[HISTORY: Adopted by the Board of Commissioners of Upper
Moreland Township 3-5-1974 by Ord. No. 798 (Title 2, Ch. 4, of the
1977 Code). Amendments noted where applicable.]
The office of Township Manager is hereby created by the Board
of Commissioners, subject to the right to abolish said office at any
time by ordinance.
The Manager shall be appointed by a majority of all the members
of the Board of Commissioners to serve until the first Monday of January
of the even-numbered years succeeding his appointment or until his
successor is elected and qualifies for office. The said office shall
be filled biennially thereafter. In the event of a vacancy, the Board
of Commissioners shall elect a replacement by majority vote of all
of its members for the unexpired term.
The Manager shall be chosen solely on the basis of his executive
and administrative abilities, with special reference to the duties
of his office as herein outlined. The Manager need not be a resident
of Upper Moreland Township at the time of his employment, but he shall
become a resident of the Township within six months after his employment
commences. If, however, the Manager is also elected Secretary of the
Township by the Board of Commissioners, then, in that event, he must
be a qualified voter of the Township at the time of his election.
Before entering upon his duties, the Manager shall give a bond
to the Township with a bonding company as surety, to be approved by
the Board, in the sum of $50,000, conditioned for the faithful performance
of his duties. The premium shall be paid by the Township. The bond
of the Township Manager may be included in and covered by a comprehensive
bond now or hereafter in force or effect for all Township employees
of $5,000.
The salary of the Township Manager shall be fixed from time
to time by ordinance.
[Amended 12-6-2004 by Ord. No. 1500]
The Manager shall be the chief administrative officer of the
Township, and he shall be responsible to the Board of Commissioners
as a whole for the proper and efficient administration of the affairs
of the Township. His powers and duties shall relate to the general
management of all Township business not expressly imposed or conferred
upon other Township officials by statute. Subject to recall by resolution
of the Board and upon his selection and assumption of office, the
powers and duties of the Township Manager shall include the following:
A.
He shall supervise and be responsible for the activities of all municipal
departments and all Township employees.
B.
He shall hire and, when necessary for the good of the service, shall
suspend or discharge any employee under his supervision; provided
further that, with respect to other Township employees, the hiring
and firing thereof shall be subject to the controls set forth in the
Personnel Manual promulgated from time to time by the Commissioners.
The Manager shall report at each meeting of the Board of Commissioners
any action taken by the authority of this subsection.
C.
He shall prepare and submit to the Board before the close of the
fiscal year a recommended budget for the next fiscal year and an explanatory
budget when necessary. Such budget shall be submitted in sufficient
time to allow for its study and adoption within the time directed
by the First Class Township Code. In preparing the recommended budget,
the Township Manager, or an officer designated by him, shall obtain
from the head of each department, agency, board or office estimates
of revenues and expenditures and such other supporting data as he
may require. The Township Manager shall review such estimates and
may revise them before submitting the recommended budget to the Board.
D.
He shall be responsible for the administration of the budget after
its adoption by the Board.
E.
He shall hold such other municipal offices or head one or more of
the municipal departments as the Board may from time to time direct.
F.
He shall attend all meetings of the Board and the meetings of its
committees when directed to do so by the Board, with the right to
take part in the discussion, and he shall receive notice of all special
meetings of the Board or its committees.
G.
He shall prepare the agenda for each meeting of the Board and supply
facts pertinent thereto.
H.
He shall keep the Board informed as to the conduct of Township affairs;
submit periodic reports on the condition of the Township finances
and such other reports as the Board requests; and make such recommendations
to the Board as he deems necessary.
I.
He shall submit to the Board, 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.
J.
He shall see that the provisions of all franchises, leases, permits
and privileges granted by the Township are observed.
K.
He may employ, by and with the approval of the Board, experts or
consultants to perform work and to advise in connection with any of
the functions of the Township.
L.
He shall attend to the letting of contracts in due form of law, and
he shall supervise the performance and faithful execution of same
except insofar as such duties are expressly imposed upon some other
Township officers by statute.
M.
He shall see that all money owed the Township is promptly paid and
that proper proceedings are taken for the security and collection
of all the Township's claims.
N.
He shall be the purchasing officer of the Township, and he shall
purchase, in accordance with the provisions of the Township Code,
all supplies and equipment for the various agencies, boards, departments
and other officers of the Township. He shall keep an account of all
purchases and shall, from time to time when directed by the Board,
make a full written report thereof. He shall also issue rules and
regulations, subject to the approval of the Board, governing the requisition
and purchasing of all municipal supplies and equipment. These duties
may also be delegated to any other officer of the Township upon the
approval of the Board.
O.
All complaints regarding services or personnel of the Township shall
be referred to the office of the Township Manager. He, or an official
designated by him, shall investigate and dispose of such complaints,
and the Township Manager shall report thereon to the Board.
P.
He shall make research and investigation into the administration
and governmental functions of various Townships and make recommendations
to the Board of appropriate ordinances affecting the health, safety,
welfare and administration of this Township.
Q.
A Township Manager may serve as Secretary of the Township and, when
so appointed, shall have all the powers and duties given to the office
of the Township Secretary by statute and ordinance of this Township.
Neither the Board of Commissioners, its members, nor its committees shall dictate or influence or attempt to dictate or influence the hiring of any person to or his discharge from municipal employment by the Manager, or in any manner take part in the hiring, suspending or discharging of employees in the administrative service of the Township except with respect to personnel referred to in § 37-8, or as required by the civil service provisions of the First Class Township Code. Other than for the purposes of inquiry, the Board of Commissioners or any of its members or any of the Board of Commissioners' committees or their members shall deal with the administrative service solely through the Township Manager and neither the Board of Commissioners nor any of its members shall give orders, publicly or privately, to any subordinate of the Manager.
The Manager shall have no authority to fill the position of
Township Secretary, Solicitor, Engineer, Controller, or any other
position specifically reserved to the Commissioners under the First
Class Township Code. Further, he shall not hire or fire any department
head without approval of the Commissioners. The Manager shall refrain
from any attempt to influence decisions of a legislative or quasi-judicial
nature, such as zoning changes, consideration of subdivision or development
plans, purchase of open space or park lands. He shall also refrain
from actively engaging in federal, state, county or municipal politics.
If the Manager becomes ill or needs to be absent from the Township,
he shall designate one qualified member of his staff to perform the
duties of the Manager during his absence or disability. The person
so designated shall not perform these duties for a period longer than
two weeks without the approval of the Board of Commissioners.
