The Board of Commissioners of the township,
hereinafter referred to as the "Board," shall be the governing body
of the township. The Board shall consist of seven (7) Commissioners,
each one of whom shall be elected from one (1) of seven (7) representative
districts, hereinafter referred to as "wards."
No person shall be eligible for nomination or
appointment to the office of Commissioner unless such person shall
have been a resident and registered elector of the ward in and for
which such person is nominated or appointed for a period of not less
than one (1) year immediately prior to such nomination or appointment
and shall not otherwise be qualified to serve as Commissioner by this
Charter or by the laws of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. However,
a duly elected or appointed Commissioner who ceases to be a resident
of the ward in and for which elected or appointed, as a result of
redistricting according to law, shall be eligible to continue to serve
as the Commissioner for such ward for the balance of the elected or
appointed term so long as said Commissioner continues to live within
the boundaries of the ward in effect when elected or appointed.
[Amended 1-7-2013 by Ord. No. 2012-20]
A. The township
shall consist of 7 electoral districts (Wards), each of which shall
as nearly as possible: (a) be equal in population, (b) be formed of
compact and contiguous territory, and (c) follow existing governmental,
natural geographic, and/or major manmade boundaries and barriers,
with boundary lines running down the middle of streets. No later than
ten months following the public release of the decennial U.S. Census
reports, the Board shall by ordinance draw new ward lines according
to the above criteria. If in any such redistricting a commissioner
is removed from his/her ward, he/she shall continue to represent such
ward until the conclusion of his/her term in office.
B. The Commissioner
for each Ward shall be elected by the electors of the Ward in a municipal
election in accordance with the election laws of the Commonwealth
of Pennsylvania and the provisions of this Charter. All Commissioners
representing even numbered Wards shall be elected at the municipal
election held in 2013 and shall be elected thereafter at 4 year intervals.
All Commissioners representing odd numbered Wards shall be elected
at the municipal election held in 2015 and shall be elected thereafter
at 4 year intervals.
[Amended 1-7-2013 by Ord. No. 2012-20]
A. The office
of a Commissioner shall become vacant upon death, resignation, change
in residence from Ward represented, or determination of mental disability
by a court of competent jurisdiction of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
A vacancy in the office of a Commissioner might also occur upon the
filing of a petition or complaint by any Commissioner or any 5 registered
electors of the Ward and then upon final determination of forfeiture
of office by any court of competent jurisdiction of the Commonwealth
of Pennsylvania upon any of the grounds which follow.
(1) Lack,
at any time during the term of office, of any qualification for the
office prescribed by this Charter or by law.
(2) Willful
violation of any specific prohibition of this Charter at any time
during the term of office.
(3) Conviction
of any crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year
under the laws of this Commonwealth or conviction of any comparable
crime under the laws of any other State or of the United States during
the term of office.
Whenever a vacancy exists in the office of Commissioner,
the vacancy shall be filled in accordance with the procedures which
follow:
A. The Board, by majority vote of its total membership,
within thirty (30) days from the time the office becomes vacant, shall
make an interim appointment of a qualified person to fill the vacancy.
B. If the Board shall refuse, fail, neglect, or be unable,
for any reason whatsoever, to fill such vacancy within 30 days after
the vacancy occurs, then the vacancy shall be filled within 15 additional
days by the Vacancy Board. The Vacancy Board shall consist of the
Board of Commissioners and one elector of the Township, who shall
be appointed by the Board at the Board's annual reorganization meeting
or as soon thereafter as practical. Said elector shall act as the
Chairman of the Vacancy Board. If the Vacancy Board fails to fill
the position within 15 days, then the Court of Common Pleas of Delaware
County, Pennsylvania, shall, upon petition of the Board of Commissioners
or any 5 qualified electors of the Township, fill the vacancy in such
office by the appointment of a person meeting the qualifications of
this Charter.
[Amended 1-7-2013 by Ord. No. 2012-20]
C. The person appointed to fill a vacancy shall serve
until a successor has been elected and assumed the office.
D. At the next regularly scheduled primary, municipal
or general election which takes place at least sixty (60) days after
the vacancy occurs, a qualified person shall be elected by special
election in accordance with the Pennsylvania Election Code to fill
the vacancy. A person elected to fill a vacancy shall assume office
at the start of the first regularly scheduled meeting of the Board
following election and certification by the County Board of Elections
and shall serve for the remainder of the unexpired term.
Members of the Board shall receive compensation
at the rate of two thousand one hundred dollars ($2,100.) per annum
for the performance of their duties. Members of the Board shall receive
no other compensation, direct or indirect, for the performance of
their duties and shall not be eligible for any township pensions,
fringe benefits or insurance at township expense (other than liability
insurance related to their duties). However, members of the Board
shall be entitled to reimbursement for reasonable and necessary expenses
incurred in the performance of their duties, according to provisions
specified in the Administrative Code.
The President or, in the President's absence,
the Vice President shall preside at all meetings of the Board, sign
documents as designated officer of the Board, appoint committees of
the Board, call special meetings of the Board and perform such other
duties as are specified in this Charter or which may be prescribed
by ordinance.
[Amended 1-7-2013 by Ord. No. 2012-20]
Written minutes and records of all regular and
special meetings of the Board shall be maintained by the Township
Secretary and kept in the Township Building. All such minutes and
records shall be open for public inspection during normal office hours,
and shall be prominently posted on the Township's website. Upon request,
copies shall be made available to the public without charge or at
a reasonable cost.
The Board may, by majority vote of its total
membership, make investigations into the affairs of the township and
the conduct of any township department, office, board, commission
or authority, and for this purpose, the Board may require township
officials and employees to testify under oath and produce records
concerning the subject matter of the investigation.