City of Easton, PA Chapter 45 Departments

[HISTORY: Adopted by the Council of the City of Easton as Art. 111 of the 1965 Codified Ordinances amended in its entirety 4-22-2015 by Ord. No. 5490. Subsequent amendments noted where applicable.]

§ 45-1 Division into departments.

The administrative functions, powers and duties of the City shall be divided under the City Administrator and the Mayor into the following departments:

A. [1]Department of Community and Economic Development.

[1] Editor's Note: Former Subsection A, regarding the Department of Codes, was repealed 6-27-2018 by Ord. No. 5645.

B. Department of Finance.

C. Department of Planning and Codes.

[Amended 6-27-2018 by Ord. No. 5645]

D. Department of Public Works.

E. Department of Police.

F. Department of Fire.

§ 45-2 Directors; appointment and duties.

A. Directors of departments shall be appointed according to law.

B. Under direction and supervision of the City Administrator and the Mayor, each director of a department shall direct the performance of all duties and responsibilities required of his or her department or its subordinate agencies pursuant to law.

§ 45-3 Director of Community and Economic Development. [1]

[Amended 12-9-2015 by Ord. No. 5531]

The Director of Community and Economic Development will serve as the Director of the Department.

[1] Editor's Note: Former § 45-3, Department of Codes, was repealed 6-28-2018 by Ord. No. 5645. This ordinance also provided for the redesignation of former §§ 45-4 through 45-11 as §§ 45-3 through 45-10, respectively.

§ 45-4 Director of Finance.

A. Director. The Director of Finance will oversee all collections of revenue, grant funding and bond administration.

B. Areas of responsibility. All fiscal and administrative service related to the following functions, powers and duties are allocated and assigned to the Department of Finance:

(1) Personnel.

(2) Accounting, payrolls and billing.

(3) Budgeting and centralized purchasing.

§ 45-5 Department of Planning and Codes.

[Amended 12-9-2015 by Ord. No. 5531; 6-28-2018 by Ord. No. 5645]

A. Director. The Director of the Department of Planning and Codes shall be known as the "Director of Planning and Codes."

B. Planning. There is established a Bureau of Planning to be headed by a Chief Planner, or in absence thereof, the Director of Planning and Codes.

C. Zoning administration. The Director of Planning and Codes will serve as the Zoning Administrator or designate someone in that position.

D. Areas of responsibility. Except as otherwise provided herein, all functions, powers and duties related to the following municipal activities are allocated and assigned to the Department of Planning and Codes:

(1) Coordination of all activity of the City with the following:

(a) Easton Planning Commission.

(b) Zoning Hearing Board.

(2) All administrative functions, powers and duties related to the following:

(a) Planning;

(b) Zoning; and

(c) Such other activities as may be deemed advisable by the City Administrator and the Mayor.

(3) Codes. There is established a Bureau of Codes to be headed by the Chief Code Administrator.

(a) The Chief Codes Administrator shall also serve as the Chief Building Officer, and the Bureau shall enforce the following codes:

[1] Housing Code.

[2] Zoning Ordinance.

[3] PA Uniform Construction Code.

[4] Bureaus.

[a] Bureau of Codes Compliance, Rental Inspection and Buyer Notification.

(4) Bureau of Health. There is established, under the Department of Planning and Codes, a Bureau of Health to be headed by the Chief Health Administrator. Such Bureau shall be responsible for the enforcement of the Health Code.

(5) All powers and duties outlined in Article II, Section 209, of the Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code which are not otherwise specifically allocated and assigned by ordinance to the Planning Commission of the City of Easton.

§ 45-6 Department of Public Works.

A. Director. The Director of the Department of Public Works shall be known as the "Director of Public Works."

B. All administrative functions, powers and duties related to the following are allocated and assigned to the Department of Public Works:

(1) Engineering.

(2) Streets.

(3) Wastewater treatment and collection.

(4) Recreation and parks.

(5) Public buildings.

(6) City service center, sanitation and recycling.

(7) Parking facilities.

(8) Streetlights.

(9) Such other functions as by law or ordinance shall be assigned to this Department.

§ 45-7 Department of Police.

A. The Director of the Department of Police shall be known as the "Chief of Police," who shall be selected from the force as provided in the general law. The Chief of Police shall have and perform all such responsibilities, duties and functions as are set forth in the general law and this section; there shall be one Chief of Police in the City appointed as provided herein.

B. All functions, powers and duties related to law enforcement shall be performed by the Department of Police, including all law enforcement functions, powers and duties not otherwise allocated or assigned to any other office or department by ordinance or law.

§ 45-8 Department of Fire.

A. The Director of the Department of Fire shall be known as the "Fire Chief," who shall be selected as provided in the general law. The Fire Chief shall have and perform all such responsibilities, duties and functions as are set forth in the general law and this section; there shall be one Fire Chief in the City appointed as provided herein.

B. All functions, powers and duties related to fire prevention, extinguishment, and all such functions, powers and duties concerning fire safety not otherwise allocated or assigned to any other office or department by ordinance or law shall be performed by the Department of Fire.

§ 45-9 Authority of department directors.

The director of any department shall have supervision of any matter, thing or office prescribed for such department by law, ordinance or action of Council.

§ 45-10 City Administrator's Office.

A. The City Administrator shall serve as the Chief Administrative Office and shall carry out all responsibilities and duties as required by law and the Home Rule Charter.

B. Pension plan administration. The City Administrator shall serve as the chief administrative officer and shall carry out all responsibilities and duties as required by law.

C. The Human Resource Office and Information Technology office will report to the City Administrator.

D. The City Administrator's performance shall be evaluated at least once annually. The first evaluation shall be 45 days prior to the start of the fiscal year, and each subsequent evaluation shall commence in June of each year thereafter.

[Added 9-23-2020 by Ord. No. 5716]