PRINTER'S NO. 4233
No. 2999 Session of 1996
INTRODUCED BY FAJT, NOVEMBER 14, 1996
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON LOCAL GOVERNMENT, NOVEMBER 14, 1996
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," providing for alternate members of township civil
5 service commissions.
6 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
7 hereby enacts as follows:
8 Section 1. Sections 626 and 628 of the act of June 24, 1931
9 (P.L.1206, No.331), known as The First Class Township Code,
10 reenacted and amended May 27, 1949 (P.L.1955, No.569), are
11 amended to read:
12 Section 626. Civil Service Commission Created; Appointments;
13 Vacancies.--There is hereby created in each township where a
14 police force or paid fire apparatus operators as hereinbefore
15 provided are being maintained, a civil service commission,
16 hereinafter referred to as the commission. The commission shall
17 consist of three commissioners who shall be qualified electors
18 of the township and shall be appointed by the township
19 commissioners initially to serve for the terms of two, four and
1 six years, and as terms thereafter expire shall be appointed for
2 terms of six years.
3 Any vacancy occurring in any commission for any reason
4 whatsoever shall be filled for the unexpired term within the
5 period of thirty days after such vacancy occurs.
6 Each member of the commission created by this subdivision,
7 before entering upon the discharge of the duties of his office,
8 shall take an oath or affirmation to support the Constitution of
9 the United States and of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and to
10 perform his official duties with fidelity.
11 The township commissioners may appoint no more than three
12 qualified electors of the township to serve as alternate members
13 of the commission. The term of office of the alternate members
14 shall be six years. When seated pursuant to section 628, an
15 alternate shall be entitled to participate in all proceedings
16 and discussions of the commission to the same and full extent as
17 provided by law for commission members, including specifically
18 the right to cast a vote as a voting member during the
19 proceedings, and shall have all the powers and duties set forth
20 in this act and as otherwise provided by law. Alternates shall
21 hold no other office in the township. Any alternate may
22 participate in any proceeding or discussion of the commission
23 but shall not be entitled to vote as a member of the commission
24 unless designated as a voting alternate member pursuant to
25 section 628.
26 Section 628. Organization of Commission; Quorum.--The
27 commission first appointed shall organize within ten days of its
28 appointment and shall elect one of its members as the chairman
29 and one as the secretary. The commission shall thereafter meet
30 and organize on the first Monday of each even-numbered year.
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1 Each commissioner shall be notified in writing of each and every
2 meeting. [Two] Three members of the commission shall constitute
3 a quorum [and no]. If, by reason of absence or disqualification
4 of a member, a quorum is not reached, the chairman shall
5 designate as many alternate members of the commission to sit on
6 the commission as may be needed to provide a quorum. Any
7 alternate member of the commission shall continue to serve on
8 the commission in all proceedings involving the matter or case
9 for which the alternate was initially appointed until the
10 commission has made a final determination of the matter or case.
11 Designation of an alternate pursuant to this section shall be
12 made on a case-by-case basis in rotation according to declining
13 seniority among all alternates. No action of the commission
14 shall be valid unless it shall have the concurrence of at least
15 [two] three members.
16 Section 2. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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