[Adopted by Ord. No. 96-05]
At an organizational meeting the Council by
a majority vote shall elect from their number a president of the Council,
who shall preside at all of its meetings when the Mayor does not preside.
The president of the Council shall hold office for one year and until
the next annual meeting. He shall have the right to debate and vote
on all questions before the Council. If the Council at its annual
meeting fails to elect a president, the Mayor shall appoint the president
from the Council and in that case no confirmation shall be necessary.
If the Mayor is absent from the borough for a period of three consecutive
days or for any reason is unable to act, the president of the Council
shall perform all the duties of the Mayor during his absence or disability.
The Mayor, in case of his intended absence from the borough for more
than three days at any one time, shall notify the president in writing
of such intended absence, whereupon the president shall be and become
acting Mayor from the receipt of such notice and continue to act until
the Mayor's return. In case of the temporary inability of the president
to so act, the Council member having the longest term of service as
such may act temporarily for the president.
A.
The Council sets all policy and provides the resources
to implement the policy. This is accomplished with the input and advice
of standing reference and special committees, which shall be appointed
by the Mayor at the commencement of each annual meeting. The members
thereof shall serve for the entire year unless otherwise ordered.
B.
The standing reference committees shall consist of
two Council members appointed by the Mayor, one of which shall be
designated as chairman or liaison. The Mayor shall also be an ex-officio
member of all standing committees.
C.
All standing reference committees shall act as a liaison
between the governing body and the agencies assigned to such committees.
All standing reference committee members shall serve at the pleasure
of the Mayor, but no committee member shall be removed from his committee
except for good cause.
D.
The Mayor shall, at the yearly reorganization meeting,
appoint standing committees to provide oversight and recommendations
to the Council. The standing committees are as follows: ordinance
and policy; finance and insurance; public utilities; personnel; public
safety/public buildings and grounds; community relations.
[Amended 11-5-2020 by Ord. No. 2020-12]
E.
The standing committees may:
(1)
Review and suggest policy.
(2)
At the Council's request, investigate, study and make
recommendations to the Council on issues or questions brought forward
by the Mayor, Council or Administrator.
(3)
Make recommendations involving financial matters,
including financial limits or thresholds.
(4)
Recommend short- or long-term planning goals.
(5)
Aid in the development, production, and public dissemination
of material relating to the borough and its activities.
(6)
Provide liaison to outside organizations.
(7)
And will perform all statutory requirements.
F.
The oversight responsibilities of the standing reference
committees shall be:
[Amended 11-5-2020 by Ord. No. 2020-12]
(1)
Ordinance and policy. When so directed by the Mayor and Council,
review all proposed drafts of ordinances prior to introduction at
the Council level; suggest changes to text prior to final draft; offer
recommendations, evaluations and explanations to members of the governing
body and general public for proposed ordinances under consideration.
(2)
Finance and insurance. Review all Borough vouchers and purchase orders
to determine completeness, accuracy, and compliance with existing
purchasing policies of the Borough; conduct ongoing reviews of existing
Borough insurance policies for possible cost savings and/or improved
coverages; review budget proposals and recommendations; review auditor
reports; and make recommendations relative to finance and insurance
practices of the Borough..
(3)
Public utilities. Coordinate policy recommendations with the Administrator,
for consideration by the governing body, including those related to
public roads, the Chester Area Pool, sewer service/facilities, and
solid waste and recycling services.
(4)
Personnel. Review personnel policies of the Borough, make recommendations
to the governing body concerning revisions to the personnel policies
of the Borough and hiring of Borough personnel/employees; review of
personnel matter and personnel related complaints referred by the
Administrator, through the Mayor or by the Mayor.
(5)
Public safety/public buildings and grounds. Maintain communication
with police services, Fire and EMS services; convey concerns and requests
from said services to the Administrator and governing body; review,
assess and make recommendations to the governing body concerning the
above public safety services, fire/ambulance equipment, crossing guards,
traffic control, animal control, municipal court services, and public
buildings and grounds.
(6)
Community relations. Maintain public relations with the Chester Borough
community, including the various civic organizations, business and
commercial enterprises, and other organizations, clubs and groups
of the Chester community; review community requests, and make recommendations
to the governing body concerning community requests, interests, events,
communications, Borough website and social media platforms.
G.
Special committees, involving typical subject matter
usually assigned to each committee and general responsibilities of
each committee insofar as the powers, functions, duties, operations,
policies and procedures of such committee are concerned, may be established
at the call of the incoming Mayor.
H.
Special committees shall serve for a period of not
more than one calendar year.
A.
Committees of the Council shall review any matter
or question referred to it by the Mayor and Council and report to
the Council for its consideration on any such matter or question with
or without recommendations.
B.
Committees shall perform such other duties as may
be necessary in the exercise of its responsibilities as the Mayor
and Council may direct.
C.
All committee appointments by the Mayor shall be pursuant
to this article except those appointments provided for by state statutes.
D.
Each standing committee may adopt rules for its own
operation and the conduct of its business, including rules governing
the operation and conduct of any subcommittee thereof, provided such
rules are not inconsistent with this section.
E.
The chairman of a standing committee may establish,
and appoint the members of, such subcommittee of the committee as
he may desire, for such purposes as he may specify. Members of a subcommittee
shall serve at the pleasure of the chairman. A subcommittee may be
dissolved at any time by the chairman.
F.
Each standing committee shall meet at such time and
place as its chairman shall designate; provided, however, such meetings
comply with law and that no such meeting shall be scheduled by the
chairman in conflict with the schedule established by the Mayor for
day and time when the Council is in session.
G.
All meetings at which official committee action is
required with four or more members of the Mayor and Council in attendance
shall be open to the public unless, by resolution pursuant to law,
the governing body chooses to enter into closed session.
H.
If required by the governing body, the chairman of
each standing committee shall cause to report to the Mayor and Council
no later than the next regular meeting of the Mayor and Council next
following the committee meeting, a summary report of such meeting
indicating:
I.
The chairman of a standing committee shall cause notice
to be given to the Administrator/Clerk whenever any matter or question
of expending money is considered or referred to such standing committee.
The Administrator/Clerk may furnish the standing committee or the
Mayor and Council with a report stating the views of the Administrator/Clerk
with respect to the fiscal implication of such matter or question.
J.
Whenever a standing committee is directed by resolution
of the Council or by order of the Mayor and Council to undertake any
investigation or study, the chairman may request the Borough Administrator/Clerk
to provide for such research service and cause to prepare such reports
as the committee determines will facilitate its consideration of the
matter under investigation or study.
K.
Any motion or resolution which will result in relieving
a committee of a matter or question referred to it shall not be entertained
unless 14 days notice shall be given the Council of the introduction
of such motion or resolution, debate shall be limited to whether or
not the committee has given the matter of question fair and reasonable
consideration. The chairman of the committee or another member, if
the chairman is absent, shall be entitled to speak. A motion to table
shall not be considered until such person(s) have been afforded the
opportunity to so comment or respond, as the case may be. Such motion
shall not prevail unless it shall receive an affirmative vote of the
majority of all members of the Council.
