2023 Pennsylvania Consolidated & Unconsolidated Statutes › Title 53 - MUNICIPALITIES GENERALLY › Chapter 29 - General Provisions › Section 2924 - Specificity of recommendations

§ 2924. Specificity of recommendations.
(a) Optional plan of government.--
(1) If the government study commission report recommends the adoption or the amendment of any of the optional plans of government set forth in this subpart, except the optional county plan, the report of the commission may specify the following:
(i) That the municipal council shall consist of three, five, seven or nine members, except that under the small municipality plan and under the optional county plan the number of council members shall be as provided in sections 3073 (relating to election of council members) and 3092 (relating to county officers).
(ii) That the office of treasurer shall be omitted or that it shall be filled by election by the electors rather than by appointment.
(iii) That the office of controller shall be omitted or that it shall be filled by election by the electors rather than by appointment.
(2) If a commission report, initiative petition or ordinance shall recommend any optional plan, except for the optional county plan, it may specify that the then existing basis for electing council members shall be changed to an at-large or district or combination at-large and district basis.
(3) If a commission report, initiative petition or ordinance recommends the adoption of the council-manager form of government, it may specify that the mayor or president of council or chairman be elected directly by the electors rather than by council.
(4) If a commission report, initiative petition or ordinance for a county recommends the adoption of any of the optional plans, except the optional county plan, it may specify that the sheriff be elected directly by the voters of the county as provided in section 3094 (relating to additional options for election of county sheriff).
(5) In all cases, except for the council-manager plan, the commission report, initiative petition or ordinance shall specify whether the executive (mayor) shall be called "executive" or "mayor."
(b) Home rule charter.--
If the commission recommends the adoption of a home rule charter, it shall specify the number to be on the municipal council, all offices to be filled by election and whether elections shall be on an at-large, district or combination district and at-large basis.
(c) Elections in new or revised districts.--
Notwithstanding any other provisions of this subpart, if an approved home rule charter or optional plan of government or other form of government adopted pursuant to the provisions of this subpart specifies that the election of the municipal council shall be on an at-large or district or combination district and at-large basis and the basis recommended differs from the existing basis and therefore requires eliminating districts or establishing revised or new districts, then election of municipal officials shall not take place on the new basis until the municipal election following the next primary election taking place more than 180 days after the election at which the referendum on the question of a new form of government has been approved by the electorate. The new form of government shall not go into effect until the first Monday in January following the election of municipal officials on the new basis. New or revised districts shall be established by the government study commission and included in the proposed charter.
Cross References.
Section 2924 is referred to in sections 2942, 3004, 3052, 3054, 3056, 3073, 3161 of this title.