by this subsection shall not be deemed exclusive of any other rights to which those seeking indemnification may be entitled by any contract or as a matter of law.

(5)

The indemnification shall continue as to such person who has ceased to be a member and shall inure to the benefit of the heirs, executors and administrators of such person.

Officers.

(1)

Chairman and Vice Chairman. A chairman and a vice chairman of each advisory board or commission shall be elected by the members of each board in January of each year. Each such officer shall service a one-year term.

(2)

Secretary. The members of each advisory board and commission may elect one of their own members or, with approval of the Borough Manager, appoint an employee of the Borough (to be designated by the Borough Manager) to act as the secretary. The secretary, if elected from the membership, shall serve a one-year term. If an appointed Borough employee, the secretary shall serve at the pleasure of the board or commission.

Duties of officers.

(1)

Chairman and Vice Chairman. The chairman or, in his absence, the vice chairman shall preside at all meetings of an advisory board or commission, decide all points of order or procedure and perform any other duties required by law or by the ordinances of the Borough.

(2)

Secretary. The secretary or his designee shall conduct, at the direction of the advisory board or commission, all official correspondence of the board or commission; shall keep a record of each meeting or other official action of the board or commission; and shall perform all other duties required by the board or commission, this chapter, the law or the ordinances of the Borough.

Meetings; procedures for meetings.

(1)

All meetings and hearings of advisory boards and commissions shall be open to the public, unless otherwise permitted by law.

(2)

Regular meetings of advisory boards and commissions shall be held at least once each month on a designated day unless no matters are pending for consideration.

(3)

Special meetings may be held as needed upon the call of the chairman or vice chairman, provided that appropriate notice of each meeting is given to each member and the public in accordance with the law.

(4)

A quorum shall consist of at least a majority of all members of the board or commission.

(5)

The secretary or his designee shall keep minutes of the board's or commission's proceedings, showing the vote of each member upon each question or, if absent or failing to vote, indicating such fact.

(6)

A file of all materials and decisions relating to all official actions of the board or commission shall be kept as part of the records of each board or commission.

(7)

All official records and files of each board and commission shall be kept in the office of the Borough Manager and shall be public records unless otherwise provided by law or regulation.

(8)

All meetings of advisory boards and commissions shall be conducted in an orderly fashion and in accordance with the rules delineated in Robert's Rules of Order.