Mayor's Message: How Our Municipal Corporation Works, Part II

WEEKLY REPORT BY MAYOR JOHN L. MADDEN

AN INTRODUCTION TO HOW OUR MUNCIPAL CORPORATION WORKS, PART II

Last week, I started a series of reports on how our local form of government works and some of our key municipal employees. The residents should know who they are as they are the “go to” people who can generally answer all your questions and issues. 

To recap, our borough is an incorporated municipality which operates similarly to any large, public corporation.  You, the residents, are our shareholders. The Council is the Board of Directors who meet from time to time to vote on various topics that involve policy, budget, and revenue. As Mayor, I act as Chairman of the Board, run the meetings and am the figurehead of the Board. 

Our Municipal Clerk, Linda Chismar, by state statute, serves as Secretary to the Corporation. As Secretary to the Corporation, she serves as the custodian of the municipal seal.  Clerk Chismar maintains the custody of all Borough meeting minutes, books, deeds, bonds, contracts and archival records of the municipal corporation.  She is the only person who can attest to the signatures of the municipal officers and officials, and she is also the only person who can take service and maintain receipt of service of legal documents. 

Statutorily, the Clerk is also the Chief Administrative Officer of all elections held in the Borough, the Chief Registrar of Voters in the Borough, Secretary to the Governing Body, and is also the Administrative Officer.  In these roles, she prepares and files all Council agendas and minutes, maintains our code book and resolutions, registers voters and supervises the handling of local elections, maintains nominating petitions and election results, issues various permits and licenses, and serves as the Registrar of Vital Statistics.

Next week, I will discuss the function and role of our Corporation’s Chief Executive/Chief Operating Officer, the Borough Administrator.