A. 
Organizational meeting. The Commissioners shall meet for organization in the Township Building on the first Monday of January of each even-numbered year at a time to be advertised by the Township Secretary. If the first Monday is a legal holiday, the meeting shall be held the first day following at the same time and place. The first order of business shall be the election of a President and a Vice President of the Board and such other officers as are required by the First Class Township Code[1] and as the Board may deem appropriate. Until a President is elected, the Township Secretary shall preside at the organizational meeting.
[Amended 3-16-2022 by Ord. No. 4238]
[1]
Editor's Note: See 53 P.S. § 55101 et seq.
B. 
Monthly meetings. Stated meetings of the Board shall be held in the Township Building on the third Wednesday of each month at a time to be advertised by the Township Secretary, except that the meeting in the month of August shall be held during the first week of the month at a day and time to be advertised by the Township Secretary. If no quorum is present at a stated monthly or special meeting, a majority of those who do meet may agree upon another date for a meeting and may continue to do so until a meeting is held.
[Amended 3-16-2022 by Ord. No. 4238]
C. 
Special meetings. Special meetings may be called by the President of the Board or upon the written request of five members of the Board. If the President shall fail to do so within seven days after receipt of such written request, the Township Secretary is required to call such meeting promptly. A written notice shall be delivered via email or other available means to each Board member at least 24 hours before a special meeting is held. Such notice shall specify the time and place of the special meeting and the business to be transacted. Presence at a special meeting by a Commissioner shall constitute waiver of notice.
[Amended 12-18-1996 by Ord. No. 3435; 3-16-2022 by Ord. No. 4238]
D. 
Executive sessions. The Board may hold executive sessions as permitted by law.
A. 
President.
[Amended 12-18-1996 by Ord. No. 3435]
(1) 
The President shall be elected by the Commissioners at the organizational meeting to serve for a term of two years and until his/her successor shall be duly elected and qualified.
(2) 
The President shall appoint, not later than the second stated meeting in each year, all committees and their chairs and vice chairs.
(3) 
The President shall have the power to appoint such special or ad hoc committees as he/she may deem necessary.
[Amended 3-16-2022 by Ord. No. 4238]
(4) 
The President may remove for cause a committee chair or vice chair and shall appoint members to fill vacancies.
(5) 
In the case of death, resignation or permanent disability of the President, the Commissioners shall elect, at their next stated meeting, his/her successor to serve for the balance of the elected term.
B. 
Vice President.
(1) 
The Vice President shall be elected by the Commissioners at the organizational meeting to serve for a term of two years and until his/her successor shall be duly elected and qualified.
(2) 
The Vice President shall perform the duties of the President in the absence of the President and also, in the event of the death, resignation or permanent disability of the President, until the election of a President.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: Former Subsection B(3), indicating that the Vice President shall be the ex officio member of all committees, which immediately followed this subsection, was repealed 12-18-1996 by Ord. No. 3435.
C. 
If both the President and the Vice President are absent from any meeting, a Chairman Pro Tempore shall be chosen by the Commissioners.
[Amended 7-20-1988 by Ord. No. 3099; 12-18-1996 by Ord. No. 3435; 3-15-2000 by Ord. No. 3559; 7-19-2000 by Ord. No. 3577; 7-17-2002 by Ord. No. 3650; 2-15-2006 by Ord. No. 3769; 3-16-2022 by Ord. No. 4238]
A. 
Enumeration and jurisdiction.
(1) 
There shall be the following permanent committees of the Board of Commissioners, each with a Chair or Co-Chairs and a Vice Chair or Vice Chairs:
(a) 
Administrative and Human Resources Committee.
(b) 
Building and Planning Committee.
(c) 
Economic Development Committee.
(d) 
Finance Committee.
(e) 
Fire Committee.
(f) 
Grants and Community Development.
(g) 
Health Committee.
(h) 
Intergovernmental Relations.
(i) 
Legal Affairs Committee.
(j) 
Library Committee.
(k) 
Open Space and Township Properties Committee.
(l) 
Parks and Recreation Committee.
(m) 
Police Committee.
(n) 
Public Works Committee.
(o) 
Sustainability Committee.
(2) 
The jurisdiction of each committee as to the various classes of matters assigned to it shall be at the direction of the President of the Board of Commissioners upon consultation with the Board.
B. 
The committees of the Board of Commissioners shall be concerned with, receive all reports on and recommend to the Commissioners the formulation of policy and courses of action in their respective areas of responsibility.
C. 
Each committee shall have such other areas of responsibility as may be assigned to it by the President of the Board of Commissioners.
D. 
Each committee shall meet upon the call of its Chair and of the President of the Board of Commissioners.
E. 
Each committee shall report to the Board of Commissioners as may be requested by the President of the Board of Commissioners.
F. 
All Board members shall be voting members of all committees.
G. 
Five members of a committee of the whole shall constitute a quorum.
H. 
Nothing herein contained shall impair the power of the Commissioners to act in the absence of committee action or to require committee action before any matter is voted upon by the Board of Commissioners.
I. 
The Township Secretary or the Township Secretary's designee shall attend all committee meetings and take minutes of such committee meetings, said minutes to be distributed to all members of the Board of Commissioners and to such members of the staff as directed by the Township Manager.
J. 
The President or the Board by majority vote may appoint, from time to time, ad hoc committees to assist with the carrying out of the Board's functions. The President shall appoint the Chair and Vice Chair for each ad hoc committee. Any such ad hoc committee shall thereafter periodically report to the Board regarding its recommendations and activities.
A. 
Unless otherwise provided by law or this code, all actions of the Commissioners shall be by majority voice vote of those Commissioners present and voting. A Commissioner may not participate in the discussion or vote on any matter in which he/she has a personal or pecuniary interest. If present, a Commissioner with a personal or pecuniary interest in a matter before the Board shall announce such interest and request that his/her vote be recorded as an abstention. A Commissioner who abstains from voting, for whatever reason, shall not be counted in determining a majority and shall not thereby cause the loss of a quorum.
[Amended 5-16-1984 by Ord. No. 2052; 12-18-1996 by Ord. No. 3435]
B. 
The presence of a majority of the Commissioners shall constitute a quorum. Once a quorum is constituted, the subsequent withdrawal of one or more Commissioners shall not invalidate further actions of the Board.
C. 
If, upon the call of the roll, a quorum is not present, the presiding officer shall order a recess for a period of not more than 30 minutes, and if a quorum is not present by that time, the presiding officer shall declare the meeting adjourned.
D. 
Robert's Rules of Order, Newly Revised, shall govern the parliamentary procedures of the Commissioners at their meetings, unless otherwise provided in this code.
A. 
The proposed agenda for any regular or special meeting of the Board shall be prepared by the Township Secretary in consultation with the President and the Township Manager.
B. 
The proposed agenda for any stated meeting shall be forwarded to all members of the Board and shall be available to the public at least 48 hours prior to the stated monthly meeting. In addition, the agenda for stated monthly meetings, adjourned monthly meetings and special meetings shall be available in the Township Building and through other means as deemed appropriate.
[Amended 3-16-2022 by Ord. No. 4238]
C. 
The title of any ordinance or resolution to be considered shall be published as part of the agenda.
D. 
The published agenda may be amended at the meeting by a majority of the members present and voting, plus one. No matters other than those on the agenda, as amended, shall be acted upon by the Board of Commissioners unless approved by the vote of a majority of the Commissioners present, plus one. Amendment of the agenda shall mean adding business to or deleting business from the agenda.
[Amended 12-18-1996 by Ord. No. 3435]
E. 
The business of the Board of Commissioners shall be taken up for consideration and disposition in the order determined by the Board President, Township Manager and Township Secretary as set forth in the agenda.
[Amended 12-18-1996 by Ord. No. 3435; 3-16-2022 by Ord. No. 4238]
A. 
At the time appointed for any meeting of the Board, the President or, in his/her absence, the designated presiding officer shall take the Chair and call the meeting to order. If a quorum is present, as provided in this chapter, the presiding officer shall proceed with the order of business prescribed for the meeting.
B. 
The roll of members shall be called alphabetically, except that the President shall be called last.
C. 
The presiding officer shall announce all decisions of the Board and shall decide all questions of order without debate, subject, however, to an appeal of any Board member. Any ruling by the presiding officer may be overruled by a majority of the members present.
D. 
Every member of the Board desiring to speak shall address the Chair and, upon recognition by the presiding officer, shall confine remarks to the question under debate, avoiding all indecorous language or reference to personalities. A member of the Board, once recognized, shall not be interrupted when speaking unless it is for the purpose of calling such person to order. If a member of the Board, while speaking, is called to order, that person shall cease speaking until the question of order is determined. When two or more members request the floor at the same time, the presiding officer shall name the one entitled to the floor.
[Amended 12-18-1996 by Ord. No. 3435]
E. 
The presiding officer shall be responsible for the orderly conduct of business at each Board meeting and shall preserve order and decorum at such meetings.
F. 
While the Board is in session, the members of the Board must preserve order and decorum, and no Board member shall, by conversation or otherwise, delay or interrupt the proceedings or the peace of the Board or disturb any member of the Board while speaking or refuse to obey the orders of the presiding officer or of the Board except as otherwise herein provided.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: Former Subsection G, which immediately followed this subsection and set forth the persons who were permitted within the rail in front of the Board Room without the consent of the Board, was repealed 3-16-2022 by Ord. No. 4238.
A. 
A citizen shall be provided a reasonable opportunity to address the Board on any agenda item or any public matter in which the Township has jurisdiction or authority. This privilege shall occur during the part of the agenda entitled "Public Comment" and "Public Privilege of the Floor."
[Amended 12-18-1996 by Ord. No. 3435]
B. 
In the case of a nonagenda item, citizens are requested, but not required, to present the matter to a member of the Board or administrative staff in an attempt to resolve the matter beforehand.
C. 
The presiding officer may impose a time limit during which each person may speak, giving equal time to all. If the presiding officer determines that there is not sufficient time at the meeting, the comment period may be deferred to the next regular meeting or special meeting occurring in advance of the next meeting.
[Amended 12-18-1996 by Ord. No. 3435; 3-16-2022 by Ord. No. 4238]
D. 
When a group of persons wishes to address the Board on the same subject matter, it shall be proper for the presiding officer to request that a spokesperson be chosen by the group to address the Board and to limit the number of persons addressing the Board on the same matter so as to avoid unnecessary repetition.
E. 
Any person making offensive, insulting, threatening, slanderous or obscene remarks or who makes threats against any person or against public order and security while in the Board Room shall, notwithstanding the provisions of § 7-11, be forthwith removed at the direction of the presiding officer from further audience at the meeting.
[Amended 3-16-2022 by Ord. No. 4238]
F. 
Enforcement of decorum. The Superintendent of Police shall be ex officio Sergeant at Arms of the Board. He/she shall carry out all orders and instructions given him/her by the presiding officer for the purpose of maintaining order and decorum in the Board Room. Upon instructions of the presiding officer, it shall be the duty of any police officer present to eject any such person from the Board Room or place him/her under arrest, or both.