[Ord. 1974-8, 9/25/1974, § 1]
The Office of Township Manager is hereby created by the Township of Lower Swatara.
[Ord. 1974-8, 9/25/1974, § 2; as amended by Ord. 529, 3/16/2011, § I; and by Ord. No. 562, 12/16/2015]
The Manager shall be appointed for an indefinite term by a majority of all members of the Board of Commissioners. The Manager shall serve at the pleasure of the Board and he/she may be removed at any time by majority vote of all its members.
[Ord. 1974-8, 9/25/1974, § 3; as amended by Ord. 529, 3/16/2011, § I]
The Township Manager shall be selected on the basis of his or her executive and administrative qualifications with special emphasis on actual experience and knowledge of the accepted management practices with special reference to the duties of the office as herein outlined. The Manager shall serve a minimum six-month probationary period. The Manager need not be a resident of Lower Swatara Township at the time of employment, but it is preferred that the Manager become a resident of the Township within one year after successful completion of the probationary period. Residency in the Township is not required if the Manager lives within a ten-mile radius of the Township Municipal Building.
[Ord. 1974-8, 9/25/1974, § 4; as amended by Ord. 529, 3/16/2011, § I]
Before entering upon the Manager's duties, the individual shall give a bond to the Township, with a bonding company as surety, to be approved by the Board, in the sum of $10,000, conditioned for the faithful performance of duties. The premium shall be paid by the Township.
[Ord. 1974-8, 9/25/1974, § 5; as amended by Ord. 529, 3/16/2011, § I]
The salary of the Township Manager shall be fixed from time to time by ordinance.
[Ord. 1974-8, 9/25/1974, § 6; as amended by Ord. 529, 3/16/2011, § I]
The Manager shall be the Chief Administrator of the Township and shall be responsible to the Board as a whole for the proper and efficient administration of the affairs of the Township. The Manager's powers and duties shall relate to the general management of all Township business unless expressly imposed or conferred by statute upon other Township officers.
[Ord. 1974-8, 9/25/1974, § 7; as amended by Ord. 529, 3/16/2011, § I]
Subject to recall by ordinance of the Board, the powers and duties of the Township Manager shall include the following:
A. 
The Manager shall supervise and be responsible for the activities of all municipal departments presently existing or which may hereafter be established unless expressly delegated by statute or ordinance to other Township officers.
B. 
The Manager shall issue such administrative and personnel rules and regulations not in conflict with existing statutes or ordinances to properly carry out the duties contained in this Part. Such rules and regulations shall be subject to the approval by the Board of Commissioners by majority vote of all its members at any regular public meeting.
C. 
In accordance with such civil service or other rules and regulations as are or may hereinafter be established, the Manager shall hire, and when necessary for the good of the service, shall suspend, discharge or otherwise suspend any employee(s) under his/her supervision; provided, that the Manager shall report, at the next meeting thereafter of the Board, any action taken by authority of this subsection. All appointments and removals that occur at the department or division head level shall be discussed with the Board prior to any action being taken.
D. 
The Manager shall prepare and submit to the Board, before the close of each fiscal year, a budget for the next fiscal year. In preparing the budget, the Manager shall obtain from the head of each department, agency, board or officers, estimates of revenues and expenditures and other supporting data as requested. The Manager shall review such estimates and may revise them before submitting the budget to the Board of Commissioners. Said budget shall be accompanied by an explanatory message setting forth a summary of projected revenues and proposed expenditures, together with any supporting data as may be required to enable the Board of Commissioners to decide on the appropriate legislation. The Manager shall, upon adoption of the budget by the Board, be responsible for the efficient administration thereof so that the various appropriations are not exceeded, except as may be authorized by the Board by statute or ordinance.
E. 
The Manager shall, in conjunction with the preparation of the yearly budget, develop long-range fiscal plans for the Township, such plans to be presented annually to the Board for its review and adoption. The Manager shall make such recommendations to the Board of Commissioners concerning policy formulation as deemed desirable.
F. 
At such time as the Manager qualifies as a registered voter in Lower Swatara Township, the Manager shall hold the office of Township Secretary.
G. 
The Manager shall attend all meetings of the Board of Commissioners and its committees with the right to take part in the discussion and shall issue notice of all regular and special meetings to the Board and to its committees. The Manager shall prepare the agenda for each meeting of the Board and supply facts pertinent thereto.
H. 
The Manager shall hold such other municipal offices and head such Township departments as the Board may from time to time direct.
I. 
The Manager shall keep the Board informed as to conduct of Township affairs, submit periodic reports on the condition of the Township finances and such other reports as the Board may request and make such recommendations to the Board as deemed necessary.
J. 
The Manager shall prepare and submit to the Board of Commissioners and to the public annually a complete report on the financial and administrative activities of the Township for the preceding year, as soon as possible after the close of the fiscal year, but not later than the latest regular meeting in the month of March.
K. 
The Manager shall see that the provisions of all franchises, leases, permits and privileges granted by the Township are observed.
L. 
The Manager shall negotiate and present contracts to the Township for approval by the Board. The Manager shall supervise the performance and faithful execution of the same except insofar as such duties are expressly imposed upon some other Township officer by statute.
M. 
The Manager shall see that all money owed the Township is promptly paid and that proper proceedings are taken for the security and collection of all the Township claims.
N. 
The Manager shall be the purchasing agent for the Township and shall purchase, in accordance with the provisions of the Township Code, all supplies and equipment for the various agencies, boards, departments and other offices of the Township as is authorized by the Board in approving the annual operating budget. The Manager shall keep an account of all purchases and shall, from time to time or when directed by the Board, make a full written report thereof. The Manager shall also issue rules and regulations, subject to the approval of the Board, governing the requisitioning and purchasing of all municipal supplies and equipment.
O. 
All complaints regarding Township services shall be referred to the office of the Township Manager. The Manager, or an officer designated by the Manager, shall investigate and dispose of such complaints, and the Manager shall report thereon to the Board.
[Ord. 1974-8, 9/25/1974, § 8; as amended by Ord. 529, 3/16/2011, § I]
No individual member of the Board may dictate or attempt to dictate the hiring of any person to, or discharge from, municipal employment by the Manager, or in any manner take part in the hiring, suspending or discharging of employees in the administrative service of the Township except as required by the civil service provisions in the First Class Township Code.[1] Except for the purpose of inquiry, the Board and its committees and members shall deal with the administrative service solely through the Township Manager and neither the Board nor any of its committees or any of its members shall give orders, publicly or privately, to any subordinates of the Manager, except in an emergency situation. Emergency situations will be defined and established in general rules and regulations hereinafter promulgated.
[1]
Editor's Note: See 53 P.S. § 55101 et seq.
[Ord. 1974-8, 9/25/1974, § 9; as amended by Ord. 529, 3/16/2011, § I]
If the Manager becomes ill or needs to be absent from the Township, the Manager shall designate one qualified member of the staff who shall perform the duties during the Manager's absence or disability. The person so designated shall not perform such duties for a period longer than three weeks without the approval of the Board.
[Ord. 1972-8, 11/13/1972, § 1]
Under the authority of 53 P.S. § 55520, the office of an appointed auditor is hereby established. Hereafter, all Township accounts shall be audited by an independent auditor who shall be a certified public accountant, registered in Pennsylvania, a firm of certified public accountants, so registered, or a competent public accountant or a competent firm of public accounts. Effective January 1, 1973.