CROSS REFERENCES
Legislation by Council — See 3rd Class Charter Law § 606 et seq. (53 P.S. § 41606 et seq.).
Rules of Procedure — See ADM. 111.04.
Contracts; minimum wage rates, working conditions and printed matter — See ADM. 113.07.
[Ord. 52-2007, passed 9-19-2007; Ord. 16-2009, passed 4-1-2009]
(a) 
Regular meetings. Council shall hold regular meetings on the first and third Wednesdays of each month with the first meeting on the first Wednesday of the month commencing to 9:00 a.m. and the second meeting on the third Wednesday of the month commencing at 6:30 p.m. However, when the day for any regular meeting of Council falls upon a designated holiday, such regular meeting shall be held at the same hour at the next succeeding day not a holiday. Council may, however, upon a majority vote of the whole Council, reschedule such regular meeting so that the meeting scheduled may occur on the next regularly scheduled meeting date.
[Amended by Ord. No. 67-2023, passed 10-18-2023]
(b) 
Caucus meetings. Meetings will be held at least 30 minutes before all City Council meetings. Administrative personnel and individuals approved by the City Council President can attend to make presentations and answer questions concerning Agenda items.
[Ord. 16-2009, passed 4-1-2009; Ord. No. 67-2023, passed 10-18-2023]
(a) 
All meetings of Council shall be in the Council Chambers on the first floor of the Municipal Building. The display of placards and/or signs in the Council Chambers during such times as Council is in session is hereby banned; there shall be no political endorsements of individuals or candidates during City Council meetings and/or public hearings.
(b) 
However, Council may hold meetings in an alternate location, provided that the venue accommodates the needs of Council, the venue provides access to the public and all notices for such a meeting comply with Pennsylvania Sunshine Law[1] requirements.
[1]
Editor's Note: See 65 Pa.C.S.A. § 701 et seq.
[Ord. 8-1966 § 4, passed 3-9-1966]
The Mayor or President of Council may, and upon written request of the majority of Council shall, call a special meeting of Council. In such call, the business to be considered at the special meeting shall be designated and no other business shall be considered at such special meeting. Any such call for a special meeting shall be delivered to the members of Council not less than 24 hours prior to the time stated for such special meeting unless all of the members of Council execute a written waiver of such twenty-four hour notice prior to the commencement of such meeting.
[Ord. 8-1966 § 5, passed 3-9-1966; Ord. No. 67-2023, passed 10-18-2023]
All regular, caucus and special meetings of Council shall be open to the public.
[Ord. 68-1985 § 1, passed 11-13-1985; Ord. 32-1992 § 1, passed 6-17-1992; Ord. 49-2000, passed 9-6-2000]
Each ordinance and resolution shall be introduced in printed, typewritten or written form and shall be read and considered as provided by general law. All ordinances and resolutions shall be properly introduced by a member of Council and seconded by a member of Council. In the event that a member of Council introduces an ordinance or resolution requested by the Administrative Department of the City, the City Clerk shall, at the request of such member, note on the minutes of Council that such ordinance or resolution has been requested by the administrative branch of the City government. All resolutions submitted to Council and prepared by any individual(s), group(s) and/or organization(s) that have not been reviewed by Council and its Solicitor shall be automatically tabled for at least one meeting prior to any vote being taken on such resolution(s).
[Ord. 8-1966 § 7, passed 3-9-1966]
The vote upon every motion, resolution or ordinance shall be taken by roll call and the yeas and nays shall be entered on the minutes. Each member of Council shall vote on every matter presented to Council unless specifically excused or prevented therefrom by provisions of general law. Unless a member of Council is excused or prevented from voting, his failure to vote nay shall be recorded as an affirmative vote.
[Ord. 8-1966 § 8, passed 3-9-1966]
The minutes of every meeting of Council shall be signed by the President or the Acting President of Council and attested by the City Clerk.
[Ord. 55-1987 § 1, passed 8-26-1987; Ord. 26-1988 § 1, passed 4-6-1988; Ord. 16-2009, passed 4-1-2009]
All reports, communications, ordinances, resolutions, contract documents or other matters to be submitted to Council shall be filed in the office of City Clerk not later than Thursday at Noon preceding the regular bi-monthly meetings of Council, whereupon the City Clerk, with the approval of the Council President, shall immediately arrange an agenda or such matters according to the order of business. The City Clerk shall furnish each member of Council, the Mayor and Solicitor with a copy of the agenda as soon as possible after it is prepared.
Any ordinance or resolution which does not appear on the agenda may only be considered by Council upon the affirmative vote of five members of Council to so waive the rules.
[Ord. 16-2009, passed 4-1-2009]
The Order of Business of Council, in the consideration and disposition of matters coming before it, shall be as follows:
(a) 
Roll Call.
(b) 
Silent Meditation and Pledge of Allegiance.
[Amended by Ord. No. 67-2023, passed 10-18-2023]
(c) 
Approval of Minutes and Payment of Bills.
(d) 
Citizens to be heard. Any such person addressing Council shall step up to the front of the podium, shall give his/her/they name and municipality and, unless further time is granted by Council, shall limit his/her/they address to five minutes. All remarks shall be addressed to Council as a body and not to any member thereof. No person, other than a member of Council and the person having the floor, shall be permitted to enter into any discussion, either directly or through a member of Council, without the permission of the presiding officer. No question shall be asked a Councilperson except through the presiding officer. Reports from officials, boards, commissions and other bodies may be received, and also reading of written communications to Council on any matter concerning the City's business or any matter over which Council has control.
[Amended by Ord. No. 67-2023, passed 10-18-2023]
(e) 
Ordinances in strict order of Council file numbers, including action upon vetoed ordinances, starting with the lowest Council file number and proceeding forward in consecutive order through and including newly introduced ordinances.
(f) 
Old Business-resolutions or ordinances that have been addressed or acted on at previous City Council meetings.
(g) 
New Business-resolutions, transfers, contracts and purchase orders on the agenda of Council.
(h) 
Committee reports of Council. At the conclusion of the regularly scheduled meetings of Council, each member shall provide a report on matters pertaining to the Councilperson's Committee assignment and such report shall not exceed five minutes. The City Clerk shall be assigned the responsibility of monitoring each Councilperson's time usage.
[Amended by Ord. No. 67-2023, passed 10-18-2023]
(i) 
Adjournment. A motion to adjourn shall always be in order and shall be decided without debate.
[Ord. 16-2009, passed 4-1-2009; Ord. 9-2011, passed 2-16-2011; Ord. No. 67-2023, passed 10-18-2023]
The President of Council shall be presiding officer of Council. He/she/they shall be elected annually at the first meeting in January of each year and shall be eligible for reelection. The President of Council shall assume the duties of the Chair immediately after his/her/their election. He/she/they shall preserve strict order and decorum at all meetings of Council. He/she/they shall summarize every ordinance coming to vote and shall likewise announce the decision of Council on every final vote on the passage of ordinances and resolutions by signifying that Council adopts or fails to adopt the same. The presiding officer may move, second and debate measures from the Chair and shall not be deprived of any of the rights and privileges of a member of Council by reason of his/her/they acting as a presiding officer. A Vice President of Council shall also be elected annually at the first meeting in January of each year, whose duties include to preside over the meetings of City Council in the absence of the President of Council and to assist the President of Council in executing the duties of the President of Council or other duties as delegated by the President of Council.
[Ord. 8-1966 § 12, passed 3-9-1966; Ord. 16-2009, passed 4-1-2009]
(a) 
The Committee of the Whole shall be a permanent standing committee of Council. The President of Council shall be the presiding officer of the Committee of the Whole and the Rules of Procedure in Council shall be observed in the Committee of the Whole as far as the same may be applicable. The Committee of the Whole shall make its reports in writing and shall return the petition, resolution, account, ordinance or other papers submitted to it for consideration to Council.
(b) 
Liaison Chairpersons between Council and Departments of the City shall be appointed by the President of Council and shall have such duties and jurisdiction as designated by the President of Council. The Departments of the City include the Department of Public Safety, Department of Business Administration and Finance, Department of Public Works, Property and Parks, Department of Economic and Community Development and Department of Planning and Neighborhood Resources. The Liaison Chairperson shall study and become familiar with the work and operation of the respective spheres of the municipal government to which he/she/they may be assigned so that he/she/they may be able to make proper recommendations and furnish detailed information to Council when so requested.
[Amended by Ord. No. 67-2023, passed 10-18-2023]
(c) 
The proper Liaison Chairperson, together with the Council President, shall review the official agenda prior to the caucus session meeting and notify the Office of the Mayor, in writing, of any department directors or bureau chiefs or other employees of the City whose presence is requested at the caucus session meeting.
[Ord. 78-1970 § 6, passed 12-16-1970]
Robert's Rules of Order shall apply in any situation not otherwise covered by these Rules of Procedure and the City Solicitor is hereby designated as the official parliamentarian of Council.
[Ord. 16-1979 § 1, passed 1-31-1979; Ord. No. 67-2023, passed 10-18-2023]
Council shall be required to review all City budgets on a semiannual basis, in July and December of each year, and to include in this review the budgets for water, sewer, stormwater and/or any other enterprise funds. This section shall be added to and made mandatory upon the duties of Council and the City Administration.
[Ord. 19-1994 § 1, passed 3-2-1994]
The City Administration shall file a detailed written report, within one week of returning from any and all seminars and conferences attended by Administrative staff which are held outside the City.