The Town Council of the Borough of Bellevue, hereinafter referred
to as "the Council," shall consist of nine members, three from each
of three compact and contiguous wards, elected by the qualified voters
in their respective wards. Said wards shall be as bounded and described
by ordinance and set forth in the official Ward Map of the Borough.
Modifications in the boundaries of said wards shall be made by ordinance;
provided, however, that no modifications of said wards shall be made
except to equalize the populations of the wards after each decennial
census of the population of the United States, or to effect any other
change required by the laws of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania or
of the United States.
Except as otherwise provided in § 2001 of this Charter,
the terms of all members of the Council shall be four years, commencing
at 8:00 p.m., prevailing time, on the first Monday of January of the
year following the year in which they are elected. The regular election
of Councilmen shall be held on the municipal election day as established
from time to time by the laws of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania,
commencing in the year 1975. Councilmen shall only be elected to replace
Councilmen whose terms expire the first Monday in January next following
such election or whose seats have fallen vacant.
The procedure for nomination and election of Councilmen shall
be established by the general laws of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
for municipal elections.
During 1976, each Councilman shall receive a salary at the same
annual rate as that received by the highest paid Councilman on January
1, 1975. Thereafter, each Councilman shall receive such salary as
the Council shall from time to time ordain. No ordinance increasing
such salary shall become effective until the date of the commencement
of the terms of Councilmen elected at the next municipal election
after such salary increase, and no ordinance fixing the salaries of
Councilmen shall be adopted less than nine months prior to a municipal
election. Councilmen shall receive no other compensation, direct or
indirect, for the performance of their duties; they shall receive
no pensions, insurance or other forms of fringe benefits. They shall,
however, be entitled to their actual expenses incurred in the performance
of their duties.
A Councilman shall be a citizen of the United States and shall
have been a resident of the ward from which he is elected for at least
three years next prior to the date of his election. He shall be a
qualified voter within the Borough on the date of his election.
All councilmanic authority shall be asserted by the councilmanic
body only. No individual Councilman shall have any authority whatsoever
under this Charter, unless such authority is specifically delegated
by the Charter or by the Council acting as a body.
No Councilman shall hold any other compensated Borough office
or Borough employment during the term for which he is elected to the
Council, nor shall be act as a paid consultant to the Borough or hold
any other elective public office, whether within the Borough or elsewhere,
until after the expiration of the term for which he was elected to
the Council.
The office of Councilman shall become vacant upon his death,
resignation, removal from office in any manner authorized by law or
this Charter, or forfeiture of his office, or for death or for failure
to assume such office after election thereto within 45 days after
the commencement of the term thereof. A Councilman shall forfeit his
office if he: (i) ceases to reside in the ward from which he is elected;
(ii) lacks at any time during his term of office any qualification
for the office prescribed by this Charter or by law; (iii) is convicted
of a felony; or (iv) fails to attend at least three consecutive regular
meetings of the Council without being excused by the Council. In the
case of failure of attendance, the Council shall declare such office
vacant at least 10 days before the same shall be filled by appointment.
If a vacancy shall occur in the office of Councilman for any
reason set forth in this Charter, such vacancy shall be filled in
the manner provided in § 2001 of this Charter.
The Council shall organize at 8:00 p.m., prevailing time, on
the first Monday of January of each even-numbered year, by electing
one of their number as President and one of their number as Vice President,
who shall hold such offices at the pleasure of the Council. If the
first Monday of January is a legal holiday, the meeting and organization
shall take place the first day following. The Council may transact
any further business it deems necessary or appropriate at the organization
meeting.
