[HISTORY: Adopted by the Board of Commissioners of the Township
of Robinson 1-6-1958 by Ord. No. 255-1958 (Ch. 1, Part 6B, of the 1989
Code). Amendments noted where applicable.]
[Added 1-3-1986 by Ord. No. 10-1985]
The compensation of the Board of Commissioners of Robinson Township
shall be $2,600 per year, payable quarterly.
[Added 8-14-1989 by Ord. No. 16-1989]
A.
Regular meetings. The regular meetings of the Board of Commissioners
of the Township of Robinson shall convene on every second Monday of
each calendar month, at the hour of 7:00 p.m., prevailing time, at
the Nike Site, Building No. 3, Ewing Mill Road, Robinson Township,
Allegheny County, Pennsylvania. Any regular meeting falling upon a
legal holiday or for any other reason that a change of the meeting
date is necessary, the Commissioners shall fix the date and time after
advertising and posting of the same pursuant to the requirements of
the laws of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
B.
Caucus meetings. The caucus meetings of the Board of Commissioners
of the Township of Robinson shall convene on every first Monday of
each calendar month, at the hour of 7:00 p.m., prevailing time, at
the Nike Site, Building No. 3, Ewing Mill Road, Robinson Township,
Allegheny County, Pennsylvania. Any regular meeting falling upon a
legal holiday or for any other reason that a change of the meeting
date is necessary, the Commissioners shall fix the date and time after
advertising and posting of the same pursuant to the requirements of
the laws of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
C.
Special meetings. Special meetings of the Township Board of Commissioners
shall be held on the second, third and fourth Monday of each month
at the hour of 7:00 p.m., prevailing at the Nike Site, Building No.
3 Ewing Mill Road, Robinson Township, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania.
In the event that any special meeting date falls upon a legal holiday
or for any other reason a change of the meeting date is necessary,
the Commissioners shall fix a date and time for the said special meeting
after advertising and posting the same pursuant to the requirements
of the Sunshine Act of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: See 65 Pa.C.S.A. § 701 et seq.
D.
Advertising meetings. All regular and special meetings shall be advertised
as required by law.
[Amended 5-7-1962 by Ord. No. 318-1962; 10-6-1975 by Ord. No.
255A-1975; 3-3-1980 by Ord. No. 4-1980; 8-14-1989 by Ord. No. 16-1989]
The following rules of order and procedure shall govern the
deliberations and meetings of the Township Board of Commissioners
and of committees thereof:
A.
The Board may, by a majority vote of those present, adjourn from
time to time to a specific date and hour.
B.
Agenda.
(1)
The business of the Board shall be conducted in the following order:
(a)
Call to order by the presiding officer.
(b)
Pledge of Allegiance.
(c)
Roll call; shall be made alphabetically. (If a quorum is not present, the meeting shall thereupon adjourn, which may be to a specific date pursuant to § 12-3A.
(d)
Approval of the minutes of the preceding meeting and rectifying
mistakes if any exist.
(e)
Comments and suggestions shall be heard from residents and taxpayers
concerning items not included on the agenda.
(f)
Old business.
(g)
New business.
(h)
Payment of bills.
(i)
Treasurer's report.
(j)
Engineer's report.
(k)
Solicitor's report.
(l)
Township Manager's report.
(m)
Comments and questions by Commissioners.
(n)
Adjournment.
(2)
In the absence of the Secretary, the President shall appoint a Secretary
pro tem.
C.
The President, at the stated hour, shall call the meeting to order.
He shall preserve order and decorum, decide all questions of order,
and conduct the proceedings of the meeting in accordance with the
parliamentary rules contained in Robert's Rules of Order, unless otherwise
provided by statute or by these rules. Any member shall have the right
of appeal from a decision of the presiding officer. No appeal shall
be debatable, and the appeal may be sustained by a majority of the
members present, exclusive of the President.
D.
If the President is absent at the designated time for any meeting,
the Vice President shall call the meeting to order and preside.
E.
Whenever the presiding officer shall desire to speak upon any question
or to make any motion, he shall vacate the chair and designate a Commissioner
to preside temporarily.
F.
Committees.
(1)
The following committees shall be appointed by the President at the
first regular meeting.
(2)
Each committee shall consist of three members, and the President
shall, ex officio, be Chairman of the Committee on Finance, unless
otherwise ordered by suspension of the rules. The chairmen of other
committees shall be designated by the Board of Township Commissioners.
Each member shall serve as appointed unless excused by a majority
of the members of the Board.
G.
All ordinances, resolutions, communications and other matters submitted
to the Township Board of Commissioners shall be read by title and
author and referred to the appropriate committee by the President.
The Secretary shall read and record each such reference by title.
Any Commissioner may require the reading, in full, of any matter at
any time it is before the Board. All bills and other financial claims
against the Township shall, upon receipt thereof, be immediately referred
by the President to the Committee on Finance for report thereon at
the ensuing meeting of the Board. Each committee shall, at the next
regular meeting, submit a written report on all matters referred to
it, unless a longer time is granted by vote of the Board, and such
report shall be entered in the proceedings. Such report shall recommend
a definite action by the Board on each item, shall be signed by a
majority of the committee, and shall be filed with the Secretary prior
to each meeting. Minority reports may be submitted. Previous notice
of each committee meeting shall be filed with the Secretary, and each
meeting shall be open to the public. Any committee may require any
Township officer to confer with it and supply information needed in
connection with any matter pending before the committee.
H.
An "aye" and "nay" vote shall be taken on each committee report immediately
following its submission, provided that any Commissioner may require
a separate vote on any ordinance, resolution or other matter in any
report. Action upon a specific matter included in any committee report
shall be deferred until the next regular meeting following the submission
of the report upon the request of any two Commissioners. The approval
of a committee report in which the adoption of an ordinance or resolution
is recommended shall comprise final action on such ordinance or resolution,
and likewise for other actions recommended by the committee on any
matter.
I.
No ordinance or resolution shall be considered by the Board unless
presented by a Commissioner.
J.
The deliberations of the Board shall be conducted in the following manner [§ 12-3B(1)(e) excepted]:
(1)
No Commissioner shall address the Board until he has been recognized
by the presiding officer. He shall thereupon address himself to the
President and confine his remarks to the question under discussion
and avoid all personalities.
(2)
When two or more members simultaneously seek recognition, the presiding
officer shall name the member who is to speak first.
(3)
No motion shall be discussed or acted upon unless and until it has
been seconded, unless the rules permit one Commissioner to initiate
action. No motion shall be withdrawn or amended without the consent
of the person making the same and the person seconding it.
(4)
When a question is under discussion no action shall be in order,
except: a) to adjourn; b) to lay on the table; c) the previous question;
d) to postpone to a certain day; e) refer to a committee; f) to amend;
g) to postpone indefinitely. These motions shall have precedence in
the order listed.
(5)
Any member desirous of terminating the debate may move the previous
question, in which event the President shall announce the question
as "Shall the main question now be put?" If a majority of the members
present vote in the affirmative, the main question shall be taken
without further debate, its effect being to put an end to all debate
and bring the Board to a direct vote, first upon any pending amendments,
and then upon the main question.
(6)
Any Commissioner may demand an "aye" and "nay" on any matter, and
such vote shall be entered in the proceedings. Every member shall
vote when a question is put unless the Board, by a majority vote of
those present, shall excuse him for special cause. A majority vote
of the quorum present in favor of any proposed ordinance, resolution
or appointment shall be necessary for passage or approval, unless
a larger number is required by statute.
(7)
The vote of the Board of Commissioners, in every matter voted upon,
shall be taken in alphabetical order.
(8)
A motion to adjourn shall always be in order, and a motion to adjourn,
to lay on the table, and a call for the previous question shall be
decided without debate.
K.
All ordinances or resolutions appropriating money or creating any
charge against the Township other than the payment of claims for purchase
or work previously authorized by the Board shall only be acted upon
by the Board at the next regular meeting, provided that this provision
may be suspended by affirmative action by 3/4 of all members of the
Board. A roll-call vote shall be taken and recorded on all appropriations.
L.
It shall be in order for any member voting in the majority to move
for a reconsideration of the vote of any question at that meeting
or at the succeeding regular meeting. A motion to reconsider being
put and lost shall not be renewed. A Commissioner may not change his
vote on any question after the result has been announced.
M.
Within not more than 10 days after each meeting of the Board, the
Secretary shall supply to each Commissioner at his residence a typewritten
copy of the proceedings thereof which is perforated for insertion
in a ring binder.
N.
These rules or any part thereof may be temporarily suspended in connection
with any matter under consideration by a recorded vote of 2/3 of the
members present.
