Home Rule Charter Amendment

Amend the township home rule charter to make various changes to township government

Shall the Tredyffrin Township Home Rule Charter be amended to:

(1) delete “except for the first Board to serve under this Charter, the members of which will serve for staggered terms as provided in § 1201 of this Charter” from Art. II., § 202; (2) clarify that the office of Supervisor shall be forfeited if the person is convicted of a crime that is
comparable to a misdemeanor of the second degree or higher under Pennsylvania law;
(3) amend the rate of compensation for Supervisors from $1,500 to $3,000 per annum
and remove the reference to the first four years that this Charter is in effect from Art. II.,
§ 208(A); (4) clarify that notice of special meetings shall be prominently posted at the
township office, and as otherwise approved by the Board; (5) clarify that a quorum of
the Board may be established by in-person presence of Board members and by
electronic means; (6) amend Art. II., § 210(C) to be consistent with the Pennsylvania
Sunshine Act; (7) clarify that voting on ordinances and resolutions shall be by roll call
vote of the Board and that all other votes may be by motion of the Board with each
Board member’s vote recorded in the public meeting minutes; (8) provide that copies of
the minutes of the meetings of the Board shall be available to the public at no cost; (9)
amend that the meeting agenda shall be available at least twenty-four hours prior to the
start of the meeting; (10) clarify that it is the duty of the Board to adopt an Administrative
Code defining the organization and assignment of duties and responsibilities of
township officers and employees; (11) clarify that it is the duty of the Board to initiate by
motion, resolution, or ordinance inquiries and investigations in aid of its legislative
functions; (12) abolish the elected position of Auditor and replace it with an appointed,
independent auditor; (13) delete the following provisions in their entirety: Art. IV. Elected
Tax Collector; Art. VI.(F) and (G); Art. VI. § C – 38(D); Art. VI. § C – 39; Art. XII., §§ C –
71and C – 72; Art. XII., §§ C - 73(B)-(C), C – 74, C – 75, and C – 76; (14) remove the
Township residency requirement for the Township Manager; (15) require a proposed
ordinance be advertised in one newspaper, unless otherwise required by law; (16)
remove the requirement to provide notice to neighboring property owners of an
amendment to the Zoning Ordinance applying only to a small portion of the township;
(17) amend the effective date of an ordinance to immediately, or at any later date
specified therein; (18) require copies of standard codes be available at the office of the
township for public inspection with deletion of “and for purchase at a reasonable price
fixed by the Board”; (19) remove the requirement that the general compilation be
published “in loose leaf form”; (20) delete language requiring copies of “The General
Laws of the Township of Tredyffrin” be furnished to township officers, placed in township
libraries and the township office, and be made available for purchase; (21) remove
language from Art. VII. § C – 44 requiring all changes in organization and procedures
set forth in the Administrative Code be effected by amendment of the Administrative
Code in the same manner as other ordinances; (22) amend Art. VII. § C – 45(C) to align
with current practice; (23) require the Township Solicitor to be a member of the Bar of
the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania in good standing; (24) amend Art. VII. § C –
46(B)(1) to require Board approval before the Township Solicitor acts as a legal advisor
to other township officers, departments, boards, commissions, authorities and agencies
and to clarify that a law firm is appointed not an individual attorney; (25) delete language
addressing who is responsible for the duties of Finance Manager; (26) remove the
requirement to advertise the preliminary budget, but require it be discussed and acted
upon at a public meeting and be available for public inspection on the Township’s
website or as otherwise required by law; (27) clarify the process for advertising and
adopting the final budget and require that the final budget be advertised in one
newspaper;
(28) remove the requirement that the final budget be adopted by ordinance;
(
29) require that the budget be amended by resolution;

(30) remove the capitalization policy which will now be in the Administrative Code;

(31) require that all contracts of the Township involving sums in excess of an amount specified by the Board be by resolution;

(32) require that the procedure for competitive bidding include advertisement in one newspaper;

(33) clarify that competitive bidding is not required for, inter alia, contracts for labor, material, supplies or services aggregating less than the amount otherwise specified by the laws of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania;

(34) update the categories in which discrimination is prohibited;

(35) clarify that the statement of ownership of real property in the Township to be filed by Supervisors, the Township Manager, and their direct appointees does not include a principal residence;

(36) specify which jurisdictions have comparable laws that disqualify a person from holding township office or employment;

(37) clarify that any qualified citizen of the township may participate in the governing of the township by serving on boards, commissions, authorities, committees or other agencies of the township when “appointed”;

(38) allow a transition period for any elected auditor in place prior to the adoption of the Charter amendment abolishing the elected auditor position; (39) otherwise make various changes to terminology; and (40) to otherwise amend numbering and naming of the provisions of the Charter and make other minor changes to wording.