[HISTORY: Adopted by the Borough Council of the Borough of
Northampton 2-12-1954 by Ord. No. 535 (Ch. 1, Part 2A, of the
1993 Code of Ordinances). Amendments noted where applicable.]
The Office of the Borough Manager is hereby created by the Borough
of Northampton, subject to the right of the Borough, by ordinance,
at any time to abolish such office.
[Amended 10-18-1957 by Ord. No. 570; 7-18-1974 by Ord. No. 850]
The Manager shall be appointed by a majority of all of the members
of Council. While said office exists, the Council shall, from time
to time, and whenever there is a vacancy, elect by vote of a majority
of all the members, one person to fill said office, subject to removal
by the Council at any time by a vote of the majority of all the members.
The Manager shall be chosen solely on the basis of his executive
and administrative abilities, with special reference to his actual
experience in, or his knowledge of, accepted practices in respect
to the duties of the office as herein outlined. The Manager need not
be a resident of the Borough, or of the state of Pennsylvania, at
the time of his appointment; but as soon as possible thereafter, he
shall become, and during his tenure as Manager shall remain, a resident
of the Borough.
[Amended 7-18-1974 by Ord. No. 850]
Before entering upon his duties, the Borough Manager shall give
bond to the Borough, with a bonding company as surety, in an amount
to be determined by Council.
[Amended 7-18-1974 by Ord. No. 850]
The Borough Manager shall receive such compensation as shall
be fixed from time to time by Borough Council.
[Amended 7-18-1974 by Ord. No. 850]
The Manager shall be the chief administrative officer of the
Borough, and he shall be responsible to the Council as a whole for
the proper and efficient administration of the affairs of the Borough.
His powers and duties shall relate to the general management of all
Borough business not expressly, by statute or ordinance, imposed or
conferred upon other Borough officers. The Mayor is hereby authorized
to delegate to the Borough Manager, subject to approval by Council,
any of his nonlegislative powers and duties.
[Amended 5-6-1954 by Ord. No. 537; 1-19-1961 by Ord. No. 619; 6-28-1971 by Ord. No. 804; 7-18-1974 by Ord. No. 850; 3-7-1985 by Ord. No.
971]
Subject to recall by ordinance, the powers and duties of the
Manager shall include the following:
A.
He shall supervise and be responsible for the activities of all municipal
departments, except such departments the supervision of which shall
not have been delegated to the Manager by the Mayor or by Council,
as the case may be.
B.
He shall recommend to Council the hiring and, when he shall deem
it necessary for the good of the service, the suspension or discharge
of all employees under his supervision, and, as authorized by Council,
shall hire, suspend or discharge such employees; provided, that persons
covered by the Civil Service provisions of the Borough Code shall
be hired, suspended or discharged in accordance with such provisions.
C.
He shall prepare and submit to Council not later than the first day
of December of each year a budget for the next fiscal year and an
explanatory budget message. In preparing the budget, the Manager,
or an officer designated by him, shall obtain from the head of each
department, agency, board, or officer, estimates of revenues and expenditures
and other supporting data as he requests. The Manager shall review
such estimates and may revise them before submitting the budget to
the Council.
D.
He shall be responsible for the administration of the budget after
its adoption by the Council.
E.
He shall, under the direction of the Mayor, execute and enforce the
laws of the commonwealth, and ordinances, resolutions and bylaws of
the Borough.
F.
He shall hold the offices of Borough Manager, Borough Secretary and
Sewer Manager, and shall perform all the duties of all such officers,
in addition to the specific duties assigned to the Manager by this
chapter.
G.
He shall attend all meetings of the Borough Council and of its committees,
with the right to take part in the discussion, and he shall receive
notice of all special meetings of Council and of its committees.
H.
He shall prepare the agenda for each meeting of Council and supply
facts pertinent thereto.
I.
He shall keep the Council informed as to the conduct of Borough affairs;
submit periodic reports on the condition of the Borough finances and
such other reports as the Council shall request; and shall make such
recommendations to the Council as he deems necessary.
J.
He shall submit to Council, as soon as possible after the close of
the fiscal year, a complete report on the financial and administrative
activities of the Borough for the preceding year.
K.
He shall see that the provisions of all franchises, leases, permits,
and privileges granted by the Borough are observed.
L.
He may employ, by and with the approval of Council, experts and consultants
to perform work and to advise in connection with any of the functions
of the Borough.
M.
He shall attend to the letting of contracts in due form of law, and
he shall supervise the performance and faithful execution of the same
except insofar as such duties are expressly imposed upon some other
Borough officer by statute.
N.
He shall see that all money owed the Borough is promptly paid and
that proper proceedings are taken for the security and collection
of all the Borough's claims.
O.
He shall be the purchasing officer of the Borough and he shall purchase,
in accordance with the provisions of the Borough Code, all supplies
and equipment for the various agencies, boards, departments, and other
offices of the Borough. He shall keep an account of all purchases
and shall, from time to time or when directed by Council, make a full
written report thereof. He shall also issue rules and regulations,
subject to the approval of Council, governing the requisition and
purchasing of all municipal supplies and equipment.
P.
He shall cooperate with the Borough Council at all times and in all
matters that the best interests of the Borough and of the general
public may be maintained.
Q.
All complaints regarding services or personnel of the Borough shall
be referred to the office of the Manager. He, or an officer designated
by him, shall investigate and dispose of such complaints, and the
Manager shall report thereon to Council.
In case of illness or absence of the Manager from the Borough,
he shall delegate one qualified member of his staff who shall perform
the duties of the Manager during his absence or disability. The person
so designated shall not perform such duties for a period longer than
two weeks without the approval of the Council.
