VOTE411 Voter Guide

BOROUGH COUNCIL – Full Term – Vote for TwoThe Borough operates under the Borough form of government with a strong council and a weak mayor. The Borough Form of government provides for a mayor and a six-member council, elected separately in partisan elections at the November general election. The mayor serves for four years, while council members serve three-year staggered terms of office, with two council seats being contested each year. Council members are elected at large from the entire community . The mayor presides at council meetings, but votes only to break ties. He or she has a veto that may be overridden by a two-thirds vote of all members of the council, not including the mayor. A council president is selected annually from among their own members by the council and presides in the absence of the mayor. The mayor nominates all appointive officers subject to council confirmation. However, if the council does not confirm within 30 days, the appointing power is transferred to the council. The law names the mayor as the head of the municipal government and directs him or her to see that state laws and local ordinances are faithfully executed in the borough. The council has all executive responsibilities not specifically assigned to the mayor. However, the council may, by ordinance, create the position of administrator and may delegate all or a portion of the executive responsibilities of the municipality to the administrator.