[1976 Code § 2-2.1]
The Governing Body shall consist of the Mayor and six Council
members, all of whom shall be elected at large in the Borough and
take office in the manner provided by law. Their term of office shall
commence January 1 next following their election.
[1976 Code § 2-2.2]
Pursuant to the Borough law, a vacancy occurring in the office
of the Mayor, whether by resignation or otherwise, shall be filled
by the Council until the next general election and until the election
and qualification of a successor. At such next general election the
person elected to fill such vacancy shall be elected for the unexpired
term only. All vacancies in other elected offices shall be filled
by nomination of the Mayor and appointment by him, with the advice
and consent of the Council members present at the meeting, provided
that at least three affirmative votes shall be required for such purpose,
the Mayor to have no vote thereon except in the case of a tie. All
appointments to fill vacancies on the Council shall be until January
1st following the next general election.
If such vacancies shall occur at so short a period of time before
the next general election that the office cannot be filled at the
election, the vacancy shall be filled in the same manner as though
it had occurred immediately after the election at the next subsequent
general election for such portion of the term, if any, as may still
remain unexpired. At such next general election the person elected
to fill the vacancy shall be elected for the unexpired term only.
[New]
Every person appointed by the Mayor, the Borough Council or
by the Governor to fill a vacancy, either for the unexpired term or
temporarily, shall have the qualifications required by Statute to
permit the appointee to qualify for election to the office, and if
the previous incumbent had been elected to office as the nominee of
a political party, the person so appointed shall be of the same political
party.
[1976 Code § 2-2.3]
The Council shall by resolution, adopt Rules of Procedure not
inconsistent with this Code. The Rules shall provide for standing
committees of the Council.
[1976 Code § 2-2.4]
Council shall take appropriate action to insure that ordinances
and resolutions of the preceding year are compiled or codified.
[1976 Code § 2-3; New]
The Council shall meet for organization on the 1st of January,
or during the first seven days in January in any year at the call
of the incoming Mayor. Thereafter, the Council shall meet regularly
within the Borough at such times and places as provided by the rules
of the Council. Except as permitted in the Open Public Meetings Act,
all regular meetings shall be open to the public. The Mayor shall,
when necessary, call special meetings of the Council. In case of his
neglect or refusal, any four members of the Council may call such
meetings at such time and place in the Borough as they may designate.
In all cases of special meetings, 24 hours' written notice (or actual
voice contact) shall be given to all members of the Council. Written
notice may be by leaving such notice at their places of residence.
[1976 Code § 2-4]
The Mayor shall preside over all meetings of the Council but
shall not vote except to give the deciding vote in the case of a tie.
Except as otherwise provided by statute, the Mayor shall nominate
and, with the advice and consent of the Council, appoint all officers
in the Borough. No appointments requiring Council approval and confirmation
shall be made except by a majority vote of the Council members present
at the meeting, provided that at least three affirmative votes shall
be required for such purpose, the Mayor to have no vote thereon except
in case of a tie. Vacancies in appointive offices shall be filled
by appointment in the same manner for the unexpired term only. The
Mayor shall make such nomination to fill a vacancy within 30 days
after the appointive office becomes vacant. If the Mayor fails to
nominate within 30 days or the Council fails to confirm any nomination
made by the Mayor, then, after the expiration of 30 days, the Council
shall appoint the officer.
The Mayor shall see that the laws of the State and the ordinances
of the Borough are faithfully executed, and shall recommend to the
Council such measures as he may deem necessary or expedient for the
welfare of the Borough. He shall maintain peace and good order and
have the power to suppress all riots and tumultuous assemblies in
the Borough.
The Mayor shall supervise the conduct and acts of all officers
in the Borough and shall execute all contracts made on behalf of the
Council.
[1976 Code § 2-5]
At an organizational meeting the Council by a majority vote
shall elect from their number a President of the Council, who shall
preside at all of its meetings when the Mayor does not preside. The
President of the Council shall hold office for one year and until
the next annual meeting. He shall have the right to debate and vote
on all questions before the Council. If the Council at its annual
meeting fails to elect a President, the Mayor shall appoint the President
from the Council and in that case no confirmation shall be necessary.
If the Mayor is absent from the Borough for a period of three consecutive
days or for any reason is unable to act, the President of the Council
shall perform all the duties of the Mayor during his absence or disability.
The Mayor, in case of his intended absence from the Borough for more
than three days at any one time, shall notify the President in writing
of such intended absence, whereupon the President shall be and become
Acting Mayor from the receipt of such notice and continue to act until
the Mayor's return. In case of the temporary inability of the President
to so act, the Council member having the longest term of service as
such may act temporarily for the President.
[New]
Borough ordinances shall be prepared by the Borough Attorney
and submitted in writing at a meeting of the Council and passed at
a subsequent meeting. No ordinance shall be finally passed except
by the vote of a majority of the members of the Council present at
the meeting, provided that at least three affirmative votes are required
for such purpose, the Mayor to have no vote except in the case of
a tie.
[New]
No ordinance shall be considered for final adoption until it
has been advertised as required by law. The Borough Clerk shall be
responsible for arranging for the advertising of proposed ordinances.
[New]
Within five days after its passage, Sundays excepted, every
ordinance passed by the Council shall be presented to the Mayor by
the Clerk, whose report shall be conclusive evidence that the ordinance
has been so presented.
If the Mayor approves an ordinance, he shall sign it within
10 days after he receives it, Sundays excepted, and file it with the
Clerk. If the Mayor does not approve an ordinance, he shall return
it within 10 days after he received it, Sundays excepted, with his
objections in writing to the Clerk. The Council shall cause the objections
to be entered at length on its minutes and may proceed to reconsider
the ordinance. If an ordinance contains more than one distinct section,
clause or item, the Mayor may approve one or more and veto the rest.
[New]
If 2/3 of the members of the Council vote to pass the ordinance
over the veto of the Mayor, the ordinance shall take effect according
to law.