The government of Allegheny County shall include
an elected County Council, an elected Chief Executive and an appointed
professional Manager.
[1]
Editor's Note: For additional information
regarding the organization of County government, see Administrative
Code Art. 201.
The office of County Commissioner is abolished
upon the swearing in of the County Council Members and the Chief Executive.
[Amended 5-17-2005]
The elected officers of the County shall consist
of 15 County Council Members, the Chief Executive, the District Attorney,
the Controller, the Sheriff and the Treasurer.
[1]
Editor's Note: For additional information
regarding the County Legislative and Executive Branches, see Administrative
Code Parts 3 and 4.
a)
Each elected officer of the County shall have been
a voter of the County for at least one year immediately preceding
election to the office or in the case of an appointment to fill a
vacancy in office, for at least one year immediately preceding appointment.
Each elected officer shall remain a voter of the County for the term
of office.
b)
Each County Council Member elected by district shall
have been a resident of that district for at least one year preceding
election to the office and shall remain a resident of that district
throughout the term of office. If, however, reapportionment results
in a district County Council Member being placed out of the district
from which the Member was elected, the Member shall be permitted to
complete the term.
c)
The Chief Executive shall be at least 25 years of
age.
a)
Unless otherwise required by law or this Charter,
all elected officers of the County shall be elected to four-year terms
and shall continue to serve in office until a successor is elected
and sworn in. All terms shall commence on the first business day of
January following the election, except for the filling of unexpired
terms in which case the term shall commence upon the swearing in of
the officer.
b)
The Chief Executive shall be limited to three consecutive
terms of office.
c)
County Council shall consist of 15 Members, two of
whom shall be elected at large and 13 of whom shall be elected by
district.
d)
Any political party or body shall be entitled to nominate
one candidate for the office of at-large County Council Member. In
the municipal election, each voter may vote for no more than one candidate
for the office of at-large Council Member and the two candidates receiving
the highest number of votes shall be elected as the at-large County
Council Members.
e)
At the first election under this Charter and at four
year intervals thereafter, the two at-large County Council Members
shall be elected.
f)
The terms of the district County Council Members shall
be staggered. At the first election under this Charter, seven of the
13 district County Council Members shall be elected to terms of four
years and six shall be elected to terms of two years. The districts
for which the County Council Members shall be elected to an initial
term of two years shall be determined by lot by the Board of Elections.
At all municipal elections thereafter, all district County Council
Members shall be elected to terms of four years.
[1]
Editor's Note: For additional information
regarding the County Council, see Administrative Code Art. 301.
a)
The Chief Executive shall not be a candidate for nomination
or election to more than one County office at the same time.
b)
A County Council Member shall not be a candidate for
nomination or election to any elected political office other than
that of County Council without having first resigned from County Council.
c)
County Council Members and the Chief Executive shall
not hold any other elected political office and, except as specifically
allowed by this Charter, shall not receive any salary, stipend or
other compensation from the County or any County authority.
a)
County Council Members shall not receive a salary
but may receive per-meeting stipends not to exceed in the aggregate
$9,000 annually per Member. The aggregate stipend may by ordinance
be increased by up to five percent every five years.
c)
County Council Members shall not be entitled to receive
any County funding for personal staff, local district offices or fringe
benefits including, but not limited to, health and life insurance,
pensions and personal motor vehicles.
d)
The Chief Executive's annual salary shall be $90,000
which may be adjusted annually as provided in the Administrative Code.
e)
Elected officers may be reimbursed for actual and
necessary expenses incurred in the performance of their official duties
in accordance with procedures established in the Administrative Code.
The reimbursement of the expenses of County Council Members shall
not exceed $3,000 per County Council Member per year. The expense
limit may by ordinance be increased by up to five percent every five
years.
f)
The appropriation in each annual operating budget
for County Council's per-meeting stipends, expenses, total staff compensation
and office expenses shall not exceed four-tenths of one percent of
the County's annual locally levied tax revenues as detailed in the
most recent audited financial report of the County.
g)
The appropriation in each annual operating budget
for the Chief Executive's compensation, expenses, total staff compensation
and office expenses shall not exceed two-tenths of one percent of
the County's annual locally levied tax revenues as detailed in the
most recent audited financial report of the County.
The Chief Executive or a County Council Member
shall forfeit office if, during the term of office, County Council
determines that he or she:
a)
lacks any qualification prescribed by law or by this
Charter;
b)
has been convicted of embezzlement of public moneys,
bribery, perjury or other infamous crime;
c)
has been found to be incapacitated by an appropriate
court; or
d)
has failed to perform his or her duties of office
as required by law, ordinance or this Charter for a period of 60 consecutive
days unless detained by sickness or prevented by necessary absence
from the County. No such office shall be declared forfeited for failure
to perform required duties until the holder of the office shall have
been given a hearing before County Council, at which time the holder
may show cause why he or she should not forfeit the office.
a)
The offices of Chief Executive or County Council Member
shall become vacant upon the officer's death, resignation or forfeiture
of office, or upon the failure of the officer to assume office after
election within 30 days after the scheduled commencement of the term.
b)
If a County Council seat becomes vacant, County Council
shall appoint an interim County Council Member within 30 days. The
interim County Council Member shall be qualified under this Charter
to be elected to such office and shall have the same political party
affiliation as the former County Council Member, or in the case of
a seat held by a person of no political party affiliation, shall have
no political party affiliation. The interim County Council Member
shall hold the vacated seat until the vacancy is filled at the next
available municipal election. The person elected at the next available
municipal election shall take office as soon as possible after the
certification of the election and shall serve the unexpired portion
of the vacated term.
c)
If the office of Chief Executive becomes vacant, County
Council, by an affirmative vote of a majority of the seated Members,
shall appoint an interim Chief Executive until the vacancy is filled
at the next available municipal election. If County Council fails
to appoint an interim Chief Executive within 30 days, the President
Judge of the Court of Common Pleas shall appoint an interim Chief
Executive until the vacancy is filled at the next available municipal
election.
