The Council shall elect one of its members to
serve as Mayor, pursuant to the Charter, for a term of one year, and
such person may succeed himself. The Council may designate a Deputy
Mayor from among its members to serve in the event of the temporary
absence or disability of the Mayor and shall fill any vacancy in that
office in accordance with the Charter.
The Mayor shall have only such functions, powers
and duties as are prescribed by the Charter, as follows:
Any provision of a statute conferring the appointing
power or other power upon the Mayor or other executive head of the
municipality shall be construed as meaning the Township Manager, except
as otherwise provided by the Charter.
A.
All powers of the township and the determination of
all matters of policy shall be vested in the Council, except as otherwise
provided by or pursuant to the Charter or this chapter.
B.
It is the intention of this article that unless otherwise
specifically provided by the Charter, the Township Council shall act
in all matters as a body, and it is contrary to the spirit of the
Charter for any of its members to seek individually to influence the
official acts of the Manager or any other officer, or for the Council
or any of its members to direct or request the appointment of any
person to or his removal from office, or to interfere in any way with
the performance by such officers of their duties. The Council and
its members shall deal with the administrative service solely through
the Manager and shall not give orders to any subordinates of the Manager,
either publicly or privately. Nothing herein contained shall prevent
the Council from appointing committees or commissions of its own members
or of citizens to conduct investigations into the conduct of any officer
or department or any matter relating to the welfare of the township,
and delegating to such committees or commissions such powers of inquiry
as the Council may deem necessary.
Members of the Council shall be paid such sum
as shall be provided by ordinance, in the same manner as other township
salaries are paid, in full compensation for their services and expenses,
except as may be otherwise provided by resolution with respect to
occasional and specific expenses.
The Council shall, by resolution, determine
its regular meeting time and provide for special meetings, rules of
procedure, its standing order of business and agenda for each meeting.
As to any matter not covered by the rules of procedure, Robert's Rules
of Order shall apply.
A.
Preparation of ordinances. All ordinances shall be
prepared for presentation to the Council upon the request of a Councilman
or request in writing by the Manager.
B.
Prior approval by administrative staff. All ordinances,
resolutions and contract documents, before presentation to the Council,
shall be:
(1)
Approved as to form and legality by the Township Attorney
or his authorized representative.
(2)
Examined as to administration by the Manager or his
authorized representative. The Manager shall submit to the Council
a written memorandum concerning the administrative aspects of each
ordinance, resolution and contract unless he shall advise the Council
that no administrative questions are involved. Each administrative
memorandum shall include the specific comments and written recommendation
of the department head concerned with the subject of the memorandum.
C.
Introducing for passage or approval.
(1)
Ordinances, resolutions and other matters or subjects
requiring action by the Council shall be introduced and sponsored
by a member of the Council, except that the Manager or Attorney may
present ordinances, resolutions and other matters or subjects to the
Council, and any Councilman may assume sponsorship thereof by moving
that such ordinances, resolutions, matters or subjects be adopted;
otherwise, they shall not be considered.
(2)
Resolutions, unless held over by a majority vote of
the Council, shall be acted upon the day of introduction or presentation.
(3)
Ordinances and resolutions shall be called up for
action only on motion of a member of the Council.
The Manager shall be responsible to the Council
for proper administration of the affairs of the township. He shall
attend all Council meetings and may participate in Council discussions.
