PRINTER'S NO. 710
No. 672 Session of 1999
INTRODUCED BY STEVENSON, HENNESSEY, HARHAI, FARGO, YOUNGBLOOD,
BELFANTI, ALLEN, CIVERA, ROSS, CLYMER, STABACK, PISTELLA,
SEYFERT, MELIO AND MAHER, MARCH 2, 1999
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON LOCAL GOVERNMENT, MARCH 2, 1999
AN ACT
1 Amending the act of June 24, 1931 (P.L.1206, No.331), entitled
2 "An act concerning townships of the first class; amending,
3 revising, consolidating, and changing the law relating
4 thereto," further providing for members of the civil service
5 commission and for organization and a quorum of the
6 commission.
7 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
8 hereby enacts as follows:
9 Section 1. Sections 626 and 628 of the act of June 24, 1931
10 (P.L.1206, No.331), known as The First Class Township Code,
11 reenacted and amended May 27, 1949 (P.L.1955, No.569), are
12 amended to read:
13 Section 626. Civil Service Commission Created; Appointments;
14 Vacancies.--There is hereby created in each township where a
15 police force or paid fire apparatus operators as hereinbefore
16 provided are being maintained, a civil service commission,
17 hereinafter referred to as the commission. The commission shall
18 consist of three commissioners who shall be qualified electors
19 of the township and shall be appointed by the township
1 commissioners initially to serve for the terms of two, four and
2 six years, and as terms thereafter expire shall be appointed for
3 terms of six years.
4 Any vacancy occurring in any commission for any reason
5 whatsoever shall be filled for the unexpired term within the
6 period of thirty days after such vacancy occurs.
7 Each member of the commission created by this subdivision,
8 before entering upon the discharge of the duties of his office,
9 shall take an oath or affirmation to support the Constitution of
10 the United States and of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and to
11 perform his official duties with fidelity.
12 The township commissioners may appoint no more than three
13 qualified electors of the township to serve as alternate members
14 of the commission. The term of office of the alternate members
15 shall be six years. When seated pursuant to section 628, an
16 alternate shall be entitled to participate in all proceedings
17 and discussions of the commission to the same and full extent as
18 provided by law for commission members, including specifically
19 the right to cast a vote as a voting member during the
20 proceedings, and shall have all the powers and duties set forth
21 in this act and as otherwise provided by law. Alternates shall
22 hold no other office in the township. Any alternate may
23 participate in any proceeding or discussion of the commission
24 but shall not be entitled to vote as a member of the commission
25 unless designated as a voting alternate member pursuant to
26 section 628.
27 Section 628. Organization of Commission; Quorum.--The
28 commission first appointed shall organize within ten days of its
29 appointment and shall elect one of its members as the chairman
30 and one as the secretary. The commission shall thereafter meet
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1 and organize on the first Monday of each even-numbered year.
2 Each commissioner shall be notified in writing of each and every
3 meeting. [Two] Three members of the commission shall constitute
4 a quorum [and no]. If, by reason of absence or disqualification
5 of a member, a quorum is not reached, the chairman shall
6 designate as many alternate members of the commission to sit on
7 the commission as may be needed to provide a quorum. Any
8 alternate member of the commission shall continue to serve on
9 the commission in all proceedings involving the matter or case
10 for which the alternate was initially appointed until the
11 commission has made a final determination of the matter or case.
12 Designation of an alternate pursuant to this section shall be
13 made on a case-by-case basis in rotation according to declining
14 seniority among all alternates. No action of the commission
15 shall be valid unless it shall have the concurrence of at least
16 two members.
17 Section 2. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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