the municipal secretary desktop reference manual - Southwestern ...

The duties of the offices of solicitor and engineer are outlined in the Borough and Township
Codes, but appointment of these officers is not mandatory. Almost all of these units have solicitors.
The solicitor has control of the legal matters of these units including bonds, real estate transactions,
preparation of ordinances, and actions in court. About two thirds of the boroughs and townships
have engineers. The engineer is involved in public works activities, primary municipal streets.
She/he also prepares plans, specifications and estimates for work to be performed under contract.
Other offices, such as manager, police chief or building inspector may be created with the
duties defined by ordinance. Other state laws authorize appointment of officers such as the sewage
enforcement officer, emergency management coordinator, earned income tax officer and zoning
officer. These duties may be held by employees or assigned to persons outside township or borough
government.
Many functions exercised by boroughs and townships involve boards or commissions
composed of lay residents. The nature of the activities performed by these boards or commissions
may be advisory, they may be operational or they may be quasi judicial.
are:
Some of the more common boards or commissions found in many boroughs and townships
Planning Commission. Planning commissions or planning departments may be created by
townships and boroughs. At the direction of the governing body the planning commission may be
required to prepare a comprehensive plan for the jurisdiction, to prepare and make recommendations
on an official map and to prepare land use control ordinances including zoning ordinances and
subdivision and land development ordinances. In addition, the commission may be required to
prepare building and housing codes, prepare environmental studies and recommend capital
improvements programs for the local jurisdiction.
Park and Recreation Board. Municipalities have the power to provide, maintain and regulate
public parks, parkways, playgrounds, playing fields, swimming pools, public bathing places and
recreation centers. Many municipalities form a park and recreation board to function in an advisory
capacity to the governing body in determining the amounts and kinds of recreation most needed by
the citizens. The local governing body may also vest the responsibility to equip, operate and
maintain recreation facilities on the park and recreation board.
Zoning Hearing Board. Any township or borough which has enacted a zoning ordinance
must appoint a zoning hearing board. The board is established to hear appeals on the validity of the
zoning ordinance or map or any decision of the zoning officer. In addition, the board has the power
to grant variances and special exceptions to the ordinance. The zoning hearing board is either a
three-member or five-member quasi-judicial board consisting of residents of the municipality who
may hold no other elected or appointed position, except one member may also be a member of the
planning commission.
XVI-11