Appointed Staff

If your borough has appointed a manager/secretary or administrator, that person has the responsibility for taking care of the day-to-day business of the borough. 

It is the responsibility of elected officials to ensure the performance of the administrator is efficient and effective. Whenever a borough has a manager or administrator, there should be a clear separation of powers and responsibilities between the governing body (mayor and council) and the administrator. 

It is important to remember that policy and legislative powers should remain the responsibility of council, while administrative functions are handled by the administrator/secretary.

Keep in mind an administrator is appointed by the entire council and carries out the official actions of the entire council. Elected officials should avoid telling him or her what to do personally as they do not speak for the entire council.

One of the most important appointments is that of solicitor. Solicitor is just another name for lawyer or attorney.

In borough government, especially smaller boroughs, the solicitor is often times the only source of immediate on-site professional assistance.

Another common appointment, even in small boroughs, is that of borough engineer. The engineer can be a valuable source of advice during road and bridge construction, site plan and subdivision reviews and some of the more complex environmental issues.

The process of appointing an engineer is very similar to that of hiring a solicitor.

A borough needs an individual who has a broad general knowledge of engineering and is accessible to assist with immediate problems and plan reviews.

It is also important to have a brief written understanding with the engineer regarding attendance at meetings and hearings, hourly rates for other assistants in the firm’s office and any restrictions fixed by the borough council on engineering work done for other clients.

This position is one of the least used but perhaps one of the most important positions in a borough. State law dictates that each municipality has an emergency management coordinator and an emergency plan. The coordinator can be an existing employee of the borough and, in fact, is often the fire chief or police chief. Since emergencies come in all forms, from toxic material spills to blizzards, council must feel comfortable with the ability of the individual to function in a variety of situations.

In addition, the borough must have a plan spelling out how and when an emergency is declared and the powers given to the emergency coordinator.

While emergencies are rare, it is the duty of council to prepare for them. You can’t predict when the unexpected is going to occur.