[Adopted 10-13-2020 by Ord. No. 12-2020]
An Environmental Advisory Board ("Board") is hereby created, in and for the City of Monessen, Westmoreland County, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
A. 
Board membership and qualifications. The Board shall be composed of five members, who shall be appointed by the Mayor and City Council and shall serve without compensation. The Mayor and Council shall reserve three appointments for members who have experience in environmental studies, civil planning, modern sustainability practices, or any related, relevant field. In an instance where there are less than three applicants with experience in environmental studies, civil planning, modern sustainability practices, or any related, relevant field, the Mayor and City Council may fill those remaining seats with applicants who have no experience. The Mayor and City Council have the option to further appoint a liaison from their membership to the Board for the purpose of keeping City Council informed of Board activities. Such liaison will be a nonvoting member of the Environmental Advisory Board and shall not be counted as one of the five appointed members of the Board.
B. 
Term of Board members. The Mayor and Council shall appoint the initial members of the Board for the following terms retroactive to the first Monday of January 2020: two members shall be appointed to serve a term of three years; and three members shall be appointed to serve a term of two years. Each term shall remain in full force and effect until the first Monday of January, upon the expiration of any term. On the expiration of any term of any of the initial members, a successor shall be appointed by the Mayor and Council to serve a term of three years. Successors may continue to serve beyond the expiration of their term if there is a delay in appointing their successors.
C. 
Appointment of nonresidents. At the discretion of the Mayor and City Council, not more than two members who reside outside of the City of Monessen may be appointed to the Environmental Advisory Board.
D. 
Vacancies. In the event that a vacancy shall occur during the term of any member, a successor shall be appointed for the unexpired portion of the term.
E. 
Operation. The Board shall choose its own officers, make its own standing rules and regulations, unless otherwise stated by this article, and keep a journal of its proceedings, which shall be reported to Mayor and City Council for public review on a regular basis. A majority of the members shall be a quorum for the transaction of business. In addition to submitting regular reports and minutes, the Board shall be required to submit to City Council an annual report of is activities and official actions for the ending calendar year. This shall be done in December of each year. The monthly and annual reports shall be made publicly available.
(1) 
Meetings. The Board shall meet, at a minimum, once per month at Monessen City Hall, at a time determined by the vote of its members.
(2) 
Officers. The appointed members of the Environmental Advisory Board, at its first regularly scheduled meeting of each calendar year, shall designate the following officers of the Board: Chairperson, Vice Chairperson, and Secretary.
A. 
Purpose. The purpose of the Environmental Advisory Board of the City of Monessen is to advise the City of Monessen on matters dealing with protection, conservation, management and use of natural resources, including air, tree, land and water resources located within the limits of the City of Monessen; to assist in the ongoing efforts of the City of Monessen to preserve open space within the City; to help educate residents of the City of Monessen about the importance of environmental protection; to better activate and seek creative uses for the abundance of City-owned vacant lots in Monessen that shall help the common good - these uses shall be geared towards sustainable and environmentally conscious practices, such as urban farming, apiaries, and other creative and productive solutions; to help the City of Monessen take official steps to make decisions that are sustainable, both environmentally and practically; and to work with the City Engineer to help educate the public on the City's MS4 program and other environmental programming.
B. 
Powers and duties. Furthermore, the Board shall have the following advisory powers and duties:
(1) 
To identify environmental problems and recommend plans and programs for their resolution to the appropriate governmental agency of the City of Monessen, which shall include, but not be limited to, the Planning Commission, the City Engineer, and the Mayor and Council.
(2) 
To make recommendations on the possible use of open land areas in the City.
(3) 
To keep an index of all open areas in the City, publicly or privately owned, including, but not limited to, flood-prone areas, swamps, and other unique natural areas, for the purpose of obtaining information on the proper use of such areas.
(4) 
Review of all land development plans to encourage use of native plants and environmentally sustainable practices where feasible.
(5) 
Conducting environmental public outreach through the development of educational programs and materials to inform residents on issues and remedial actions they can participate in to improve the environment. These include protection of the tree canopy, use of native noninvasive plants, encouraging water conservation and limiting residential pesticide use, reducing carbon emissions and nonrecycled waste, composting, and addressing litter and throughout the City.
(6) 
Advise and implement a Sustainable Pennsylvania Program in the City of Monessen.
(a) 
The Sustainable Pennsylvania Community Certification, a project of the Pennsylvania Municipal League and Sustainable Pittsburgh, is a voluntary performance recognition program designed to help municipalities achieve sustainability goals, which in turn will allow them to save money, conserve resources, and encourage innovation. The program is intended to bring recognition to municipalities that are applying the policy and practice of sustainability; municipalities that incorporate sustainable practices into their operations also foster community prosperity. The program provides communities with an on-line structure and performance platform for recognition as they adopt sustainable policies and practices.
A. 
Appropriations and expenditures. The Mayor and City Council may appropriate funds for the expenses incurred by the Environmental Advisory Board. Appropriations may be expended for such administrative, clerical, printing and legal services as may from time to time be required and as shall be within the limit of funds appropriated to the Environmental Advisory Board. The whole or part of any funds so appropriated in any year may be placed in a conservation fund allowed to accumulate from year to year or be expended in any year. The Mayor and Council must approve all expenditures of the Board.
B. 
Additional funding. The Board may seek funding for specific programs and projects pursued by the Environmental Advisory Board on behalf of the City of Monessen, with the approval of the Mayor and City Council. Sources of funding include grants and other forms of financial assistance from county and state agencies.
All ordinances or resolutions or parts of ordinances or resolutions insofar as they are inconsistent herewith are hereby repealed and rescinded.
In the event any provision, section, sentence, clause or part of this article shall be held to be invalid, such invalidity shall not affect or impair any of the remaining provisions, sections, sentences, clauses, or parts of this article, it being the intent of the City of Monessen that the remainder of the article shall be and shall remain in full force and effect.
This article shall come into effect 10 days after enactment.