An advisory council to be known as the "Bethlehem Township Environmental
Advisory Council" is hereby created and shall continue to function
until this chapter is revoked.
The Environmental Advisory Council shall be composed of:
A. Nine residents of Bethlehem Township, Northampton County, Pennsylvania
(the "Council Members") comprising:
(1) Seven Council Members with voting power (the "Voting Council Members");
(2) One nonvoting Council Member enrolled as a high school student (the
"Junior Council Member"); and
(3) One nonvoting Council Member enrolled in a college or university
(the "Associate Council Member").
B. One nonvoting, adult representative residing in a neighboring Northampton
County municipality (the "Neighboring Representative").
Council Members shall be appointed in accordance with the following
procedures:
A. All Council Members and the Neighboring Representative shall be appointed
by the Board of Commissioners of Bethlehem Township.
B. Voting Council Members' terms of office shall expire on the
first Monday in January following the last year of their term of office.
C. Duly appointed Voting Council Members shall serve a term of three
years, except that initial appointments shall be so staggered that
the terms of approximately 1/3 of the membership shall expire each
year.
D. Whenever possible, one Voting Council Member shall also be a member
of the Bethlehem Township Planning Commission, and one Voting Council
Member shall also be a member of the Board of Commissioners of Bethlehem
Township.
E. The Junior Council Member, Associate Council Member and Neighboring
Representative shall serve a term of one year concluding on the First
Monday in January following their year in office.
Council Members and Neighboring Representative shall receive
no compensation for their services but may be reimbursed for the expenses
actually and necessarily incurred by them in the performance of their
duties.
The Environmental Advisory Council is to be advisory to and
shall coordinate its activities with the Board of Commissioners of
Bethlehem Township, Bethlehem Township staff, Bethlehem Township Planning
Commission, and other local governmental agencies.
The Board of Commissioners of Bethlehem Township shall designate
the Chairperson from the Voting Council Members of the Environmental
Advisory Council.
The Environmental Advisory Council shall have the power to:
A. Identify environmental problems and recommend plans and programs
to the appropriate agencies for the promotion and conservation of
the natural resources and for the protection and improvement of the
quality of the environment within Bethlehem Township.
B. Make recommendations as to the possible use of open land areas within
Bethlehem Township.
C. Promote a community environmental program.
D. Keep an index of all open areas, publicly or privately owned, including
flood-prone areas, swamps and other unique natural areas, for the
purpose of obtaining information on the proper use of those areas.
E. Advise the Bethlehem Township Planning Commission, Recreation Board,
Board of Commissioners or other relevant appointed bodies within Bethlehem
Township in the acquisition of both real and personal property by
gift, purchase, grant, bequest, easement, devise or lease, in matters
dealing with agricultural preservation, open space, and recreation.
The Environmental Advisory Council shall keep records of its
meetings and activities and shall make an annual report, which shall
be printed in an annual municipal report or otherwise made publicly
available. Minutes of each meeting shall be promptly forwarded to
the Board of Commissioners of Bethlehem Township.
The Board of Commissioners of Bethlehem Township may, from time
to time, appropriate funds for the expenses incurred by the Environmental
Advisory Council. Appropriations may be expended for those administrative,
professional, clerical, printing, engineering and legal services as
may be required. The whole or any part of any funds so appropriated
in any year may be placed in a conservation fund and allowed to accumulate
from year to year or may be expended in any year.