The Planning Commission of the City of Sunbury is hereby created,
and all powers and duties thereof are hereby assigned to a Planning
Committee to be comprised of members appointed by the Sunbury City
Council. The Engineer for the City, or an engineer appointed by the
governing body, shall serve the planning agency as engineering advisor.
The Solicitor for the City, or an attorney appointed by the governing
body, shall serve the planning agency as legal advisor.
The City of Sunbury Planning Commission shall have not fewer
than three, nor more than nine, members. Without exception, members
of the Planning Commission may be reimbursed for necessary and reasonable
expenses. Further, elected or appointed officers or employees of the
municipality shall not, by reason of membership thereon, forfeit the
right to exercise the powers, perform the duties or receive the compensations
of the municipal offices held by them during such membership.
All of the members of the Planning Commission shall be residents
of the City of Sunbury. On all Planning Commissions appointed pursuant
hereto, a certain number of the members, designated as "citizen members,"
shall not be officers or employees of the municipality. On a Commission
of three members, at least two shall be citizen members. On a Commission
of four or five members, at least three shall be citizen members.
On a Commission of either six or seven members, at least five shall
be citizen members, and on Commissions of either eight or nine members,
at least six shall be citizen members.
Any member of the Planning Commission, once qualified and appointed,
may be removed from office for malfeasance, misfeasance or nonfeasance
in office or for other just cause by a majority vote of the Sunbury
City Council taken after the member has received 15 days' advance
notice of the intent to take such a vote. A hearing shall be held
in connection with the vote if the member shall request it in writing.
Any appointment to fill a vacancy created by removal shall be only
for the unexpired term.
The City Council may employ administrative and technical services
to aid in carrying out the duties of the Planning Commission either
as consultants on particular matters or as regular employees of the
City.
The Planning Commission may, with the consent of the City Council,
accept and utilize any funds, personnel or other assistance made available
by Northumberland County, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, or the
federal government or any of their agencies, or from private sources.
The City Council may enter into agreements or contracts regarding
the acceptance or utilization of the funds or assistance in accordance
with the governmental procedures of the City.
For the purposes of this chapter, the City Council may utilize
the authority granted under 53 Pa.C.S.A. §§ 2303(a)
(relating to intergovernmental cooperation authorized) and 2315 (relating
to effect of joint cooperation agreements).