A. 
The Commission shall consist of three Commissioners and three alternate Commissioners, who shall be qualified electors of the Township of Patterson and shall be appointed by the Patterson Township Board of Commissioners to serve for terms of six years. Any one of the alternates may be called to fill in for an unavailable regular Commissioner, as needed, and shall have the same rights and authority as the regular Commissioner.
[Amended 11-14-2002 by Ord. No. 395]
B. 
Any vacancy occurring in the Commission for any reason whatsoever, shall be filled by the Patterson Township Board of Commissioners for the unexpired term within the period of 30 days after such vacancy occurs.
C. 
Each member of the Civil Service Commission, before entering upon the discharge of the duties of their office, shall take an oath or affirmation to support the Constitution of the United States and of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and to perform their official duties with fidelity. A Civil Service Commissioner for the Township of Patterson shall be reimbursed for travel expenses and other Commission-related expenses but shall receive no compensation for his or her service.
No Commissioner shall, at the same time, hold an elective or appointed office under the United States government, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania or any political subdivision of the commonwealth, except that one member of the Commission may be a member of the Patterson Township Board of Commissioners.
A. 
The Commission first appointed shall organize within 10 days of its appointment and shall elect one of its members as Chairperson, one as Vice Chairperson and one as the Secretary. The Commission shall thereafter meet and reorganize on the first Monday of February of each even numbered year. If the first Monday is a legal holiday, the meeting shall be held the first day following.
B. 
Three members of the Commission shall constitute a quorum. No action of the Commission shall be valid unless it shall have the concurrence of at least two members.
[Amended 11-14-2002 by Ord. No. 395]
The Chairperson or, in his or her absence, the Vice Chairperson shall preside at all meetings and hearings of the Commission, decide all points of order or procedure and perform all duties required by law or these Rules and Regulations.
The Secretary, under the direction of the Commission shall handle all official correspondence of the Commission and send out all notices required by law and these Rules and Regulations. He shall maintain a record of each examination or other official action of the Commission and perform all other duties required by law or these Rules and Regulations.
Except for the biennial meeting, scheduled for the first Monday in February, all meetings shall be held either at the call of the Chairperson or at the call of two members of the Commission. The Commission shall have the discretion to determine whether meetings shall be open to the public when not specifically regulated by the Sunshine Act[1] or these Rules and Regulations. The Secretary of the Commission shall give each Commissioner at least a twenty-four-hour notice, either in writing or by telephone or in person, of each and every meeting of the Commission.
[1]
Editor's Note: See 65 P.S. § 271 et seq.
The governing body shall furnish the Commission with such supplies and clerical assistance as may be necessary for the Commission to fulfill its duties. The Commission may retain an attorney at law to represent its interests. This Attorney shall be one other than the Township Solicitor, to prevent a possible conflict of interest in matters which come before the Commission. The Civil Service Commission may also hire any other consultant or expert, including physicians, psychologists and psychiatrists, as are necessary. The elected and appointed officials of the Township of Patterson shall assist the Commission with all reasonable and appropriate efforts, including compensation for any counsel or experts retained by the Commission.
The Commission may amend, revise, void or replace these Rules and Regulations for any reason by action of a majority of the Commission. Before any changes to these Rules and Regulations become effective, those changes must be approved by the Township of Patterson Board of Commissioners. These Rules and Regulations and any amendments thereto shall be made available to the public for distribution or inspection. Copies will also be made available to any interested person for a fee which shall be set by the Board of Commissioners.
A. 
The Commission shall keep minutes of its proceedings and records of examinations and other official action. All records of the Commission shall be preserved and disposed of according to the Retention and Disposition Schedule for Records of Pennsylvania Municipalities issued by the Local Government Records Committee under the authority of the Municipal Records Act of 1968, P.L. 961, No. 428, 53 P.S. § 9001 et seq.
B. 
Any and all records related to any disciplinary action filed with the Commission shall be open to public inspection subject to reasonable regulation. The Secretary shall keep minutes of its proceedings, showing the vote of each member upon each question. If the member is absent or fails to vote, the Secretary shall indicate that fact in the minutes.
The Commission shall have the power to make investigations concerning all matters relating to the administration and enforcement of these Rules and Regulations. The Chairperson of the Commission is authorized to administer oaths and affirmations in connection with such investigations.
A. 
The Commission shall have the power to issue subpoenas over the signature of the Chairperson or his designee to require the attendance of witnesses and the production of records and papers pertaining to any investigation or inquiry. The fees of such witnesses for attendance and travel shall be at the same as for witnesses appearing in the courts and shall be paid from appropriations for the incidental expense of the Commission.
B. 
All officers in public service and employees of the Township of Patterson shall attend and testify when required to do so by the Commission. If any person shall refuse or neglect to obey any subpoena issued by the Commission, upon conviction of such refusal or neglect in a summary proceeding, that person shall be sentenced to pay a fine not to exceed $100 and, in default of the payment of such fine and costs, shall be imprisoned not to exceed 30 days.
C. 
If any person shall refuse or neglect to obey any subpoena, the Commission may apply by petition to the Court of Common Pleas of Beaver County, Pennsylvania, for its subpoena, requiring the attendance of such persons before the Commission or the Court to testify and to produce any records and papers as necessary and, in default, shall be held in contempt of Court.
The Commission shall make an annual report to the Township of Patterson, containing a brief summary of its work during the year, and shall make a full accounting for any expenditures of public moneys. The annual report shall be then available for public inspection.