The President of the Board shall have the following two (2)
functions in addition to any others required by law or this Charter:
A.
He shall be the presiding officer of the Board.
B.
He shall supervise the development of financial and planning policies
for the township for submission to the Board for its review and for
such adoption and implementation as it deems appropriate. Such policies
shall include the development of long-range objectives, the setting
of priorities and the consideration of other matters relating to the
quality of life in the township.
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Commentary: See commentary following § C602.
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A.
In performing the function set forth in § C601A, the President shall discharge the following duties:
(1)
Chair meetings of the Board. He may, however, without leaving the
Chair, exercise any of his prerogatives as Commissioner.
(4)
Appoint and remove members of committees and designate officers thereof with the advice and consent of the Board as provided in § C401C.
(5)
Participate as fully as he may desire in activities of all committees,
including the right to vote.
B.
Functions.
(1)
In performing the functions set forth in § C601B, the President shall discharge the following duties:
(a)
Supervise the preparation of and submit annually to the Board for its consideration, in such form as shall reflect his recommendations, the financial plan which shall include his proposed operating and capital budgets and his budget message, all as more specifically provided in Article XII.
(b)
Submit to the Board annually his message on the state of the
township.
(c)
Cause to be prepared and submit to the Board for its consideration
the annual report of the Board to the People.
(d)
Submit to the Board from time to time for its review, and for
such adoption and implementation as it deems appropriate, such plans,
policies, resolutions and ordinances which he would recommend as the
result of the planning process supervised by him, and he may submit
to the Board his recommendations on such plans, policies, resolutions
or ordinances relating to financial or planning policies as are submitted
to the Board or Board committee by the Manager or his staff or any
citizens' group.
(2)
In the performance of the above functions, the President shall supervise
and review the preparation of any report, recommendation or message
for which he has responsibility under this Charter, so that it contains
his personal evaluations, recommendations and statement of priorities.
C.
In the performance of the functions set forth in § C601, and in the discharge of duties set forth in § C602A and B, the President may utilize all of the instrumentalities of the township, including the Manager, township personnel, the Board and its committees, the Planning Commission and all other township citizens' groups. The President shall be a nonvoting member of the Planning Commission and may assign to that Commission any special or continuing project.
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Commentary: The Board President has
been given new functions under this Charter to provide cohesion to
the planning function and to give him some responsibility for initial
suggestions on policy and direction. Although the Commission-Manager
structure is well suited to Cheltenham's needs generally, that
form inherently tends to address immediate or short-term needs and
problems. Also, Commission government is by definition one of diffused
leadership. This provides the benefit of many perspectives, but runs
the danger of failing to define direction.
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The President is the logical Commissioner to whom to
assign long-range planning responsibility. It is contemplated that
he will utilize the Planning Commission to assist him in predicting
and suggesting policy for the future of the township. Preparation
of the capital budget is another aspect of that activity.
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In addition, the President is given other opportunities
to initiate suggested policy or program to the Board. The budget message
and both operating and capital budgets are prepared under his direction.
The Board's annual report to the People is prepared under him
for submission to the Board.
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The Charter also provides that the President shall
annually give a state of the township message. This will allow an
annual occasion for the President to reflect on the past and suggest
for the future. In an earlier draft, this message was required to
be given in February, since the budget message would probably be given
in the fall. This requirement was deleted to permit the President
to decide when the message is best given.
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Despite his increased role, the President nevertheless
is subject totally to official action of the Board. He makes suggestions
to the Board, but it is the Board which accepts, revises or rejects.
Nonetheless, the power to initiate and to suggest is significant and
that is the President's brief.
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In the President's absence, the Vice President of the Board shall perform such of his functions and discharge such of his duties as may be required during such absence. In the absence of both, and unless the Board has determined a contrary procedure, the President's functions and duties shall be performed by such Commissioner as would have been Temporary President in the absence of the election of a President pursuant to § C401.
The Board may remove the President or Vice President at any
time by an absolute two-thirds vote.
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Commentary: The President's term
is only for one (1) year unless renewed, and it has been argued that
such a short period is not adequate time for a new President to perform
the functions assigned him. If this is so, such a problem is accentuated
if the Board can remove him at any time. Also, that power may cause
the President to be more timid in suggesting potentially controversial
matters.
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These are proper concerns. But it should be remembered
that the President has the power to advise and recommend, not dictate.
If the President is suggesting that the Board go in a direction it
finds unacceptable, it should not have to wait until the end of a
formal term to have a President whose viewpoint mirrors the Board's.
On the other hand, if the President is performing his functions to
the Board's satisfaction, it is assumed that he would be reelected.
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If the President or Vice President ceases to be a Commissioner
or if the Board removes either, the Board shall fill such vacancy
by an absolute majority vote.
