The Council shall, by ordinance, create, alter or abolish and
prescribe the functions of the city departments, agencies and offices
not inconsistent with general law or this Charter.
The Council shall, by ordinance, adopt an Administrative Code,
which shall provide for the administrative organization of the city
government, the assignment of duties and responsibilities to officers
and employees and the procedural requirements set forth in the general
laws or in the Charter. All changes in organization and procedures
set forth in the Administrative Code shall be effected by amendment
to the Administrative Code in the same manner as other ordinances
are enacted and amended.
The heads of all departments and all other officers not otherwise
provided for in this Charter shall be appointed by the Manager with
the approval of a majority of the total membership of the Council.
Department heads shall appoint the subordinate employees with the
approval of the Manager under the personnel rules and regulations
established by the Administrative Code or other ordinances in accordance
with the Charter.
The Council may create, modify or abolish boards, commissions,
authorities or other agencies and special committees of the city government
if not inconsistent with general laws or this Charter. The Council
shall appoint by a majority vote of its total membership, subject
to § 2-203, the members of such agencies if not otherwise
provided by this Charter or general law.
The Council shall adopt in the Administrative Code or other
ordinance a comprehensive system of personnel administration based
on merit principles, which shall include, but not be limited to, provisions
for:
A.
The classification of all city positions, based on duties, authority
or responsibility of each position, with provision for reclassification
of any position whenever circumstances require.
B.
A pay plan for all city positions.
C.
Methods for determining merit and fitness of candidates for appointment
or promotion.
D.
Policies and procedures regulating reductions in force, disciplinary
actions and suspension and removal of employees.
E.
Hours of work and provisions for sick and vacation leave and holidays,
overtime, compensatory time off and/or compensation for same.
F.
Grievance procedures, including those for hearing of grievances.
G.
Other practices and procedures necessary to the administration of
the city personnel system.
Each department head may designate, with the approval of the
Manager, an employee of the department to serve as acting head of
the department during the temporary absence or disability of the department
head. In the absence of such a designation, the Manager shall designate
an acting department head.
The compensation of all officers and department heads, if not
otherwise provided for in this Charter, shall be set by the Council
in the Administrative Code or other ordinance and may be changed from
time to time by amendment of the same at the discretion of the Council.
Compensation of employees other than officers and department heads
shall be in accordance with the pay plan established under § 2-505
of this Charter.
The Council, by a majority vote of its total membership, shall
appoint a City Solicitor, who shall serve at the pleasure of the Council,
with compensation to be set by the Council. The Solicitor shall be
a member of the Bar of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania and experienced
in municipal law. The Solicitor shall serve as the legal counsel for
the city government, including the Council, the Manager and other
officers and departments and agencies of the city government except
as may otherwise be required by law. The Solicitor shall represent
the city in all legal proceedings and shall perform such duties as
prescribed by law, by this Charter or action of the Council. It is
the intent of this Charter that only one person shall be the legal
advisor of the city except as may be otherwise required by law. The
Council may authorize temporary assistants for special purposes from
time to time.
The Manager, with the approval of the majority of the total
membership of the Council, shall appoint and fix the compensation
of the City Engineer, who shall be a professional civil engineer registered
in Pennsylvania or an engineering firm similarly registered. The City
Engineer or engineering firm shall perform the duties required by
the Council through the Administrative Code or other action or as
may be required of the City Engineer by general law.
The Manager, with the approval of the majority vote of the total
membership of the Council, shall appoint a Director of Finance, who
shall be qualified, by education and/or experience in accounting or
financial management, to supervise, in cooperation with the Manager,
the financial administration of the city and perform such duties as
prescribed for such officer in this Charter and as the Council may
require in the Administrative Code or other ordinance.
