Council shall appoint a Legal Counsel, on a full-time, part-time
or retainer basis for an indefinite term. The Legal Counsel shall
be an official of the municipality and shall hold office until his
appointment is terminated by Council.
The Legal Counsel may be either an individual, a partnership
or a professional legal corporation, learned in the law and in good
standing and active legal practice in Pennsylvania.
The compensation of the Legal Counsel shall be fixed by Council
and may be changed by Council at any time at the discretion of Council.
All of the legal affairs of the municipality shall be under
the general supervision of the Legal Counsel. Except as otherwise
provided by the General Assembly, no official, official body or agency
of the municipality may employ additional legal counsel without express
authorization to do so from Council.
The Legal Counsel shall render such legal services as may be
necessary or desirable for the best interests of the municipality,
and shall, upon request, furnish Council or any official, official
body or agency of the municipality, except for the Zoning Hearing
Board, which must retain its own legal advisor, with a written opinion
upon any question of law submitted by any of them in their official
capacity. He shall perform such other duties as Council designates.
When it deems it appropriate, Council may employ other legal
counsel in connection with any specific legal matter involving the
municipality or any of its officials, official bodies or agencies.
