The City Council, by a majority vote of its total membership,
shall appoint a City Solicitor for an indefinite term and shall fix
the Solicitor's compensation. The City Solicitor shall be an
official of the City and shall be appointed either on a full-time
basis or a part-time basis or on a retainer basis or a combination
thereof, where the Solicitor shall serve the City as needed and required.
The City Solicitor shall be admitted to practice before the Supreme
Court of Pennsylvania and may be one person or a law firm, partnership,
association or a similar professional entity.
The Council may, by a majority vote of its total membership,
remove the City Solicitor at any time, with or without cause.
The City Solicitor shall be the chief legal officer of the City.
The City Solicitor shall have the following powers and duties:
(1)
The City Solicitor shall furnish legal advice to the City Council,
to the Manager, and to all boards and commissions concerning any matter
or thing arising in connections with the exercise of their official
powers or performance of their official duties and, except as otherwise
expressly provided by the Council, shall supervise, direct and control
all of the law work of the City. In the event of legal conflict between
City Council and City Council-created boards or commissions, City
Council shall provide funds for legal counsel to that board or commission.
(2)
The City Solicitor shall, at the direction of Council, collect, or
cause to be collected, by suit or otherwise, all debts, taxes and
accounts due the City which shall be placed with the City Solicitor
for collection by any officer, department, board or commission, and
shall represent the City and every officer, department, board or commission
in all litigation.
(3)
The City Solicitor shall prepare or approve all contracts, bonds
and other instruments, in writing, in which the City is concerned,
and shall approve all surety bonds required to be given for the protection
of the City.
(4)
At the direction of the Council, the City Solicitor shall investigate
any violation or alleged violation within the City of statues of the
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania or of the United States of America or
of ordinances of the City or the County, and shall take such steps
and adopt such means as a may be reasonably necessary or appropriate
to enforce or cause the enforcement within the City of such statues
and ordinances.
(5)
Upon the request of the City Council or of the chairman of any committee
of City Council or the City Manager, the City Solicitor shall prepare
any ordinance or resolution for presentation before the City Council.
(6)
At the direction of the City Council the City Solicitor shall appear
for and represent the City, or, if appropriate, the residents of the
City as a class, on matters before the various regulatory agencies
of other governmental bodies.
