[HISTORY: Adopted by the Board of Commissioners of the Township of Bethlehem 6-9-1980 by Ord. No. 5-80 (Ch. 1, Part 2B, of the 1988 Code). Amendments noted where applicable.]
By authority vested in Townships by the Act of 1979, P.L. 503, No. 108,[1] the Township of Bethlehem establishes an Educational Service Agency.
[1]
Editor's Note: See 43 P.S. § 802.1.
The Educational Service Agency shall be composed of three individuals, each of whom shall be a resident of the Township, at least 18 years of age, who shall be appointed by the Board of Commissioners for three-year overlapping terms, coinciding with the calendar year. Provided, in the case of the three individuals appointed at the time of establishment of the Educational Service Agency, the term of one shall expire on the first day of January of the first year after the establishment, the term of one shall expire on the first day of January of the second year after the establishment, and the term of the third member shall expire on the first day of January of the third year following establishment.
No elected Township or school district official shall be eligible for appointment to or membership in the Educational Service Agency. A vacancy shall occur in the Educational Service Agency in the case of any member who ceases to be a resident of the Township, or who otherwise becomes disqualified for appointment or membership.
Vacancies in the Educational Service Agency occurring for any reason shall be filled by appointment by the Board of Commissioners of a successor to serve for the remainder of the term of the individual being replaced.
Members of the Educational Service Agency shall receive such compensation as shall be fixed from time to time by the Board of Commissioners.
Each member of the Educational Service Agency may, at the discretion of the Board of Commissioners be required to furnish a bond, in the amount and with the surety specified by the Township for the faithful performance of his duties as a member of the Educational Service Agency.
The function of the Educational Service Agency shall be to employ and supervise school crossing guards, also referred to as special school police, to direct traffic at or near schools. In order to enable the educational service agency to perform that function, the Township delegates to the Educational Service Agency the authority to appoint and supervise crossing guards or special school police as set out in the First Class Township Code.
The Educational Service Agency shall have the following authority, and it shall be its duty to:
A. 
Prepare annually and, on or before the first day of November of each year, submit to the Board of Commissioners for approval a budget showing its contemplated income and its proposed expenditures for the succeeding year.
B. 
Annually adopt the budget as submitted under Subsection A of this section, as modified by the Township.
C. 
From time to time employ, and/or discharge, and fix the compensation of crossing guards or special school police to serve in the Township.
D. 
Exercise supervision and control over the crossing guards or special school police by:
(1) 
Establishing, administering and enforcing rules and regulations for the work and conduct of the crossing guards or special school police;
(2) 
Establishing work schedules and designating the locations where and the time when the various individuals are to be on duty;
(3) 
Establishing position classifications if deemed necessary, and designating the individuals to serve in each classification;
(4) 
Providing for supervision as necessary;
(5) 
Exercising any and all other prerogatives normally associated with personnel management.
E. 
From moneys budgeted and available, make all payments for the services of crossing guards or special school police and make all other expenditures as prescribed by law or superior body or agency, or as otherwise deemed necessary or appropriate.
F. 
Receive, in addition to payments by the Township, any payments by the school district or any other gift, grant, devise or bequest.
G. 
Establish a system of accounts for all money under its control, and establish one or more separate bank accounts into which all income shall be deposited and from which all expenditures shall be made.
The Township shall transfer and pay over to the Educational Service Agency the moneys that the Township is required to pay as compensation to special school police under the First Class Township Code, or other agreement executed with the school district, as provided in the First Class Township Code, as well as other moneys as necessary to cover expenditures budgeted, for the Educational Service Agency as provided in § 25-8 of this chapter.
The Educational Service Agency hereby recognized and formally established shall continue until changed or abolished by action of the Township or until the suspension of Act 108 of 1979 as adopted by the legislature of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in accord with the terms thereof.