[HISTORY: Adopted by the Board of Supervisors of the Township
of Lower Paxton 9-3-1968 by Ord.
No. 68-08. Amendments noted where applicable.]
The office of Township Manager be and the same is hereby created
by the Township of Lower Paxton.
[Amended 8-17-1999 by Ord. No. 99-08]
As soon as practicable after the passage of this chapter, the
Board of Supervisors of Lower Paxton Township shall elect by vote
of a majority of its members one person, either male or female, to
fill said office, which person shall serve as Manager until the first
Monday of January next and thereafter until his successor is elected
and qualifies. The office shall be filled annually. In the case of
a vacancy in the position of Manager, the Board of Supervisors shall
by a vote of the majority of all the members of said Board fill said
office for the unexpired term. The Manager so appointed may be removed
by a majority vote of all of the members of the Board of Supervisors
for just cause at any time.
[Amended 8-21-2018 by Ord. No. 18-03]
The Manager shall be chosen solely on the basis of his executive
and administrative abilities, with special reference to his actual
experience in or his knowledge of accepted practices in respect to
the duties of his office as herein outlined.
Before entering upon his duties, the Manager shall give a bond
to Lower Paxton Township with a bonding company as surety, said bond
to be approved by the Board of Supervisors and to be in the amount
specified by the auditors of Lower Paxton Township. The premium for
said bond shall be paid by Lower Paxton Township.
[Amended 8-17-1999 by Ord. No. 99-08]
The salary of the Township Manager shall be fixed by the Board
of Supervisors.
A.
The Manager shall be the chief administrative officer of the Township
and he shall be responsible to the Board of Supervisors as a whole
for the proper and efficient administration of the affairs of the
Township. His powers and duties shall relate to the general management
of all Township business not expressly by statute, or otherwise by
law, imposed or conferred upon the Board of Supervisors.
B.
Said powers and duties, subject to recall, of the Township Manager
shall include the following:
(1)
He shall supervise and be responsible for the activities of all municipal
departments.
(2)
He shall have the authority to hire employees for all vacancies under
his supervision. When just cause exists, the Manager shall also have
the power to suspend or discharge Township employees. Within 24 hours
following any suspension or discharge, the Manager shall notify the
Chairman of the Board of Supervisors by telephone of the action taken
and shall also send all Board members written notice of the suspension
or discharge.
[Amended 12-17-1973 by Ord. No. 73-27; 10-25-1976 by Ord. No. 76-22; 5-14-1979 by Ord. No. 79-05]
(3)
He shall prepare and submit to the Board of Supervisors before the
close of the fiscal year, or on such alternate date as the Board of
Supervisors shall determine, a budget for the next fiscal year and
an explanatory budget message. In preparing the budget the Manager,
or an officer or employee designated by him, shall obtain from the
head of each department, agency, board or officer of the Township
estimates of revenues and expenditures and other supporting data as
he requires and requests. The Manager shall review such estimates
and may revise them before submitting the budget to the Board of Supervisors.
(4)
He shall be responsible for the administration of the budget after
its adoption by the Board of Supervisors.
(5)
He shall hold such other municipal offices as the Board of Supervisors
may from time to time direct.
[Amended 10-8-1970 by Ord. No. 70-06]
(6)
He shall attend all meetings of the Board of Supervisors with the
right to take part in discussion, and he shall receive notice of all
such meetings.
[Amended 12-17-1973 by Ord. No. 73-27]
(7)
He shall prepare the agenda for each meeting of the Board of Supervisors
and supply facts pertinent thereto.
(8)
He shall keep the Board of Supervisors informed as to the conduct
of Township affairs; submit periodic reports on the condition of the
Township finances and such other reports as the Board of Supervisors
may from time to time request; and shall make such recommendations
to the Board of Supervisors as he deems expedient and necessary.
(9)
He shall submit to the Board of Supervisors, as soon as possible
after the close of the fiscal year, a complete report on the financial
and administrative activities of the Township for the preceding year.
(10)
He shall see that the provisions of all franchises, leases, permits
and privileges granted by Lower Paxton Township are observed.
(11)
He may employ, by and with the approval of the Board of Supervisors,
experts and consultants to perform work and to advise him in connection
with any of the functions of the Township.
(12)
He shall attend to the letting of contracts, with prior approval
of the Board of Supervisors, in due form of law, and he shall supervise
the performance and faithful execution of the same.
(13)
He shall see that all money owed to the Township is promptly paid
or that proper proceedings are taken for the security and collection
of all Township claims, when not paid.
(14)
He shall be the purchasing officer of the Township and he shall purchase,
in accordance with law, all supplies and equipment for the various
agencies, boards, departments and other offices of the Township. He
shall keep an account of all purchases and shall, from time to time
as directed by the Board of Supervisors, make a full written report
thereof. He shall also issue rules and regulations subject to the
approval of the Board of Supervisors governing the requisition and
purchase of all municipal supplies and equipment. Notwithstanding
anything herein contained to the contrary, the Township Manager shall
not have the power and authority to make purchases or to enter into
contracts where, according to law, advertising is required, except
with the prior approval of the Board of Supervisors.
(15)
All complaints regarding services or personnel of the Township shall
be referred to the Manager. He, or an officer or employee designated
by him, shall investigate and resolve such complaints where possible,
and the Manager shall report thereon to the Board of Supervisors at
its next meeting.
(16)
Except for the purpose of inquiry, the Township Supervisors, commissions
and boards and its members shall deal with the administrative service
solely through the Township Manager or Assistant Township Manager,
and neither the Supervisors, except when acting as a Board or as a
duly authorized delegate of the Board, rather than as individuals,
nor any of its commissions, boards or committees nor any of its individual
members shall give orders publicly or privately to any subordinate
of the Manager.
[Added 12-17-1973 by Ord.
No. 73-27]
(17)
The Township Manager is hereby authorized to declare a local disaster
emergency upon finding that a disaster has occurred or is imminent
in accordance with the provisions of Section 7501(b) of Act 323 of
1978.3 Within 24 hours following any declaration
of disaster emergency, the Manager shall notify the Chairman of the
Board of Supervisors by telephone of the action taken and shall also
send all Board members written notice of the action taken.
[Added 5-14-1979 by Ord.
No. 79-05]
