[Charter, 5/21/1974, § 501]
1. All legislative
power of the Borough shall be vested in Council.
2. Council
shall have the power to enact, amend or repeal all ordinances and
resolutions not inconsistent with this Charter or with the laws of
the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
3. Council
shall have the power to create or abolish all boards, commissions,
committees, departments, offices or agencies.
4. Council
shall have the power to appoint and remove all members of boards,
commissions and committees and any and all members of its legislative
and legal staff.
5. Council
shall have the power to receive and accept all gifts or donations
or real and personal property or interest therein in the name of the
Borough.
6. Council,
as a body, or through a committee thereof, shall have the power to
make inquiries and investigations into the affairs of the Borough
and its government and into the conduct of any Borough department,
office or agency, or any of the committees thereof.
7. Council
shall have the power to hold public hearings on any matter. Notice
of every such hearing shall be given in the manner determined by Council,
and all interested persons shall have the opportunity to be heard.
[Charter, 5/21/1974, § 502]
1. Council
shall appoint a Borough Manager.
2. Council
shall adopt an administrative code within 12 months after the adoption
of this Charter, which establishes and defines the responsibilities
of the Borough departments and agencies, as well as such procedures
as it shall deem to be of basic importance in the operation of the
Borough government. Council shall have the continuing authority thereafter,
by amendment of the administrative code, to make changes in departmental
and administrative organizations and procedures.
3. Council
shall appoint the Borough Solicitor, who shall be an attorney at law
or a firm of attorneys. The Solicitor, and any subordinates that he
may be authorized to have in the Borough government, shall be directly
under the supervision and control of the Borough Council.
4. Council
shall adopt a personnel system which shall provide for the appointment,
promotion and removal of all appointed officers and employees of the
Borough. Such system shall provide, among other things, that all appointments
and promotions of appointed Borough officers and employees shall be
made solely on the basis of merit and fitness demonstrated by examination
or other evidence of competence. The nondiscrimination provisions
of § 301 of this Charter shall apply in any appointment
or promotion, and political affiliation or beliefs shall not be a
factor.
5. Council
shall adopt procedures which shall provide for the purchasing of products,
goods and services, the making of contracts and the sale or lease
of personal or real property of the Borough. Such procedures shall
provide for negotiated contracts, competitive bidding, detailed bidding
procedures, assurance of controls on aggregate spending, and safeguards
against special interests.
6. Whenever
a petition shall be presented to Council, signed by at least two percent
of the number of registered voters at the time of the most recent
municipal election, requesting that Council consider and take action
on the subject matter thereof, it shall be the duty of the Council
to place the subject matter of the petition on its agenda for a regular
or special meeting taking place within 2 months after receipt of the
petition. Prior notification of the time and place of such meeting
shall be published in a newspaper of general circulation within the
Borough. At such a meeting, Council shall consider and take action
on such matter. Provided: The same subject shall not be presented
to Council by petition pursuant to this Section more often than one
time in any 2-year period. Provided, further: This Section is not
intended to prevent any individual or group of individuals from petitioning
Council in any other legal manner.
[Charter, 5/21/1974, § 503]
1. Council
shall, in the conduct of its powers, be subject to the following limitations:
A. Individual Councilmen shall not exercise any power of Council unless
such authority shall be specifically delegated by Council or by this
Charter.
B. Except where authorized by law, no Councilman shall hold any other
Borough office or Borough employment during his term of office. No
Councilman shall resign his position to hold any compensated Borough
office or employment nor shall be act as a paid consultant to the
Borough concurrent with the term for which he was elected to the Council.
C. Neither Council nor any of its members shall in any manner dictate
activities or the appointment or removal of any Borough officer or
employee who is appointed by the Borough Manager; but Council or any
of its members may express its views and discuss with the Manager
anything pertaining to the activities or appointment or removal of
any of his subordinates.
D. All Councilmen present at a Council meeting shall be required to
vote on all issues and questions put to a vote of the Council, except
as the restrictions of this Charter of Council ordinance may take
effect. Any Councilman who shall have a special personal or financial
interest in a matter before Council shall abstain from voting on the
question.
[Charter, 5/21/1974, § 504]
1. The following
actions of the Borough Council shall be taken by ordinance:
A. Adoption of the Administrative Code, referred to in § 502.2
of this Charter.
B. Adoption of the Personnel System, referred to in § 502.4
of this Charter.
C. Adoption of procedures for purchasing of products, goods or services,
for the making of contracts and for the sale or lease of personal
or real property of the Borough, as referred to in § 502.5
of this Charter.
D. Adoption of tax levies and authorization for service charges, fees
and assessments.
E. Adoption of zoning ordinance.
G. Establishing land subdivision regulations.
H. Providing for land development and land use regulations.
I. The setting of Councilmanic salaries.
J. The codification of Borough ordinances.
K. Authorization for the borrowing of money.
L. All other actions which are legislative in nature, which affect or
regulate the conduct of the public, which create or establish any
long-term permanent physical change, right or privilege, or which
amend or repeal any previously enacted ordinance.
2. Ordinances
shall become effective following the carrying out of publication and
recording requirements; however, a later date may apply when required
by law or when specified in the ordinance.