PERKASIE BOROUGH ORGANIZATION

COUNCIL MEMBERS

Council serves as the legislative body of the borough; they set policy and create ordinances and resolutions, adopt budgets, and levy taxes. A council member is often called upon to be a problem solver and representing borough residents when dealing with outside agencies.They look out for the community now and in the future.

The council is organized into committees that are responsible for all areas of the local government. Citizens appointed by the council help to administer the Borough of Perkasie. Boards and commissions include the Zoning Hearing Board, Planning Commission, Parks and Recreation Board, Perkasie Borough Authority Board and Perkasie Industrial Development Authority.

At all Borough Council meetings and commission and board meetings, there is an agenda for the specific meeting. The agenda is made up beforehand of things they must accomplish during the meetings.

Borough Council meets twice each month, on the first and third Mondays. The first is a meeting of council committees, at which time issues are discussed for recommendation to Borough Council as a whole, at which time formal action is taken on business items.

• First Monday-Council Committee Meetings- conducted by the Vice-President of Council
• Third Monday -Regular Council Meeting (voting meeting) - conducted by the President of Council

Every two years Borough Council elects a Borough Council President from among its members, the council President presides over Council meetings, appoints council members to committees, and acts on behalf of Borough Council in official and ceremonial matters.

BOROUGH COUNCIL MEETINGS

Each committee is made up of four council members with one member chairing the committee.
They discuss an item first with the four committee members and then the item is open to all of council for discussion.
After all discussion, the head of the committee asks its members if the item warrants being put on the agenda for the regular (voting) meeting which is on the third Monday of the Month.

A time is set forth under each committee for council members to suggest items for discussion.

Three minutes are allotted to citizens at the beginning of the Council Meeting for citizens to bring forth their concerns. There is no discussion of the concern at that time but the borough manager notes the concern and will contact the citizen either by phone or letter regarding their concern.

At the end of the Council Meeting, the press is asked if they have any questions. After their questions are answered, the reporters leave the meeting to go back to their offices to write their articles for the next day newspapers.

This is a private meeting held after the public meeting to discuss such items as litigation and personnel problems.

The mayor gets to vote only if there is a tie vote on council but he can also veto council's decision under certain conditions.

COMMITTEES OF PERKASIE BOROUGH COUNCIL
1. Public Works - trash, snow removal, street cleaning and repairs, sidewalks, park maintenance etc.

2. Public Utility - electricity (Perkasie has its own electric company)

3. Finance - decides how to budget and spent the taxpayers money

4. Economic Development - helps promote businesses and Perkasie in general

5. Personnel and Policy - discusses borough employees and appointments to Boards

COUNCIL MEMBER INTERVIEW

Mrs. Eadie Burke is a Council Member serving on Perkasie Borough Council. She was a write-in-vote winner and is currently doing her best not only on the council, but helping people in the community learn about computers. Last year, Mayor J. Robert Hunsicker rewarded Eadie's dedication to people and to the council with a week in June 1999 named in her honor. She is a very valuable part of this community.

She told us that citizens can always find out what is on the agenda for council, board, and commission meetings by going on the Internet and connecting to the Borough of Perkasie web site (http://www.perkasieborough.org/ ). Council member Burke said that residents of Perkasie are always encouraged to come out on Monday nights to Borough Hall and attend the meeting because the council is always open to citizen's suggestions.

MAYOR

The mayor serves as an ambassador for the town. The mayor presides over many special events (including weddings) and represents the town at many meetings.

The way the Borough of Perkasie is organized, the police department is responsible tot he mayor.

BOROUGH MANAGER & ASSISTANT BOROUGH MANAGER

John Cornelius, Perkasie Borough Manager in the year 2000.		Office staff at work in the Perkasie Borough office building on Seventh Street.

The Perkasie Borough Manager is not only the secretary of the borough council, but is responsible for the day-to day operations of the borough along with an assistant borough manager. These managers and their office staff work with the other employees responsible for specific operations including the public works director, code enforcement officer, electric superintendent, and engineer.