Appointed Staff

The Borough Secretary (and Asst. Secretary) is appointed by the Borough Council, who has the responsibility for taking care of the day-to-day business of the borough.

It is the responsibility of the elected Borough Council to establish policies through legislation that applies to the Borough affecting the Borough, and for ensuring that the Borough Secretary (and other appointed staff) implement and carry out those policies.  Seven Valleys is a Council/Secretary form of government.

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.

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 (EMC) and an emergency operations plan.  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 EMC.

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.