[HISTORY: Adopted by the Board of Supervisors of the Township of Lawrence as indicated in article histories. Amendments noted where applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Taxation — See Ch. 111.
[Adopted 4-18-2002 by Ord. No. 2002-12]
The elected Tax Collector of the Township is hereby appointed, authorized and directed to act as the collector of delinquent taxes within the Township, for real estate taxes collected after the end of the tax year, but before the taxes remaining unpaid are submitted to the County Tax Claim Bureau for collection.
This appointment and authorization shall remain in effect until the Board of Supervisors, by ordinance, takes further action, as required by law.
In the event of a vacancy in the office of Tax Collector during the term of this appointment, the successor Tax Collector shall automatically succeed to the powers and duties set forth herein.
The collector of delinquent taxes shall not be required to give additional bond on account of this appointment.
The collector of delinquent taxes shall have all the authority and power now vested by law in the collector of nondelinquent Township taxes for the collection of such delinquent taxes.
The collector of delinquent taxes shall account to the Board of Supervisors for all delinquent tax collections made, in the same manner as required for the reporting of nondelinquent tax.
The collector of delinquent taxes shall be compensated in the same manner as provided for the collection of nondelinquent taxes within the Township.
[Adopted 12-19-2023 by Ord. No. 2023-04]
[1]
Editor's Note: Former Art. II, Employment of Supervisors, adopted 10-21-2014 by Res. No. 2014-13, was repealed 12-17-2019.
A. 
Pursuant to the Second Class Township Code, Article V (53 P.S. § 65501 et seq.), the office of Township Manager of Lawrence Township is hereby created.
B. 
The office of Township Manager shall be filled by one person elected by a majority vote of the Supervisors. The person elected to the office of Township Manager shall be subject to removal by the Supervisors by majority vote, and the Manager shall receive 30 days' written notice. The Township Manager shall have no personal interest, direct or indirect, in contracts with the Township.
C. 
The Township Manager shall be chosen solely based on his executive and administrative abilities, with special reference to his training and/or experience in municipal management. The Township Manager need not be a resident of the Township or of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania at the time of his appointment but should reside within a reasonable proximity to the Township of Lawrence.
D. 
In case of illness or absence of the Township Manager from the Township, the Board of Supervisors shall designate a qualified individual to perform the duties of the Manager during the Manager's absence or disability.
E. 
The compensation of the Township Manager shall be set by resolution of the Board of Supervisors.
Before entering upon his or her duties, the Township Manager shall give bond to the Township of Lawrence, with corporate surety, in the amount of $500,000, conditioned for the faithful performance of his or her duties, with the premium of said bond to be paid by the Township of Lawrence. The bond of the Township Manager may be included in, and the Township Manager may be bonded under, any blanket bond now in effect for other Township employees, or as Secretary-Treasurer, if applicable.
The powers and duties of the Township Manager shall include the following:
A. 
Chief Administrative Officer. The Township Manager shall be the Chief Administrative Officer of the Township and shall be responsible to the Board of Supervisors for the proper and efficient administration of the affairs of the Township. The powers and duties of administration of all Township business shall be vested in the Manager, unless expressly imposed or conferred by statute upon other Township officers. The Township Manager is responsible for directing the day-to-day conduct of Township business and for carrying out the policies of the Board of Supervisors. The employee is responsible for maintaining Township financial records, preparing financial reports, and keeping Supervisors informed of the Township's financial condition. All department heads shall report to, and take direction from, the Township Manager.
B. 
Supervision of Township services.
(1) 
The Township Manger shall supervise and be responsible for the activities of all municipal departments, including road maintenance, utilities, and recreational facilities.
(2) 
The Township Manager may employ, with the approval of the Board of Supervisors, experts and consultants to perform work and provide advice in connection with any of the functions of the Township.
(3) 
The Township Manager shall be responsible for the proper staffing of Township departments and shall arrange for employee selection and shall make recommendations on hiring to the Board of Supervisors.
(4) 
The Township Manager shall have the power to terminate any Township employee subject to confirmation by the Board of Supervisors of Lawrence Township and as further subject to any applicable law or Township ordinance.
(5) 
The Township Manager shall issue administrative and personnel rules and regulations not in conflict with existing statutes or ordinances to properly carry out the duties contained in this article.
(6) 
All complaints regarding services or personnel of Township departments shall be referred to the Township Manager, who shall investigate these complaints and report to the Board of Supervisors.
(7) 
The Township Manager will meet with employees and employee representatives to resolve grievances and to negotiate terms of collective bargaining agreements.
(8) 
The Township Manager will assist citizens by informing them of Township rules and laws, explaining procedures, hearing complaints and either resolving them or referring them to the responsible official.
C. 
Budget administration and financial management.
(1) 
The Township Manager shall be responsible for the preparation of the annual budget and organizational objectives with attendant work plans setting forth a summary of projected revenues and proposed expenditures. In preparing the proposed budget, the Manager shall consult with the head of each department, agency or board, or any qualified office thereof, regarding estimates of revenues and expenditures.
(2) 
The Township Manager shall be responsible for the administration of the budget after its adoption by the Board of Supervisors.
(3) 
The Township Manager shall, in conjunction with the preparation of the yearly budget, develop long-range fiscal plans for the municipality, such plans to be presented annually to the Board of Supervisors for review and action.
(4) 
The Township manager shall be the purchasing officer of the Township and shall purchase, in accordance with the provisions of the Township Code, all supplies and equipment for agencies, boards, departments, and other offices of the Township, provided that all capital expenditures shall be subject to prior approval of the Board of Supervisors. The Township Manager shall keep an account of all purchases and shall, from time to time or when directed by the Board of Supervisors, make a full written report thereof. The Township Manager shall also issue rules and regulations, subject to the approval of the Board of Supervisors, governing the procurement of all municipal supplies and equipment.
(5) 
The Township Manager will oversee the paying of bills and other obligations upon approval of Supervisors, scheduling payments to the Township's advantage by observing due dates, discount periods, and maturity dates of invested funds.
(6) 
The Township Manager will periodically reconcile checking accounts, balance bookkeeping records, and ensure the necessary vouchers, receipts, etc., are properly recorded and filed for audit purposes.
D. 
Contract supervision.
(1) 
The Township Manager shall attend to the letting of contracts in due form of law and shall supervise the performance and faithful execution of the same except insofar as such duties are expressly imposed by statute upon some other Township officer.
(2) 
The Township Manager shall see that the provisions of all franchises, leases, permits, and privileges granted by the Township are observed.
E. 
Reports and recommendations.
(1) 
The Township Manager shall inform the Board of Supervisors regarding the conduct of Township affairs through submission of periodic reports on the condition of the Township finances, the accomplishment of organizational objectives and other reports requested by the Board of Supervisors and shall make such recommendations to the Board of Supervisors as the Township Manager deems necessary and advisable for the welfare of the Township.
(2) 
The Township Manager shall research and investigate the administrative and governmental functions of various townships and make recommendations to the Board of Supervisors on appropriate ordinances affecting the health, safety, welfare, and administration of the Township.
(3) 
The Township Manager shall establish and maintain appropriate filing systems and efficient administrative procedures for the conduct of Township business.
(4) 
The Township Manager shall submit to the Board of Supervisors, as soon as possible after the close of the fiscal year, a complete report on the financial and administrative activities of the Township for the preceding year.
F. 
Protection of Township interests.
(1) 
The Township Manager shall cooperate with the Board of Supervisors on all items and in all matters such that the best interests of the Township and of the public may be maintained.
(2) 
The Township Manager shall see that all money owed to the Township is promptly paid and that proper proceedings are taken for the security and collection of all Township claims.
(3) 
The Township Manager shall execute and enforce the laws of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and such ordinances and resolutions of the Township as the Board of Supervisors may prescribe.
G. 
Meetings.
(1) 
The Township Manager shall attend all meetings of the Board of Supervisors and its commissions and committees with the right to take part in discussions and shall receive notice of all regular and special meetings of the Board of Supervisors and its commissions and committees.
(2) 
The Township Manager shall prepare the agenda for each meeting of the Board of Supervisors and supply pertinent facts.
Except for the purposes of inquiry, the Board of Supervisors, its members, the Board of Supervisors' commissions or committees or its members shall deal with the administrative service solely through the Township Manager. Neither the Board of Supervisors, nor any of its members, any of the Board of Supervisors' commissions or committees or its members shall give orders publicly or privately to any subordinate of the Manager.
A. 
All ordinances or resolutions, or parts of ordinances or resolutions, insofar as they are inconsistent herewith, same are hereby repealed.
B. 
If any section, subsection, sentence, clause, or phrase of this article is for any reason held invalid, such decision or decisions shall not affect the validity of the remaining portions of this article. All ordinances of the Township prescribing the duties of heads of departments shall remain in full force and effect insofar as they do not conflict with the provisions of this article, in which case the provisions of this article shall govern.