the municipal secretary desktop reference manual - Southwestern ...

Policy and legislative powers should remain the responsibility of the commissioners while
administrative functions are handled by the administrator.
The extent of responsibility delegated to an administrator varies from municipality to
municipality. The administrator's power can be as confined or as broad as the governing body
determines. However, to be effective in the performance of her/his administrative duties, the
appointed manager should be vested with three important responsibilities:
! preparation and control of the annual budget and long-term fiscal plan;
! appointment, promotion and discharge of employees; and
! supervision of the jurisdiction=s several operating departments and staff agencies.
! If the jurisdiction has appointed a manager or administrator, that person is delegated the
responsibility for taking care of the municipality=s day-to-day business. It is the duty of
an elected official to ensure that the performance of the manager or administrator is
efficient and effective.
Municipal Services
In addition to living under a county government, every Pennsylvanian also lives in a
municipality. Municipal governing bodies make policy decisions, levy taxes, borrow money,
authorize expenditures and direct administration of their governments by their appointees. The scope
of their functions and responsibilities is broad.
The basic distinction among Pennsylvania=s cities, boroughs, and townships, as classes of
local units, is one of governmental form and not substantive powers. Admittedly, form has a
relationship to the way in which a governmental unit exercises its substantive powers, but in
Pennsylvania all political subdivisions have been authorized by the General Assembly to provide
basically similar services. The extent to which these powers are exercised is largely dependent upon
a jurisdiction=s fiscal resources, citizen demands, recognized needs, and community values.
This Auniformity@ of authority among the State=s several classes of local governments is a
recent development in Pennsylvania, occurring principally since World War II. Pennsylvania=s
pattern of granting extensive substantive powers to all local units is one which generally has not been
adopted by other states.
Although Pennsylvania=s local governments have extensive authority to provide a
Acornucopia@ of municipal services, few jurisdictions do so. This is particularly true of jurisdictions
not located in urban areas.
Of the vast possible public service agenda, there are only two services common to all
jurisdictions: governance and highway (street) maintenance and construction. The latter service is
partly financed by an annual state grant to municipalities.
XVI-13