Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1893-12-25
TERM OF THREE YEARS.
BURGESS AND TAX COLLECTOR TO
BE LONGER IN OFFICE.

Important Changes Made in the Law Re
lating to the Duties of Burgess-Can-
not Succeed Himself. but n Tax CoIlec-
tor Can-Law Takes Effect in February.
Next February Freeland will becalled
upon to make new deal in its municipal
government or rather in those who will
administer its affairs. After this year
the chief burgess must be elected for
three years and then he cannot succeed
himself. This.is the law as laid down
by the last session of the legislature and
below we give it in full, because it is of
considerable importance and interesting
to the taxpayers:
Sec, l. Be it enacted, ETC., that the
qualified members of every borough in
the commonwealth of Pennsylvania
shall, on the third Tuesday in February,
Ammo Domni, one thousand eight hun
dred and ninety-four, and triennally
thereafter, vote for and elect qualified
person for chief burgess in each of the
said boroughs who shall serve for the
term of three years, and shall not be
eligible to the office for the next sue
ceeding term.
Sec. 2. Each chief burgess shall not
hold any other borough Office orappoint-
ment during the term which he is elect
ed, nor be a member of, nor preside at
the meeting of town council of said bor-
ough. But said meeting shall be presided
over by president of council to be at
the annual organization thereof elected
by such council from their number
And in the absence of such president
shall be presided over by a president
pro tempore.
Sec. 8. Every ordinance and resolution
which shall be passed by said council
shall be presented to chief burgess of
such borough; if he shall sign it; but if
he shall not approve he shall return it
with his objections to said council at
next regular meeting thereof, when said
elections shall be entered at large in the
minute book and said council shall pro-
ceed to reconsideration of such ordin-
ance or resolution. If after such recon-
sideration two-thirds of all the members
elected to said council shall vote to pass
such ordinance or resolution, it shall be-
come and be as of full force and effect as
if said chief burgess had signed it, but
in such cases the votes of the members
of council shall be determined by the
yeas and nays, and the names of the
members voting shall be entered on the
minutes of said council. Provided, That
when the number of council men is less
than nine majority of council and one
vote more shall be required to pass an
ordinance over the veto. If such ordin-
ance or resolution shall not be returned
by the chief burgess at the next regular
meeting of said council after the same
shall have been presented to him, the
same shall likewise become and be in as
full force and effect as if he had signed
it. Provided, That before any ordin-
ance shall come into force and effect as
aforesaid the same shall be recorded in
the borough ordinance book with the
certificate of the secretary and be adyer-
tised as heretofore required by law.
Sec. 4. That from and after the pas
sage of this act the office of assistant
burgess in all of the boroughs of this
commonwealth shall be and the same is
hereby abolished
Sec. 5. All acts or parts of acts incon-
sistent herewith are hereby repealed.
By this new law it will appear that the
chief burgess will not preside at any
meetings of council, but he will have
veto power like the governor over the
legislature or mayor over q city coun-
Gil.
The same legislature passed a law
eecting tax collectors for boroughs and
townships for three years, but that Off
cal may succeed himself, which is not
the case with chief burgess.