[Adopted 3-16-2011 by Ord. No. 1806 (Ch. 24 of the 1972 Code)]
This article shall be known and may be cited as the "Economic Development Committee Ordinance" of the Borough of Lansdale.
A. 
There is hereby created the Economic Development Committee of the Borough of Lansdale (the "Committee").
B. 
To the extent that there is an Economic Development Committee of the Borough of Lansdale in existence at the time of the enactment of this article, said existing Economic Development Committee is hereby dissolved and replaced by the Committee created under this article.
A. 
Unless otherwise expressly stated, the following words and phrases, wherever used in the Economic Development Incentive Ordinance,[1] shall be construed to have the meanings indicated herein:
BOROUGH
The Borough of Lansdale.
BOROUGH COUNCIL
The Borough Council of the Borough of Lansdale.
COMMITTEE
The Economic Development Committee of the Borough of Lansdale.
MEMBER
A member of the Economic Development Committee of the Borough of Lansdale.
[1]
Editor's Note: See Ch. 179, Economic Development Incentive.
B. 
As used herein, words used in the present tense include the future, and words used in the singular include the plural.
A. 
Composition. The Committee shall consist of nine members. Three members shall be duly elected Councilpersons of Borough Council. Six members shall be appointed from the community provided they meet the qualifications set forth below. In the event that a member who is a Borough Councilperson is removed or steps down from his or her office as a Borough Councilperson for any reason, that member shall be automatically removed from his or her position and the resulting vacancy shall be filled in accordance with § 22-28 hereinbelow.
[Amended 7-15-2015 by Ord. No. 2015-1872; 5-16-2018 by Ord. No. 2018-1913]
B. 
Qualifications. Each member from the community shall either be a resident of the North Penn School District; maintain a business which operates, at least in part, within the North Penn School District; or be employed by a business which operates, at least in part, within the North Penn School District.
C. 
Appointment. Three Council members of the Committee shall be appointed by Borough Council President. Six members shall be appointed biannually by Borough Council through the Appointments Committee process.
[Amended 7-15-2015 by Ord. No. 2015-1872; 5-16-2018 by Ord. No. 2018-1913]
D. 
Remuneration. Members shall serve without remuneration.
A. 
Terms. Except for the first members and members appointed to fill a vacancy, all members shall be appointed for a term of two years from the date of the expiration of the prior term to succeed the member whose term has expired. All new terms shall commence on the first Monday in January of the applicable year.
B. 
Succession. Members shall hold office until their successors have been appointed and may succeed themselves.
A. 
Upon the enactment of this article, the Borough Council President shall appoint the first members of the Committee.
B. 
The terms of the first members shall expire at 11:59 p.m. on the day of the first biannual reorganization meeting of the Lansdale Borough Council subsequent to their appointments.
If a vacancy shall occur by reason of the death, disqualification, resignation or removal of a member, the Borough Council President shall appoint a successor to fill the unexpired term.
Any member, once qualified and appointed, may be removed for malfeasance, misfeasance or nonfeasance in office, or for other just cause, by majority vote of Borough Council at a regular or special meeting of Council.
A. 
The Committee shall elect its own Chairperson and Vice Chairperson and create and fill such other offices as it may determine to be necessary. Officers shall serve for the calendar year of their election and may succeed themselves.
B. 
The Chairperson or, in his absence, the Vice Chairperson shall preside at all meetings of the Committee. The Chairperson, subject to these rules, shall decide all points of procedure, unless otherwise directed by majority of the Committee and shall perform any other duties required by law, ordinance or these rules.
C. 
Should the office of the Chairperson, Vice Chairperson or any other officer become vacant, the Committee shall elect a successor from its members at the next regular meeting, and such election shall be for the unexpired term of said office; provided, however, that any vacancy may be filled at a special meeting of the Committee.
D. 
The Chairperson shall be selected from those members who are concurrently serving as Borough Councilpersons. In the event that a Chairperson is removed from or steps down from his or her office as a Borough Councilperson, for any reason, he or she shall be automatically removed from the position of Chairperson and the members shall elect a new Chairperson pursuant to Subsection C. Any Chairperson so removed may complete his or her term as a member, provided that the Committee's composition is in accordance with § 22-25.
A. 
The Committee shall schedule meetings regularly on the third Monday of each month at One Vine Street, Lansdale, Pennsylvania 19446. In the event that the regular meeting location is not available, the meeting will be held at an alternative location. Whenever possible, each member and any other party who may have been given notice of the meeting shall be notified at least five days in advance of the meeting of the change in venue.
B. 
The Committee shall meet at other times as the Chairperson may deem necessary and as may be required to meet the requirements of § 179-6 pertaining to making a recommendation to approve or deny an application for economic incentives under the Economic Incentive Ordinance.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: See Ch. 179, Economic Development Incentive.
C. 
Upon consensus obtained by a majority of the members, whenever there are no business matters to be considered at any regular meeting, other than matters of routine business, the Chairperson may dispense with such meeting by notifying each member of the Committee and each other party who may have been given notice of such meeting. Whenever possible, each member and any other party who may have been given notice of the meeting shall be notified at least five days in advance of the meeting of its cancellation.
A. 
The Committee shall have those duties ascribed to the Committee by official action of Borough Council as evidenced by motion, resolution or ordinance of Borough Council, including, but not limited to, advising the Borough Council on matters related to the following:
(1) 
Applications for economic incentive in accordance with the Economic Incentive Ordinance,[1] as may be amended from time to time;
[1]
Editor's Note: See Ch. 179, Economic Development Incentive.
(2) 
Promoting the Lansdale business community; and
(3) 
Making recommendations to Borough Council related to attracting new business, retaining existing businesses, promoting the Borough business community and addressing problems experienced by local businesses.
B. 
The Committee may undertake special studies relating to the Economic Development Incentive Ordinance or economic development in the Borough. The Committee may hold public meetings, gather and print materials and/or retain outside assistance as it deems necessary. All appropriations of funds by the Committee must be approved by Borough Council.
C. 
The Committee may adopt rules, procedures and guidelines necessary for the purpose of administering this article; provided, however, that the Committee shall comply with all rules, policies, procedures, regulations and laws made applicable to it by Borough Council or the laws of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
D. 
A majority of the members shall constitute a quorum of the Committee for the purpose of conducting the business of the Committee, and for all other purposes, except as otherwise stated herein.
In accordance with § 179-6, within 10 days of its receipt of the application, the Committee will hold a meeting to determine whether to recommend that the application should be approved or denied by Borough Council (the "recommendation"). The recommendation will be established by majority vote of the Committee present at said meeting. The recommendation will be provided to Borough Council as soon as reasonably practicable and, on or about the same day as it is provided to Borough Council, the recommendation shall be mailed to the applicant.
The Committee shall function as an advisory body only and shall be restricted in its duties to applying the conditions, requirements and restrictions and standards imposed by the various rules, regulations and ordinances of the Borough as they apply to economic development in the Borough or any other such special duty as ascribed to the Committee by official action of Borough Council as evidenced by motion, resolution or ordinance of Borough Council.
Nothing herein contained shall limit the authority of Borough Council, and Borough Council may, by official action evidenced by motion, resolution or ordinance, change the duties and powers of the Committee or decrease or annul the same as it deems proper from time to time.
In the event Borough Council has authorized appropriation(s) of funds by the Committee, the Committee shall certify to Borough Council the appropriateness and accuracy of all bills for materials furnished and services rendered to it and shall provide to Council a periodic accounting of its receipts and expenditures.
A. 
The Committee shall provide Borough Council with monthly status reports to keep Borough Council informed of the activities of the Committee. In the event that the Committee has not held a meeting or has not conduct any business other than routine business, the Chairperson of the Committee shall provide a statement, in writing, to the Borough Council President to that effect in lieu of the monthly status report; provided, however, that the Borough Council President may still require the presentation of a monthly status report to be made at a Borough Council work session meeting.
B. 
Monthly status reports should be provided to Borough Council, in writing, in advance of each monthly Borough Council work session meeting whenever reasonably possible. In addition, a member shall be present at each monthly Borough Council work session meeting, whenever such a meeting is held, to provide Borough Council with a monthly status report and answer any questions Borough Council may have regarding the same.
The Committee shall keep a full record of its business and shall annually make a written report by March 1 of each year of its activities to the Borough Council. Interim reports may be provided at the option of the Committee or as required by the Borough Council of the Borough of Lansdale.