A. 
The fiscal year of the township shall coincide with the calendar year.
B. 
The fiscal year may be changed by ordinance, but no change shall be made by the Board within a period of three (3) years following a previous change by the Board. When a change is made in the fiscal year, the Board shall determine the procedures and fiscal arrangements for the transition.
A. 
The Board shall adopt in the Administrative Code[1] a uniform classification of accounts and codes to be used and followed in all financial plans, budgets and financial reports which are required by this Charter.
[1]
Editor's Note: See Ch. 5, Administration of Government.
B. 
The Board shall prescribe the form in which the operating budget and capital program shall be prepared, and such form shall be followed in the preliminary and final budgets adopted by the Board.
C. 
The operating budget is the operating plan of revenue and expenditures for a fiscal year. The form of the operating budget shall include, in addition to the major classification of appropriations by which expenditures are to be allocated and controlled, a detailed analysis of the various items of revenues and expenditures. All appropriations shall at minimum be specified as to each office, department, major operating unit, board or citizens' group.
D. 
The capital program is a projection of construction or acquisition of capital assets and the means of their financing. The form of the capital program shall include an identification of each expenditure by project, the year in which acquisition or construction is to be scheduled, a suggestion as to the means by which each capital project is to be financed, the effect of any proposed capital expenditures on future operating expenses and the effect of any proposed new indebtedness on the amortization schedule of existing debt and on the debt limit. Said capital program may provide for the capital projects to be financed from current revenues, available surplus or moneys borrowed as authorized by this Charter or state law. The first year of a capital program shall be the capital budget, when adopted for a fiscal year.
Commentary: The Charter requirements with regard to the form of the operating budget as set forth in § C1202C do not include the line-by-line system which is currently employed. It was the GSC's view that the Charter should require only a minimum classification of the budget by department and that the Board will determine from time to time whether it desires a line-by-line budget by type of expenditures as is currently utilized or a line-by-line budget by program within each department.
BUDGET PROCEDURE
The budget message submitted by the President shall explain the budget both in fiscal terms and in terms of programs, policies, activities and plans. It shall outline the proposed financial policies of the township for the ensuing year; describe the important features of the budget; indicate any major changes in financial policies, expenditures and revenues from the current year, together with the reasons for such changes; summarize the township's debt position and include such other material as the Board may request or which the President deems desirable.
Commentary: As is provided in § C602, the budget message described in this section and the financial plan described in the following § C1204 may be prepared with the assistance of the township administration staff but must reflect the personal evaluations, recommendations and statement of priorities of the President of the Board. The budget message is particularly the document of the Board President.
A. 
The financial plan as submitted by the President to the Board shall provide a complete plan of all township funds and activities for the ensuing fiscal year and, except as required by this Charter, the proposed budgets contained therein shall be in such form as the President deems desirable except as otherwise required by the Board. The financial plan shall contain, among other things, the following:
(1) 
Comparative figures for actual and estimated income and expenditures for the current fiscal year and actual income and actual expenditures for the preceding fiscal year.
(2) 
Proposed operating budget for the next fiscal year, in such form as the Board shall prescribe.
(3) 
Forecast of revenue and expenditures for a period of at least two (2) additional years, individually stated, to be advisory only for the purpose of long-range planning. The information to be provided shall be stated in general categories only.
(4) 
Capital program for the remainder of the term of the improvements then in progress or proposed to be undertaken, but in no case less than the next five (5) fiscal years, the first year of which shall be in detail and designated as the proposed capital budget, in such form as the Board shall prescribe.
(5) 
Statement of debt with an amortization schedule through a time period covering the latest final maturity of any existing issue and showing in addition to existing debt the amortization schedule for all proposed debt for each project included in the capital program.
B. 
In the operating budget as proposed by the President, the total of proposed expenditures shall not exceed the total of estimated revenue and available surplus, and in the capital budget as proposed by the President, the proposed expenditures shall not exceed the anticipated available means of financing.
Commentary: The financial plan includes the proposed operating and capital budgets and also the various schedules and figures and projections which are necessary for the Board and its committees to make a proper evaluation of these proposed budgets. In general, the items required are the ones which are now customarily supplied.
 
The changes from current procedure which this section contemplates include the submission of a proposed forecast of revenue and expenditures for at least two (2) additional years in general terms [see § C1204A(3)] and the adoption of a capital budget at the same time as the adoption of the operating budget, rather than at a separate time as is the current practice. With regard to the two-year forecast projection of operating budget, it is not expected that any attempt will be made to forecast with any definitive accuracy the likely inflationary or salary increases; it is rather the purpose of this projection to indicate areas in which a shift of priorities or the deletion or addition of programs is suggested in terms of current dollars. Thus, as the GSC views it, it would be satisfactory to set forth such items as salaries and material costs in current dollars for the purpose of projection.
 
The GSC contemplates that the requirements that the Board may impose on the President regarding the form of the proposed operating budget and capital program to be submitted by him may be different and less detailed than the form in which the Board will ultimately adopt the operating and capital budgets. Thus, the Board might not require the President to set forth the salary levels for employees while it would undoubtedly set forth such salary levels in its ultimately adopted operating budget.
A. 
The President shall present the budget message and the financial plan, including the proposed operating and capital budgets, to the Board at a Board meeting at least fifty (50) days prior to the end of the current fiscal year. Any budget recommendations made to the President by the Manager, department heads or staff during his supervision of the preparation of the financial plan and budgets and budget message shall be made available to all Commissioners when made to the President. Copies of the budget message and a summary of the financial plan shall be available for distribution to all interested persons attending such meeting or who request them following the meeting. The financial plan in its entirety shall be available for public inspection at the Township Building, and copies shall be made available at the request of any person upon payment of a reasonable charge therefor.
B. 
The Board, acting through committees or as a committee of the whole, shall review all aspects of the proposed operating and capital budgets and may add, delete or modify programs and increase or decrease estimated revenue and amounts allocated as may be required in its judgment. As a part of such process, representatives of each department of the township and the Manager shall appear before the appropriate committee or committees of the Board and shall explain their views as to the President's proposed budget and shall discuss generally budgetary considerations regarding their departments. Following such consideration, the Board shall adopt a preliminary operating budget which must be balanced so that appropriations are matched by anticipated revenues and the available surplus, and a preliminary capital budget in which proposed expenditures shall not exceed the anticipated available means of financing.
C. 
The Board shall cause to be published upon the adoption of such preliminary operating and capital budgets in one (1) or more newspapers of general circulation within the township:
(1) 
A general summary of the preliminary operating and capital budgets.
(2) 
Notice of a public meeting with date, time and place specified at which said preliminary budgets will be considered by the Board.
(3) 
The times when copies of the preliminary budgets shall be available for inspection by township residents. Copies of said preliminary budgets in their entirety shall be available for public inspection at the Township Building, and copies shall be made available to township residents upon their request at a reasonable cost to be fixed by the Board.
D. 
The Board shall conduct a public hearing which shall follow the publication of notice thereof by no fewer than fifteen (15) nor more than thirty (30) days to receive the comments and suggestions of the public regarding the preliminary budgets. Such a public hearing may take place at any regular or other official meeting of the Board.
E. 
Following the public hearing and before the start of the fiscal year to which the budgets apply, the Board shall, by ordinance, with or without amendment of the preliminary budgets, adopt the operating and capital budgets which shall become effective immediately upon adoption and which shall constitute for the ensuing fiscal year appropriations of the amounts specified therein as expenditures from the funds indicated and shall constitute a levy of the taxes therein specified. The operating budget as adopted must be balanced so that appropriations are matched by anticipated revenues and available surplus. In the capital budget as adopted, the proposed expenditures must not exceed the anticipated available means of financing.
F. 
In the year immediately following any municipal election which is held within ninety (90) days preceding the beginning of the next fiscal year, the Board may, within forty-five (45) days after the start of the fiscal year, adopt revised budgets, provided that, prior to such adoption of revised budgets, the proposed revised budgets shall be advertised and a hearing held as hereinabove provided.
G. 
To the extent that the procedures for the adoption of the budget set forth in this section may be inconsistent with the provisions of Article V, the provisions of this section shall prevail.
Commentary: The procedure for the adoption of the budget is in many respects similar to that traditionally employed by the Board of Commissioners, except that it is contemplated that the review by the individual committees of the Board and its Finance Committee will occur following submission of the proposed budget by the President, rather than representing the initiation of the budget process.
 
It is the GSC's view that the President's submission should occur at least ninety (90) days prior to the end of the fiscal year so as to provide adequate time for review by the departmental committees and the Finance Committee prior to the promulgation of the preliminary budget. In deference to the concern of some members of the Board of Commissioners that there would not be sufficient financial experience in the current fiscal year to permit meaningful budget making, the Charter requirement is set at fifty (50) days.
 
The Charter provisions set forth a specific system for the holding of a public hearing prior to the adoption of the budget by the Board. Section C1205F is similar to Section 1701.1 of the Township Code.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: See 53 P.S. § 56701.
A. 
If, during the fiscal year, there is evidence of a need for supplemental appropriations and there are or will be available revenues in excess of those appropriated in the budgets, the Board may, by ordinance, make such supplemental appropriations for the fiscal year in an amount not to exceed such excess.
B. 
To meet a public emergency declared by the Board, affecting life, health, property or the public peace or welfare, the Board may, during the year, by ordinance, make emergency appropriations. To the extent that there are not available unencumbered or unappropriated revenues to meet such emergency appropriations, the Board may, by ordinance, authorize the issuance of emergency notes, which may be renewed from time to time, but such notes or renewals thereof shall be repaid not later than the last day of the fiscal year next succeeding that in which the emergency appropriation was made.
C. 
If, at any time during the fiscal year, it appears probable that the revenues available will be insufficient to meet the amounts appropriated, the Board shall take such action as is necessary to prevent any deficit, and for that purpose it shall, if at all possible, by resolution reduce or eliminate one (1) or more appropriations.
D. 
At any time during the fiscal year the Board may, by administrative directive, transfer part or all of any unencumbered balance appropriated within an office, department, major operating unit, board or citizens' group, and the Board may, at any time during the fiscal year, by ordinance, transfer part or all of any unencumbered balance appropriated from one office, department, major operating unit, board or citizens' group to another.
E. 
No appropriation for existing debt service may be reduced or transferred except to the extent to which refinancing has eliminated or reduced the debt requirement.
F. 
The ordinances enacted under Subsections B and D shall be subject to the procedural requirements applicable to emergency ordinances pursuant to § C505.
G. 
All unexpended or unencumbered appropriations shall lapse at the end of a fiscal year to the extent that they have not been expended or encumbered.
Commentary: The Charter provision makes possible the transfer during the course of a year within a department by administrative directive and, although requiring an ordinance for transfer between departments, it adopts the emergency ordinance procedure which eliminates the requirement of prior advertising otherwise applicable with respect to emergency appropriations or transfers. With regard to supplemental appropriations, preadvertising and an opportunity for the public to speak to the issue is required pursuant to Article V but the formal public hearing required in connection with the adoption of the budget is not required.
CONTRACTS
A. 
The township may make contracts and incur obligations for lawful purposes subject to the provisions of this Charter and state law and subject to the following limitations:
(1) 
Limitations on amount.
(a) 
As to the amount payable thereunder in the current fiscal year, at the time of the execution of the contract, there shall be a sufficient unencumbered balance in an appropriation and sufficient funds therefor shall be anticipated to be available to cover such payment.
(b) 
As to the amount payable thereunder in future fiscal years, the total amount which may be paid in each future fiscal year on account of each such contract or obligation (except those hereinafter mentioned) shall not exceed ten percent (10%) of the annual arithmetic average of the total operating revenues of the township for the three (3) full fiscal years ended next preceding the date of the making of such contract or the incurring of such obligation. This limitation shall not apply to obligations for debt or for the purchase of capital goods and services properly to be funded by debt, nor shall it apply to employment contracts with township employees, to contracts with other governmental entities or with regulated utilities.
(2) 
Limitations on duration.
(a) 
Employment contracts with township employees shall be limited to a maximum of four-year terms.
(b) 
The terms of contracts for the purchase of supplies shall not exceed three (3) years.
(c) 
Any contract which has a duration of two (2) years or more must be approved by an absolute two-thirds vote.
B. 
Requirements.
(1) 
All contracts exceeding two thousand five hundred dollars ($2,500.):
(a) 
Shall be in writing.
(b) 
Shall be approved by ordinance or resolution, except that all contracts for the construction of assessable public capital improvements shall be authorized only by ordinance, regardless of amount.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: Ordinance No. 2249-12, adopted 10-17-2012, revised and replaced the dollar amount threshold set forth in § C1207B, which requires the adoption of a resolution or an ordinance for entry by the Township into a contract, to the amount of $2,000,000 or more.
(c) 
Shall be signed by the Manager. A written contract for less than two thousand five hundred dollars ($2,500.) may be signed by the Manager's designee if for a term of less than two (2) years, provided that such action is in accordance with the budget or any other specific prior authorization required by this Charter.
(2) 
Any officer required to execute a written contract shall submit the form of contract to the Township Solicitor for approval before executing the contract.
C. 
All contracts exceeding two thousand five hundred dollars ($2,500.)[2] shall be awarded after competitive bidding to the lowest responsible bidder where the township is purchaser and the highest responsible bidder where the township is seller, except that competitive bidding need not be required for the following contracts:
(1) 
Labor or services rendered by any township officer or employee.
(2) 
Contracts for labor, material, supplies or services available from only one (1) vendor, provided that the Manager shall have certified to the Board in writing that the material, labor, supplies or services are available from only one (1) vendor.
(3) 
Contracts relating to the acquisition or use by the township of real property.
(4) 
Contracts relating to the lease or sale by the township of real property owned by it, provided that a system for obtaining independent appraisals is developed and utilized so as to assure that the township is obtaining adequate compensation.
(5) 
Contracts for professional or unique services or supplies.
(6) 
Contracts for insurance where competitive bidding is impractical.
(7) 
Contracts for emergency repairs, services or supplies.
(8) 
Contracts with other governmental entities, authorities, agencies or political subdivisions.
(9) 
Contracts for regulated utility services.
(10) 
Contracts pursuant to joint purchasing arrangements entered into with other governmental entities, provided that one (1) of the participating governmental entities utilized similar procedures to those which would be here required in the absence of such joint purchasing agreement. The Board shall adopt an ordinance establishing the procedure for competitive bidding which shall include publication and notice requirements, including advertisement at least once in a newspaper of general circulation in the township, deposit and bond requirements, conditions, terms, rules and regulations.
[2]
Editor's Note: This contract amount was subsequently increased, pursuant to the authority granted in § C1207D, by Ord. Nos. 1537, adopted 3-16-1982, and 1721-90, adopted 9-18-1990. Ordinance No. 2249-12, adopted 10-17-2012, provided that the bid threshold in this § C1207 be revised and replaced "to equal the dollar amount thresholds for which competitive bids and publication are prescribed by the Pennsylvania First Class Township Code, 53 P.S. § 56802, as amended from time to time."
D. 
The Board, by ordinance, adopted by an absolute three-quarters vote, may change the two-thousand-five-hundred-dollar amount specified for any or all of the requirements stated in § C1207B(1)(a), (b), (c) or C, and may provide for differing amounts for each such requirement.
E. 
No person shall evade the provisions of this section by purchasing or selling goods or contracting for services to be supplied piecemeal, or at separate times, which transactions would, in the exercise of reasonable discretion and prudence, be conducted as one (1) transaction requiring payment or receipt of an amount greater than the amount above which competitive bidding is then required.
F. 
Willful violation of any of the provisions of this section shall constitute a summary offense punishable upon conviction by a maximum fine of five hundred dollars ($500.). Conviction thereunder, when final, or a plea of nolo contendere or guilty shall subject such person to surcharge to the extent of the damage shown to be thereby sustained by the township and shall result in forfeiture of office.
Commentary: The provisions of § C1207A limiting contracts as to future years with regard to both amount and duration represent an attempt by the GSC to avoid the possibility that a particular Board will bind future Boards by obligating the township in areas where no such obligations are in fact legitimately required.
 
The permission granted to the Board in § C1207D to increase the amount of two thousand five hundred dollars ($2,500.) for exemption from competitive bidding, written contract, signatures and Board approval requirements, provides a method for adjustment because of changing inflationary levels. It is not contemplated that the Board will increase the limit of two thousand five hundred dollars ($2,500.) except to reflect increases in the cost of living.
 
The exceptions from the competitive bidding requirement as enumerated in § C1207C are, in general, currently applicable under the Township Code, Section 1802.[3] Somewhat special provisions are here included for the exemption from the competitive bidding requirement of items available from only one (1) vendor [see § C1207C(2)], lease or sale of township real property, provided that independent appraisals are obtained to assure adequate compensation is being received [see § C1207C(4)] and contracts pursuant to joint purchasing arrangements provided that one (1) of the participating units followed competitive bidding procedures where they would have been required pursuant to this Charter [see § C1207C(10)].
[3]
Editor's Note: See 53 P.S. § 56802.
The Manager shall authorize disbursement of township moneys only after determining that the Controller has given all approvals required of him by this Charter or by ordinance and that all goods and services have actually been received or performed, except where commercial custom or practice makes such procedure impractical. The Board shall provide in the Administrative Code[1] for procedures for the signing and countersigning of all checks, drafts and other orders of payment by two (2) persons.
[1]
Editor's Note: See Ch. 5, Administration of Government.
A. 
The Manager shall be responsible for providing for the recording of all financial transactions and related activities of the township in accordance with the form and procedures prescribed by the Board in the Administrative Code.
B. 
The Manager shall inform the Board of any significant financial fact which would have an impact or influence on the township's affairs.
C. 
The Manager shall prepare for the Board financial reports, at least monthly, and at such other times as the Board may direct, and shall at the end of each fiscal year prepare for the Board an annual financial statement.
D. 
The Manager shall provide for the preservation of financial records which shall be kept at the office of the township and shall be available for public inspection during normal office hours.
FINANCIAL LIMITATIONS
A. 
Limitation on taxation.
(1) 
Real estate. The Board shall not impose a tax on real estate in excess of the aggregate amount permitted by the state statutes which would limit the Board with regard thereto in the absence of this Charter, except that only with the approval of an absolute two-thirds vote the Board may:
(a) 
Utilize that taxing power which would otherwise be permitted only upon court approval.
(b) 
Utilize for any purpose proper under this Charter any taxing power which would otherwise be restricted to specific purposes.
(2) 
Other sources of taxation. As to all other sources of taxation, the Board shall be limited as to sources and rates by any applicable state statute which would govern the Board in the absence of this Charter.
B. 
Limitations on borrowing. The Board shall be governed in the incurring, refunding and repayment of debt by the substantive and procedural provisions of the Local Government Unit Debt Act of 1972 (Act 185 of 1972);[1] provided, however, that the limitations as to the amount of debt shall be increased from time to time to the full extent of debt which would be permitted to the township by all applicable state statutes in the absence of this Charter.
Commentary: In general, the Charter does not enlarge the taxing ability or the borrowing ability of Cheltenham's Board of Commissioners. It does eliminate the current requirement that the Board petition the court for some part of its real estate taxing authority, substituting for that requirement the necessity that the change be made by an absolute two-thirds vote of the Board. In essence, this provision provides a greater guaranty against the use of the additional taxing authority since it is more difficult to obtain an absolute two-thirds vote under the Charter than it is currently to obtain a mere majority vote of the quorum of the Board in attendance at a meeting in order to authorize the application to a court and the fairly routine approval which normally results thereafter. The provision permitting the Board to shift to general purposes taxing authority made available only for special purposes under the First Class Township Code, upon approval of an absolute two-thirds vote of the Board, provides greater protection that the Board will not fully utilize specific taxing authority for the purpose specified in situations where it would prefer to utilize a portion of that taxing authority for items of greater priority.
 
As the text makes clear, the borrowing limitations are precisely those already applicable to the township pursuant to the Local Government Unit Debt Act of 1972.
[1]
Editor's Note: See 53 P.S. § 6780-1 et seq.
Any pension system continued or established by the Board shall at all times be maintained in an actuarially sound condition as determined annually by an independent qualified actuary in a report to be submitted to the Board.
Commentary: The purpose of this provision is to assure the continual appropriate funding of any township pension plan. The requirement of actuarial soundness does not, of course, require the plan to be fully funded at all times since in any situation in which benefits are significantly increased there inevitably will be a back-funding requirement. Actuarial soundness requires that this back-funding be provided in a reasonable period of time as recommended by an actuary.
[1]
Editor's Note: See also Ch. 40, Pensions.