Every elected and appointed official of the
Township and every police officer of the Township shall, before entering
upon the duties of his office, take and subscribe to an oath or affirm
to perform the duties of his office with fidelity and to uphold the
laws of the commonwealth and the Township. A signed copy of such oath
or affirmation shall be filed with the Township Secretary within 10
days of taking office.
The Township shall carry liability insurance
to cover personal liabilities and the cost of litigation against elected
and appointed officials and employees of the Township, individually
and collectively, which arise directly from the lawful discharge of
their official duties and responsibilities on behalf of the Township.[1]
The Board may authorize Township membership
in one or more municipal associations or organizations. The Board
may authorize attendance by an elected or appointed Township official
or Township employee at meetings, seminars or workshops of such associations
or organizations and at other special meetings, courses and workshops
which will be of direct benefit to the Township. Reasonable expenses
incurred by the individual elected and appointed officials and employees
for these purposes shall be reimbursed by the Township as authorized
by the Board.
Robert's Rules of Order shall govern the conduct
of all meetings of the Board of Commissioners, Township boards, commissions
and authorities unless otherwise specified by ordinance or law.
The Radnor Township Police Pension Fund shall
be governed by the provisions of Public Law 1804, Act. No. 600, May
29, 1956, of the commonwealth, as amended.[1]
[Amended 6-11-1990 by Ord. No. 90-29]
A.
The Board of Commissioners shall, during a public
meeting, fix the time and place of a public hearing on a proposed
zoning amendment and cause notice thereof to be given as follows:
(1)
By publishing a legal notice thereof once a week for two successive weeks in a newspaper of general circulation within the Township as provided for in § 9.02 of the Home Rule Charter. Such notice shall state the date, place, time and particular nature to be considered at the public hearing. The first publication shall not be more than 30 days and the second publication shall not be less than seven days from the date of the hearing.
(2)
By mailing a notice thereof to contiguous municipalities,
the Township School District and residents or associations of residents
within the Township who shall have registered their names and addresses
for this purpose with the Department of Community Development.
(3)
By mailing a notice to all properties within any zoning
district where the proposed amendment is for the purpose of revising
land use controls and development regulations within such district.
Where the proposed amendment involves a zoning map change, notice
shall be mailed to every property to be affected and to every property
in the Township which is located on the same street and is within
1,000 feet of the land in question and to every property not on the
same street within 500 feet of said land. Notices shall also be posted
along the perimeter of tract where a Zoning Map change is proposed
at least one week prior to the hearing.
[Amended 6-11-1990 by Ord. No. 90-29]
A.
In the case of an amendment other than that prepared by the Planning Commission, the Board of Commissioners shall refer each proposed amendment to the Planning Commission at least 30 days prior to the hearing on the proposed amendment to provide the Planning Commission an opportunity to submit recommendations on the proposed amendment. The Commission shall consider whether or not the proposed change or amendment would be, in their view, consistent with the purposes and objectives set forth in § 280-1 of Chapter 280, Zoning, and desirable in furtherance of the plan therein referred to for future land development.
B.
Notification and a copy of the proposed change or
amendment shall also be submitted by the Board of Commissioners to
the Delaware County Planning Commission for review and recommendations
at least 30 days prior to the hearing.
A.
Declaration of policy. The proper operation of Township
government requires that public officials and employees be independent,
impartial and responsible to the people; that governmental decisions
and policy be made in the proper channels of the governmental structure;
that public office and employment not be used for personal gain; and
that the public have confidence in the integrity of its government
and its employees. In recognition of these goals, there is hereby
established a minimum standard of ethics for all officials and employees,
elected or appointed. The purpose of this section is to establish
ethical standards of conduct for all such officials and employees
by setting forth those acts or actions that are incompatible with
the best interests of the Township and by directing full disclosure
by such officials and employees of all private financial, political,
personal or other interests in matters affecting the Township.
B.
Responsibilities of public office. Public officials
and employees are agents of public purpose and hold office for the
benefit of the public. They are bound to uphold the Constitutions
of the United States and this commonwealth, the Charter and other
applicable laws and to carry out impartially all laws applicable to
local government of the nation, commonwealth and Township and thus
to foster respect for all government. They are bound to observe in
their official acts the highest standards of morality and to discharge
faithfully the duties of their offices, regardless of personal considerations,
recognizing that the public interest must be their primary concern.
C.
Dedicated service.
(1)
Officials and employees should adhere to the rules
of work and performance established as the standard for their positions
by the appropriate authority.
(2)
Officials and employees shall under no circumstances
exceed their authority or breach the law or ask others to do so, and
they shall work in full cooperation with other public officials and
employees where so directed by the appropriate Township authority,
unless prohibited from so doing by law or by officially recognized
confidentiality of their work.
D.
Fair and equal treatment.
(1)
Interest in employment. No official or employee of
the Township shall directly or indirectly attempt to obtain employment
by the Township for any person on any grounds other than merit.
(2)
Use of public property. No official or employee shall
request or permit the use of Township-owned vehicles, equipment, materials
or property for personal convenience or profit, except when such services
are available to the public generally.
(3)
Obligations to citizens. No official or employee shall
grant any special consideration, treatment or advantage to any citizen
beyond that which is available to every other citizen.
E.
Conflict of interest and prohibitions. No elected
or appointed official or employee shall engage in any activity which
is in violation §§ 9.04 and 9.05 of the Charter. No
official or employee of the Township shall render advice to or consult
with any person in connection with any pending proceeding before any
board, commission or judicial body where the Township is involved
directly, except that a Commissioner or other official may appear
before Township boards, commissions and authorities on behalf of constituents
in the course of his duties as a representative of the electorate,
provided that the official or employee shall not accept compensation
for such appearance or representation.
F.
Applicability of standards of ethics. When a Commissioner
or other official or employee has doubts as to the applicability of
the Charter or this chapter to a particular situation, he may apply
to the Ethics Board for an advisory opinion. The Commissioner or other
official or employee shall have the opportunity to present his interpretation
of the facts at issue and of the applicable provision(s) of the chapter
before such advisory decision is made.
A.
Authority. The Treasurer shall enter surcharges against elected or appointed Township officials or Township employees in accordance with the provisions of § 4.05D of the Charter.
B.
Notice. The Treasurer shall provide the surcharged
official or employee with written notice which specifies the amount
of the surcharge and the facts upon which the surcharge was entered.
Copies of this notice shall be provided to the Manager and to each
member of the Board.
C.
Judgment. The Treasurer shall cause the surcharge
to be recorded in the office of the Prothonotary of the County of
Delaware as a judgment against the person surcharged in favor of the
Township.
D.
Appeal. After entry of judgment and before execution,
the surcharged official or employee may appeal to the Court of Common
Pleas by filing with the Prothonotary a petition to open judgment.
From that point forward, the prosecution of the appeal will be governed
by the Pennsylvania Rules of Civil Procedure and local court rules.
E.
Execution. The judgment, once entered with the Prothonotary,
may be enforced through any appropriate action brought in a court
of competent jurisdiction.
F.
Standing. Any registered elector or taxpayer of the
Township may enforce the judgment, for the benefit of the Township,
upon the filing of a bond to indemnify the Township from all costs
which may accrue in the prosecution of the action.
