Section 501. Oath of Office.--Every person elected or appointed to any township office shall before assuming the duties of the office take and subscribe an oath or affirmation before a notary public, district justice or judge to support the Constitutions of the United States and of the Commonwealth and to perform the duties of the office with fidelity. A copy of the oath or affirmation shall be filed with the township secretary before assuming the duties of the office.

Section 502. Bonds.-When any officer or employe of any township is required to give bond for the faithful performance of the duties of the office, the bond shall be with a surety company or other company authorized by law to act as surety, and the township may pay the premium on the bond.

Section 601. Supervisors and Government of Townships.--Townships shall be governed and supervised by boards of supervisors. Boards of supervisors shall consist of three members or, if approved by the electors under section 402(b), five members.

Section 602. Organization Meeting; Appointment of Secretary and Treasurer.-(a) The board of supervisors shall meet at a convenient time and place on the first Monday in January of each year. If the first Monday is a legal holiday, the meeting shall be held the following day. The board of supervisors shall elect one member as chairman and another as vice-chairman, and it shall appoint a treasurer and a secretary. The secretary shall be an individual; however, the board of supervisors may select either a trust company, a banking institution or an individual to serve as treasurer, or the board of supervisors may appoint one individual to serve as both secretary and treasurer. Members of the board of supervisors may be appointed as secretary-treasurer, secretary or treasurer. With regards to boards of supervisors which are designated as three-member boards, any supervisor who is to be considered by the board for any appointed township position or for employment by the township as authorized by law shall not be excluded from voting on the issue of such appointment or employment. Action taken by a supervisor shall be deemed to be within the scope of authority as a supervisor and shall not be deemed to constitute an illegal or an improper conflict of interest. ((a) amended Dec. 18, 1996, P.L.1142, No. 172)
(b) The meeting under this section may be considered a regular monthly meeting of the board of supervisors. The first order of business at this meeting shall be organization of the board of supervisors.
(c) The board of supervisors may appoint a supervisor to be employed as roadmaster, laborer, secretary, treasurer, assistant secretary, assistant treasurer or in any employe capacity not otherwise prohibited by this or any other act.

Section 603. Monthly Meetings; Quorum and Voting.-The board of supervisors shall meet for the transaction of business at least once each month at a time and place determined by the board of supervisors. A quorum is two members of a three-member board of supervisors or three members of a five-member board of supervisors. An affirmative vote of a majority of the entire board of supervisors at a public meeting is necessary in order to transact any business. A member shall not be disqualified from voting on any issue before the board solely because the member has previously expressed an opinion on the issue in either an official or unofficial capacity.

Section 604. Special Meetings.-Upon call of the chairman or by agreement of a majority of its members, the board of supervisors may schedule special meetings of the board of supervisors after notice required under the act of July 3, 1986 (P.L.388, No. 84), known as the "Sunshine Act." Notice of a special meeting shall state the nature of the business to be conducted at the meeting.

Section 605. Minutes and Records.-(a) The board of supervisors shall provide for the recording of minutes of its proceedings and other books it may find necessary in the performance of its duties. The records shall be made available to the board of auditors during the annual audit. Unless the custodian of the records agrees otherwise, the records shall be audited or inspected at the place where they are normally maintained. Supervisors who leave office shall deliver all township records in their possession to their successors or to the township secretary.
(b) All township records required to be recorded or transcribed are valid if typewritten, printed, photostated or microfilmed, and, where recording in a specified book of record is required, including minutes of the proceedings of the board of supervisors, the records may be recorded or transcribed in a mechanical post binder book capable of being permanently sealed, with consecutively numbered pages with a security code printed thereon and a permanent locking device with the township seal being impressed upon each page, or bound book with pages being consecutively numbered by transcribing directly upon the pages of the book of record, or may be attached to the book of record by stapling or by glue or any other adhesive substance or material, and all records previously recorded or transcribed in any manner authorized by this section are validated. When any record is recorded or transcribed by attaching the record or a copy of it to the book of record, the township seal shall be impressed upon each page to which the record is attached, each impression covering both a portion of the attached record and a portion of the page of the book of record to which the record is attached.
(c) Original or certified copies of ordinances may also be stored in a locking or mechanical post binder book, capable of being permanently sealed, without being fastened onto pages in the binder.

Section 606. Compensation of Supervisors.---(a) Supervisors may receive as compensation an amount established by ordinance not in excess of the following:

Township Annual Maximum
Population Compensation
not more than 4,999 $1,875
5,000 to 9,999 $2,500
10,000 to 14,999 $3,250
15,000 to 24,999 $4,125
25,000 to 34,999 $4,375
35,000 or more $5,000

Salaries are payable monthly or quarterly for the duties imposed by this act. The population is determined by the latest official census figures, except that no township shall be required to reduce the salary of a supervisor as a result of a decrease in population. The compensation of supervisors, when employed as roadmasters, laborers, secretary, treasurer, assistant secretary, assistant treasurer or in any employe capacity not otherwise prohibited by this or any other act, shall be determined by the board of auditors, at an hourly, daily, weekly, semi-monthly or monthly basis, which shall be comparable to compensation paid in the locality for similar services. The board of supervisors may establish a mileage allowance, under the act of July 20, 1979 (P.L. 156, No. 51), referred to as the Uniform Mileage Fee Law, to be paid to officers and employes for the use of a personal vehicle when required and actually used for authorized township business. No supervisor may receive compensation as an employe for attending a meeting of the board of supervisors. Supervisors may continue to be compensated under prior law until such time as an ordinance is enacted under this act. Any change in salary, compensation or emoluments of the elected office becomes effective at the beginning of the next term of the supervisor. A decision by the township to pay, in whole or in part, to include supervisors not employed by the township in insurance plans, as authorized in subsection (c), shall not be implemented with regard to any nonemploye supervisor until the beginning of the next term of that supervisor.
(b) Any benefit provided to or for the benefit of a supervisor employed by the township in any employe capacity under this act in the form of inclusion in a pension plan paid for in whole or in part by the township is compensation within the meaning of this act to the extent that benefit is paid for by the township and is determined by the board of auditors; however:
(1) Supervisors are eligible for inclusion in township pension plans only if they are employed by the township in any employe capacity under this act. In order to be eligible for inclusion in the plans, supervisor-employes must meet the same requirements as other employes of the township who are eligible to participate in a pension plan. Pension plans shall not improperly discriminate in favor of a supervisor-employe.
(2) Once given, auditor approval for inclusion of supervisor-employes shall not be rescinded in any subsequent years as long as the pension plan remains in effect and the supervisors remain employed by the township and continue to meet the same requirements as other employes of the township who are eligible to participate in a pension plan, nor shall the auditors act in any way that disqualifies the pension plan under Federal law.
(3) No change in the nature or rate of the contributions of a defined contribution plan and no change in the benefit formula of a defined benefit plan shall be initiated by the board of supervisors with respect to a supervisor-employe without auditor approval.
(4) A pension or annuity contract made by a township between January 1, 1959, and March 31, 1985, that includes or provides for benefits for supervisor-employes or retired supervisor-employes at township expense is not void or unlawful solely because the inclusion of supervisor-employes or retired supervisor-employes was not previously approved by the township auditors. No penalty, assessment, surcharge, forfeiture or disciplinary action of any kind may occur as a result of that participation by supervisor-employes,
(5) All premium, contribution or similar payments made by a township on pension or annuity contracts on behalf of supervisor-employes between January 1, 1959, and March 31, 1985, which would have been proper but for the absence of auditor approval are hereby approved. Any benefits payable to any supervisor-employe or his beneficiaries on account of any premium, contribution or similar payments made by a township during that period shall continue. Any premium, contribution or similar payments made by a township after March 31, 1985, requires auditor approval under this subsection.
(6) If a supervisor-employe personally contributed toward a township-sponsored pension plan or annuity that is not approved by the township auditors or not approved by this act, he shall receive a refund of his total contributions thereto plus any interest accumulated thereon. In lieu of a refund of contributions plus accumulated interest, a supervisor-employe who personally contributed toward a pension or annuity plan in which he participated may elect to purchase that portion of his pension or annuity funded by the township. A qualified actuary, who shall report his determination under the act of December 18, 1984 (P.L. 1005, No.205), known as the "Municipal Pension Plan Funding Standard and Recovery Act," shall determine the amount the supervisor-employe shall pay to purchase the township-funded portion of the annuity or pension.
(7) Supervisors who are not employes of the township are not eligible for participation in any pension or annuity contract paid in whole or in part by the township. No supervisor who was not an employe of the township but was included in a township-paid pension or annuity plan made by a township between January 1, 1959, and March 31, 1985, is subject to any penalty, assessment, surcharge, forfeiture or disciplinary action. Any residual interest, value, refund of premium or benefits payable on or after March 31, 1985, arising out of the township-paid interest of a supervisor who was not an employe is the exclusive property of the township.
(c) In addition to the compensation authorized under this section, supervisors while in office or while in the employ of the township may be eligible for inclusion in township-paid insurance plans, as follows:
(1) Supervisors, whether or not they are employed by the township, and their dependents are eligible for inclusion in group life, health, hospitalization, medical service and accident insurance plans paid in whole or in part by the township. Their inclusion in those plans does not require auditor approval, but does require submission of a letter requesting participation at a regularly scheduled meeting of the board of supervisors before commencing participation. The insurance shall be uniformly applicable to those covered and shall not give eligibility preference to or improperly discriminate in favor of supervisors. No policy of group life insurance shall contain any provision for a cash surrender value, loan value or any other benefit beyond the face amount of insurance. The policy may contain a provision that when the insurance ceases because of termination of employment or term of office, the person is entitled to have issued to him by the insurer, without evidence of insurability, an individual policy of insurance on any form customarily issued by the insurer at the age and for the amount applied for if the amount is not in excess of the amount of life insurance which ceases because of the termination and the application for the individual policy is made and first premium is paid to the insurer within thirty-one days after termination.
(2) Any life, health, hospitalization, medical service or accident insurance coverage contract made by a township between January 1, 1959, and March 31, 1985, that includes or provides coverage for supervisors not employed by the township is not void or unlawful because inclusion of those supervisors was subsequently found to be without lawful authority. No penalty, assessment, surcharge, forfeiture or disciplinary action may occur as a result of participation by those supervisors. Insurance benefits paid or payable to insureds or their beneficiaries arising out of or on account of deaths, injuries, accidents or illnesses occurring before March 30, 1988, are the property of the insureds or their beneficiaries.
(3) All payments made by a township on any group life, health, hospitalization, medical service or accident insurance coverage contracts on behalf of supervisors who were not employes between January 1, 1959, and March 31, 1985, which would have been proper but for the absence of auditor approval are hereby approved. Any benefits payable to any supervisor or his beneficiaries on account of those payments during that time shall continue.
(4) The township may deduct from any compensation payable to a supervisor such part of any insurance premium or charge which is payable by the supervisor within the terms of the particular township's insurance plan.

Section 702. Treasurer's Bond.-The township treasurer, if an individual, shall give bond with a surety company in an amount established by the board of supervisors for the faithful performance of the duties of the office. The amount of the bond shall equal the highest amount of township funds estimated by the board of supervisors to be available to the township treasurer at any time during the current year. The bond shall be filed with the board of auditors of the township.

Section 703. Treasurer's Compensation.-The board of supervisors shall determine the compensation of the township treasurer. When a supervisor is appointed as township treasurer, the board of auditors shall determine the compensation. A person may not receive hourly compensation for work as a superintendent, roadmaster or laborer for time spent in the performance of the duties of township treasurer.

Section 704. Treasurer's Duties.-The township treasurer shall: (1) Receive all moneys due the township and deposit them promptly in a designated depository in the name of the township.
(2) Keep distinct and accurate accounts of all sums received from taxes and other sources, which accounts shall be open to the inspection of the board of supervisors and any citizen of this Commonwealth.
(3) Pay out all moneys of the township only on direction by the board of supervisors.
(4) Annually state the accounts and make them available to the board of auditors for settlement.
(5) Preserve the account books, papers, documents and other records of the office and turn them over to the successor in office.

Section 705. Assistant Treasurer. The board of supervisors may appoint an assistant treasurer who shall assist the township treasurer or, in the absence or disability of the township treasurer, perform the duties of the township treasurer. The assistant treasurer may be appointed from the membership of the board of supervisors. The assistant treasurer shall be bonded for the same amount as the township treasurer when acting in the capacity of township treasurer. The board of supervisors shall determine the compensation of the assistant treasurer. When a supervisor is appointed assistant treasurer, the board of auditors shall determine the compensation.

Section 706. Use of Special Funds; Penalty.-When any moneys are collected for any special purpose, no township treasurer or board of supervisors may apply those moneys to any purpose other than that for which they were collected. Every misapplication shall be a misdemeanor of the third degree, and, in addition to the fine or penalty which may be imposed upon conviction, the defendant shall be required to pay restitution in the amount of moneys improperly spent.

Section 707. Penalty for Failure to Perform Duties.-A township treasurer or assistant treasurer who fails to perform any duties of the office other than those for which specific penalties are provided commits a summary offense and, in addition to the fine or penalty which may be imposed upon conviction, is required to pay to the township an amount equal to the amount of the financial loss that occurred, if any, for not performing the duties of the office. That person is disqualified from holding the office of township treasurer or assistant treasurer.

Section 802. Secretary's Duties.-The township secretary is a clerk to the board of supervisors. The township secretary shall:
(1) Record the proceedings of the board of supervisors and all court orders relative to the laying out, opening and vacating of roads in a minute book.
(2) Preserve the minute book and other records and turn them over to the successor in office.
(3) With the consent of the board of supervisors and in conformity with other laws governing the retention and disposition of municipal records, have the authority to destroy records and papers of the township other than the minute book and account book after the lapse of six years from the date of the records.
(4) Inform supervisors of all township meetings, including special meetings of the board of supervisors.

Section 803. Secretary's Compensation.-The board of supervisors shall determine the compensation of the township secretary. When a supervisor is appointed township secretary, the board of auditors shall determine the compensation. A person may not receive hourly compensation for work as a superintendent, roadmaster or laborer for time spent in the performance of the duties of township secretary.

Section 1202. Engineer's Duties; Preparation of Plans.-The township engineer shall perform duties as the board of supervisors may direct for the construction, reconstruction, maintenance and repair of streets, roads, pavements, sanitary sewers, bridges, culverts and other engineering work. The township engineer shall prepare plans, specifications and estimates of the work undertaken by the township and furnish the board of supervisors with reports, information or estimates on any township engineering work or on questions submitted by the board of supervisors.

Section 1702. Use of Public Land Acquired for Other Purposes.-When the board of supervisors desires to take any public lands previously granted or dedicated to a use or purpose for which they are no longer used, it shall pass an ordinance declaring its intention and shall petition the court of common pleas for leave to file the bond of the township to secure any person or persons who may be entitled to compensation for the taking. The court shall direct notice to be given by publication in at least one newspaper circulating generally in the township. The court may increase the amount of the bond, shall hear all exceptions that are filed against the petition and the sufficiency of the bond and may grant or deny the request of the petition. Upon the granting of the petition and the approval of the bond, the board of supervisors may enter lands for the purposes of erecting public buildings. The bond, which shall be in the name of the Commonwealth for the use of any person or persons who are entitled to damages by reason of the taking of the lands, shall remain on file for their use and benefit.

Section 1703. How Damages Are Assessed.-The compensation and damages arising from taking, using and appropriating private or public property for township purposes shall be ascertained, determined, awarded and paid under this act for eminent domain proceedings.

Section 1802. Fire Hydrants and Water Supply.-(a) The board of supervisors may place, replace, operate, maintain and repair or contract with water companies or municipal authorities for the placing, replacing, operating, maintaining and repairing of fire hydrants to water mains, maintaining pressures approved by fire insurance underwriters along highways, streets, roads and alleys within the township or provide for or acquire a water supply system equipped to supply sufficient water for the protection of property from fire. The moneys necessary for providing or acquiring these fire protection services may be obtained by one of the following methods:
(1) The board of supervisors may annually assess the cost of fire protection by an equal assessment upon all property, whether or not exempt from taxation by existing law, within seven hundred and eighty feet of any fire hydrant based upon the assessment of property for county tax purposes.
(2) The board of supervisors may annually assess the cost of fire protection by an equal assessment on all property, whether or not exempt from taxation under existing law, abutting upon highways, streets, roads and alleys within seven hundred and eighty feet of any fire hydrant in proportion to the number of feet the property abuts any water main or within seven hundred and eighty feet of any fire hydrant on the water main. The board of supervisors may provide for an equitable reduction from the frontage of lots at intersections or where, due to the irregular shape of lots, an assessment of the full frontage would be inequitable.
(3) The board of supervisors may pay the cost for fire protection out of the general township fund. If the board of supervisors elects to pay the cost of fire protection services out of the general fund, any special fire protection districts and annual assessments shall be abolished. All moneys in the separate accounts for the special fire protection districts shall be paid into the general fund.
(b) When assessments are made under this section, no assessment shall be made against any farmland or an airport which is privately owned and which is not open nor intended to be open to the public; but vacant lots between built-up sections, either tilled or not tilled, are not farmland.
(c) All assessments for fire protection shall be collected by the tax collector under section 3301(a).
(d) The assessment may be billed on the annual real estate tax bill for township purposes if authorized by the board of supervisors.

Section 1803. Fire Companies, Facilities and Training.-(a) The board of supervisors may appropriate moneys for the use of the township or to fire companies located in the township for the operation and maintenance of fire companies, for the purchase and maintenance of fire apparatus, for the construction, repair and maintenance of fire company houses, for training of fire company personnel and, as set forth in this section, for fire training schools or centers in order to secure fire protection for the inhabitants of the township. The fire companies shall submit to the board of supervisors an annual report of the use of the appropriated moneys for each completed year of the township before any further payments may be made to the fire companies for the current year.
(b) The board of supervisors may by ordinance make rules and regulations for the government of fire companies which are located within the township and their officers.
(c) The board of supervisors may contract with or make grants to near or adjacent municipal corporations or volunteer fire companies therein for fire protection in the township.
(d) No volunteer fire company not in existence in the township before the effective date of this act may organize or operate unless the establishment or organization is approved by resolution of the board of supervisors.
(e) The board of supervisors may annually appropriate funds to fire companies located within the township for the training of its personnel and to lawfully organized or incorporated county or regional firemen's associations or an entity created pursuant to the act of July 12, 1972 (P.L.762, No. 180), referred to as the Intergovernmental Cooperation Law, to establish, equip, maintain and operate fire training schools or centers for the purpose of giving instruction and practical training in the prevention, control and fighting of fire and related fire department emergencies to the members of fire departments and volunteer fire companies in any city, borough, town or township within this Commonwealth.
(1803) amended Dec. 18, 1996, P.L.1154 , No. 175)
Compiler's Note: The act of July 12, 1972 (P.L. 762, No. 180), referred to as the Intergovernmental Cooperation Law, referred to in subsection (e), was repealed by the act of December 19, 1996, P.L.1158 , No. 177. The subject matter is now contained in 53 Pa.C.S. Ch. 23 Subchapter A (relating to intergovernmental cooperation).
 

Section 1804. Ponds, Dams or Impoundments for Fire Protection.-The board of supervisors may construct or contribute moneys for or participate in the construction of ponds, dams or other impoundments to provide water for fire protection for the township.

Section 1805. Fire Prevention Code.-The board of supervisors may adopt any standard fire prevention code published and printed in book form as provided under this act for adopting standard codes.

Section 1902. Appointment of Police.-The board of supervisors shall provide for the organization and supervision and determine the number and the compensation of the police officers. The position of police officer is incompatible with the office of supervisor, auditor, tax collector, assessor and manager. The chairman of the board of supervisors may swear in police officers. The board of supervisors may assign any police officer to undergo a course of training at any training school for police officers established or made available by the Federal or State Government and provide for payment of the officer's expenses while in attendance at the training school.
(1902 amended Dec. 18, 1996, P.L.1142, No. 172)

Section 1903. Contracts to Secure Police Service.-Any township may contract with any municipal corporation to secure the services within the township of the police of the municipal corporation. When any contract is made, the police officers of the employing municipal corporation have all the powers and authority conferred by law on police officers in the township which has contracted to secure police service.

Section 1904. Contract to Provide Police Service.-Any township may contract with any municipal corporation to provide police services within the other municipal corporation. When a contract is made, the township police have all the powers and authority conferred by law on police in the municipal corporation which has contracted to secure police service.

Section 1905. Powers.-Each township police officer has those powers and abilities as are granted to police officers under the laws of this Commonwealth or the rules of the Supreme Court or the ordinances of the township for which a fine or penalty is imposed unless otherwise excepted in this act.

Section 1906. Shield.-Each police officer when on duty shall wear a shield or badge with the words "township police" and the name of the township inscribed thereon.

Section 1907. Equipment.-The board of supervisors may provide each police officer with a uniform, equipment and means of transportation and the maintenance thereof

Section 1908. Lockups.-The board of supervisors may provide lockup facilities.

Section 1909. Certain Compensation Prohibited.-No police officer may charge or accept any fee or other compensation in addition to the salary paid by the township for any service rendered or performed by the police officer, except public rewards.

Section 1910. Police Pension Fund.-(a) In those townships maintaining police forces of less than three full-time police officers, the board of supervisors may by ordinance or resolution establish a police pension fund or pension annuity into which each member of the police force may be required to pay a member contribution of an equal and proportionate charge which, except to the extent that section 607(c) of the act of December 18, 1984 (P.L. 1005, No. 205), known as the "Municipal Pension Plan Funding Standard and Recovery Act," applies, shall not exceed annually three percent of the pay of the member.
(b) The fund shall be under the direction of the board of supervisors for the benefit of members of the police force who receive honorable discharge therefrom by reason of age or disability and the families of members who may be injured or killed in the service. Any allowances made to those who are retired by reason of disability or age shall be in conformity with a uniform scale.
(c) The ordinance or resolution establishing the police pension fund shall prescribe a minimum period of continuous service of not less than twenty years, after which the members of the force may be retired from active duty. Township police officers so retired may be subject to service as police reserves until unfit for service by reason of age or disability, when they may be finally discharged.
(d) The basis of the apportionment of the pension is determined by the rate of monthly pay of the member at the date of death, honorable discharge or retirement.
(e) Payments made on account of police pensions are a charge on no fund of the township other than the police pension fund.
(1) Townships shall make contributions to the police pension fund in an amount sufficient to meet the minimum obligation of the municipality with respect to the pension plan pursuant to the "Municipal Pension Plan Funding Standard and Recovery Act," and may take by gift, grant, devise or bequest any money or property in trust for the benefit of the police pension fund. The care, management, investment and disposal of trust funds or property is vested in the board of supervisors subject, whenever possible or practical, to any directions for administration which the donors of the funds and property may prescribe.
(g) A person participating in the police pension fund and entitled to receive a benefit therefrom may not be deprived of his right to an equal and proportionate share therein except for the following causes: conviction of a crime or misdemeanor or failing to comply with some general regulation relating to the management of the fund, which may be made by ordinance or resolution and which provides that a failure to comply therewith terminates the right to participate in the pension fund after notice and hearing as it prescribes.
(h) Police pension funds of townships with a police force of three or more full-time officers are governed by the act of May 29, 1956 (1955 P.L. 1804, No. 600), referred to as the Municipal Police Pension Law.

Section 1911. Police Protection Districts.-On petition of a majority of the property owners of any territory within the township, the board of supervisors may designate the territory as a district for the purpose of providing police protection. The board of supervisors may annually assess the cost of the maintenance of the police protection by an equal assessment on all property benefited by the protection in proportion to the number of feet the property fronts on the street or highway or portion thereof to be protected. The board of supervisors may provide for an equitable reduction from the frontage of lots at intersections or where, due to the irregular shape of lots, an assessment of the full frontage would be inequitable. No assessment shall be made against any farmland, but vacant lots between built-up sections, whether tilled or not tilled, are not farmland. The assessment for each foot front against vacant lots shall be only twenty-five percent of the assessment for each foot front against property with improvements. All assessments for police protection shall be filed with the township tax collector under section 3301(a).

Section 1912. Removal of Police Officers.-No person employed as a regular full-time police officer in any police department, except officers appointed for a probationary period of one year or less, shall be suspended, removed or reduced in rank except under the act of June 15, 1951 (P.L. 586, No. 144), entitled "An act regulating the suspension, removal, furloughing and reinstatement of police officers in boroughs and townships of the first class having police forces of less than three members, and in townships of the second class."

Section 1913. Auxiliary Police.-The board of supervisors may confirm persons to serve as auxiliary police officers under the act of January 14, 1952 (1951 P.L. 2016, No. 561), entitled "An act providing for supplementing the police forces of cities, boroughs, towns and townships, for the appointment, powers and control of auxiliary police therein, and for the transfer during disasters and emergencies of such auxiliary police, members of the regular police forces, and police equipment thereof".

Section 1914. Special Fire Police.-The board of supervisors may confirm any members of a volunteer fire company to serve as special fire police under the act of June 18, 1941 (P.L. 137, No. 74), entitled, as amended, "An act providing for the appointment, powers and control of members of volunteer fire companies as special fire police, and conferring powers on them at fires attended by their fire companies in any city, borough, town, township or home rule municipality." The chairman of the board of supervisors may swear in special fire police officers.
(1914 amended Dec. 18, 1996, P.L. 1142, No. 172)
 

Section 2002. Street Light Districts.-(a) The board of supervisors may provide streetlights and make regulations therefor within the township or within any district of the township established by the board of supervisors for that purpose.
(b) Upon receipt of a petition signed by seventy percent of the property owners within any defined area of the township, the board of supervisors shall establish the defined area as a lighting district or include the defined area within an existing lighting district and shall provide public lighting within the area.
(c) The board of supervisors may contract with electric, gas or other lighting companies to light and illuminate roads and highways and other public places with electric light, gas light or other illuminating substances.

Section 2102. Collection.-The board of supervisors may collect and remove, by contract or otherwise, ashes, garbage, solid waste and other refuse materials and recyclables and prescribe penalties for the enforcement thereof. Any contract with refuse haulers may be made for a period not exceeding five years. This limitation does not apply to contracts with any other county or municipal corporation.

Section 2103. Disposal.-The board of supervisors may dispose of, by contract or otherwise, ashes, garbage, solid waste and other refuse materials. Any contract with the owner of a private facility for the disposal or incineration of ashes, garbage, solid waste and other refuse materials may be made for a period not exceeding twenty years. This limitation does not apply to contracts with any county or municipal corporation.

Section 2104. Acquisition of Land.-The board of supervisors may acquire any real property and erect, maintain, improve, operate and lease, either as lessor or lessee, facilities for incineration, landfill or other methods of disposal, either inside or outside the limits of the township, including equipment, either separately or jointly, with any county or municipal corporation in order to provide for the destruction, collection, removal and disposal of ashes, garbage, solid waste or other refuse materials, for the collection and storage of recyclable materials or for the composting of leaf and yard waste. The board of supervisors may provide for the payment of the cost thereof out of the funds of the township. The board of supervisors may acquire land for landfill purposes, either amicably or by exercising the power of eminent domain, and maintain lands and places for the dumping of ashes, garbage, solid waste and other refuse materials.

Section 2105. Charge for Services.-The board of supervisors may establish, alter, charge and collect rates and other charges for the collection, removal and disposal of ashes, garbage, solid waste, other refuse materials and recyclable materials, and the costs of including the payment of any indebtedness incurred for the construction, purchase, improvement, repair, maintenance and operation of any facilities therefor, and the amount due under any contract with any county or municipal corporation furnishing the services or facilities.

Section 2106. Appropriations.-The board of supervisors may make appropriations to any county or municipal corporation for the construction, purchase, improvement, repair, maintenance and operation of any facilities for the collection, removal, disposal or marketing of ashes, garbage, solid waste, other refuse materials, recyclable materials or composted leaf and yard waste.

Section 2107. Refuse Collection District.-On petition of a majority of the owners, occupants or tenants of any territory inside the township which is definitely defined, set apart and limited by the board of supervisors as a refuse collection district, either with township employes and facilities or with independent contractors, the board of supervisors may provide for the removal from the refuse collection district of ashes, garbage, solid waste or other refuse materials and for the disposal thereof, including the collection and marketing of recyclable materials. The board of supervisors may levy an assessment upon all owners, occupants or tenants of the district sufficient to defray the cost of the removal, disposal or marketing under section 3301(b).

Section 2202. Recreation Facilities Employes.-The board of supervisors may employ persons to maintain the recreation facilities or supervise the use of the recreation facilities.

Section 2203. Regulation of Parks and Public Amusements.-(a) The board of supervisors may by ordinance regulate the use and enjoyment by the public of any park or recreation grounds owned and operated by the township or charitable organizations for the use of the public.
(h) The board of supervisors may prescribe rules for the use by the public of parks and recreation grounds and the facilities and amusements connected therewith and post the rules at conspicuous places in the parks or recreation grounds. Any person who violates the rules commits a summary offense.
(c) The board of supervisors may by ordinance not inconsistent with State law and regulations regulate the time of opening and closing and the conduct of places of public entertainment, amusement and recreation.
(d) The board of supervisors may by ordinance or resolution appropriate funds for recreation programs not directly sponsored by the township.

Section 2204. Creation of Recreation Boards.-(a) The board of supervisors may by ordinance create a recreation board to supervise, regulate, equip and maintain township-funded recreation programs and facilities. The recreation board has only those powers specifically delegated to it by the board of supervisors.
(b) Recreation boards, when established, shall consist of five, seven or nine persons. The members shall be appointed by the board of supervisors and shall serve for terms of five years or until their successors are appointed, except that the members first appointed shall be appointed so that the terms of not more than two members expire annually. Members shall serve without pay but may be reimbursed by the township for all expenses incurred in performing their duties. All persons appointed shall serve their full terms unless voluntarily resigned or removed by the board of supervisors for dereliction or neglect of duty. Vacancies occurring other than by expiration of term shall be for the unexpired term and shall be filled in the same manner as original appointments.
(c) The members of a recreation board shall elect a chairman and secretary and select all other necessary officers to serve for a period of one year. The recreation board may adopt rules and regulations for the conduct of all business within its jurisdiction and exercise powers and functions concerning parks and recreation facilities as may be delegated to it by the board of supervisors. The recreation board shall submit an annual report to the board of supervisors, including an analysis of the adequacy and effectiveness of community recreation areas, facilities and leadership.

Section 2205. Joint Ownership and Maintenance.-The board of supervisors may join with any one or more municipal corporations, counties or school districts to acquire, create, equip, maintain and operate any park or recreation area to serve residents of the township under the act of July 12, 1972 (P.L. 762, No. 180), referred to as the Intergovernmental Cooperation Law.

Section 2206. Expenses for Maintenance.-All expenses incurred in the operation of parks, recreation areas and facilities are payable from the general township fund or from the treasury of the municipal corporations, counties or school districts under the agreement of the corporate authorities.

Section 2302. Duties of Roadmasters.-The roadmasters shall:
(1) Report to the board of supervisors any information that may be required by the board of supervisors and by the Department of Transportation.
(2) Inspect all roads and bridges as directed by the board of supervisors.
(3) Do or direct to be done all work necessary to carry out the responsibilities imposed by the board of supervisors with respect to the maintenance, repair and construction of township roads..

Section 2303. Road Complaints.-If any complaint alleges that the public roads and highways of any township are not maintained in accordance with law, the court may appoint three persons who shall examine the highways and report the findings to the court. In these cases, the complainants shall first enter security, in a sum as the court may fix, to pay all costs.

Section 2304. Power to Lay Out, Open, Widen, Vacate, Et Cetera.-
(a) The board of supervisors may by ordinance enact, ordain, survey, lay out, open, widen, straighten, vacate and relay all roads and bridges and parts thereof which are located wholly or partially within the township.
(b) The board of supervisors may by ordinance provide for the widening, straightening or improvement of a State highway, with the consent of the Department of Transportation, and may spend township funds in connection therewith.
(c) When any petition is presented to the board of supervisors requesting the board of supervisors to open or vacate a specific road in the township and the board of supervisors fails to act on the petition within sixty days, the petitioners may present their petition to the court of common pleas which shall proceed thereon under the act of June 13, 1836 (P.L. 551, No. 169), referred to as the General Road Law. If the board of supervisors acts on the petition but denies the request of the petition, the board of supervisors shall notify the person designated in the petition of its denial. If the request of the petition is denied, the petitioners, or a majority of them, may within thirty days after receipt of the notice petition the court of common pleas for the appointment of viewers and proceedings shall be taken thereon under the General Road Law.
(d) No road shall be laid out and opened through any burial ground or cemetery, nor through any grounds occupied by a building used as a place for public worship or as a public or parochial school, educational or charitable institution or seminary, unless the consent of the owner of the premises is first secured. If the owner is unknown, this prohibition does not apply.

Section 2305. Hearing; Report; Exceptions Thereto; View and Notice.-
(a) Before the passage of any ordinance for the laying out, opening, changing or vacating of any road or highway or section thereof, the board of supervisors shall give ten days' written notice to the owners of property adjacent to the road or portions thereof involved of the time and place set for a hearing on the proposed ordinance.
(b) If the board of supervisors votes in favor of exercising the power, it shall enact the necessary ordinance and file a copy of the ordinance, together with a draft or survey of the road showing the location and width thereof, in the office of the clerk of the court of common pleas.
(c) Any resident or property owner affected by the ordinance may within thirty days after the enactment of the ordinance of the board of supervisors, upon entering in the court sufficient surety to indemnify the board of supervisors for all costs incurred in the proceedings, file exceptions to the ordinance together with a petition for a review. Upon receipt of the exception and surety, the court of common pleas shall appoint viewers from the county board of viewers for the purpose of reviewing the ordinance and exceptions thereto.
(d) After the expiration of the term allowed for filing exceptions or upon the order of the court upon disposition of any exceptions, the court of common pleas, on application by petition by the board of supervisors or any person interested, shall appoint three viewers from the county board of viewers to assess the damages and benefits occasioned by the proceeding unless the damages and benefits are otherwise agreed upon.

Section 2306. Width of Public Roads.-The width of the right-of-way of a public road in townships shall not be less than thirty-three feet or more than one hundred and twenty feet, and the width of the right-of-way of alleys opened by the township as public roads shall not be less than fifteen feet. The minimum required width shall be in addition to any width required for necessary slopes in cuts or fills.

Section 2307. Certain Roads Declared Public Roads.-Every road which has been used for public travel and maintained and kept in repair by the township for a period of at least twenty-one years is a public road having a right-of-way of thirty-three feet even though there is no public record of the laying out or dedication for public use of the road.

Section 2308. Opening, Repairing and Closing Roads.-(a) Public roads in townships shall, as soon as practicable, be effectually opened. All public roads shall at all seasons be kept in repair and reasonably clear of all impediments to easy and convenient traveling at the expense of the township.
(b) The board of supervisors may temporarily close any township road when it determines that conditions have rendered that road unfit or unsafe for travel and immediate repair or maintenance, because of the time of year or other conditions, is impracticable. The road or portion of road closed shall be properly marked at its extremities, and a means of passage for the customary users of the road shall, when possible, be provided.
(c) Anyone using the road or portion thereof after the road has been properly closed and marked, without a permit from the board of supervisors, commits a summary offense. All fines recovered are payable to the general township fund. Persons who have no outlet due to the closing of a road may drive on, over or across the road with the written consent of, and subject to conditions imposed by, the board of supervisors or their agents or contractors without being subject to the penalties imposed by this section.

Section 2309. Time Within Which Roads to be Opened.-When proceedings have been initiated under this act for the opening and laying out of any public road in the township, the road shall be physically opened for use by the public within a period of five years after completion of the proceeding. If the road is not opened or if no proceedings have been commenced to compel the opening in five years, then the proceedings are void and the land proposed to be taken shall revert to the owners of the land free of any easement or right of the public to use the land.

Section 2310. Detours.-(a) Except for emergencies, no public road shall be closed to traffic except upon order of the board of supervisors, and no public road shall be closed to traffic when it has been designated as a detour by the Department of Transportation unless the written consent of the Department of Transportation is first obtained or unless the board of supervisors by resolution declares the closing necessary for the protection of the public safety.
(b) When any public road is closed, the board of supervisors shall designate a detour on which shall be erected and maintained while the detour is in use legible direction signs at each public road intersection through the length of the detour. When the detour is in use, the board of supervisors shall maintain the detour in safe and passable condition, except for State and county highways. The board of supervisors shall immediately remove all detour signs when the road that was originally closed is open for traffic. Except for State and county highways, the board of supervisors may acquire, by agreement or right of eminent domain, right-of-way privileges over private property for the period when the road is closed to traffic. In the exercise of the rights conferred by this section, the board of supervisors may pay for the necessary maintenance, subsequent repair and land rental.
(c) Any person who removes, defaces, destroys or disregards any barricade, light, danger sign, detour sign or warning of any other character whatsoever erected or placed under authority of this section or who drives on, over or across any road which has been properly closed commits a summary offense.
(d) In addition to the penalties imposed by this section, the board of supervisors may in an action at law recover damages from any person or persons who have damaged a road by driving on the road when it is closed to vehicular traffic under this act.
(e) All fines and moneys collected under this section shall be paid to the township treasurer.

Section 2311. Relocating or Vacating Roads by Agreement.-(a) When the board of supervisors relocates or vacates any part of any public road under its supervision and can agree with the property owners affected by the relocation or vacation, it may relocate or vacate the public road without the formality of a view.
(b) A copy of the agreement setting forth the facts regarding the relocation or vacation, accompanied by a map or draft of the road agreed to be relocated or vacated, shall be presented and recorded in the office of the recorder of deeds or similar office in home rule counties after which the new location is the public road or the old location is vacated.

Section 2312. Elimination of Curves; Acquisition of Views.-(a) Any township may acquire, by purchase or by the right of eminent domain, any property and lands along or adjacent to any township road that may be necessary to eliminate dangerous curves and widen roads and provide a free and unobstructed view over lands located at or near the intersection of any two roads or highways, or a road and a railroad or railway, or at any curve in any road, for the better protection and safety to the traveling public.
(b) The proceedings for the condemnation of the property or land and for the assessment of damages for property or land taken, injured or destroyed shall be taken under Article XXXIV.

Section 2313. Roads in or near Public Parks.-(a) The board of supervisors may contract with the Commonwealth, a county or a municipal corporation owning and operating parks inside the township to establish, relocate, alter or vacate public roads inside or contiguous to those parks. The board of supervisors shall take no action with respect to the public roads without the written consent and agreement of the Commonwealth, county or municipal corporation owning and operating the parks. Any road when altered or relocated under this section shall be maintained and repaired the same as other township roads.
(b) The agreement shall be adopted by ordinance, and, within thirty days, the road shall he a public road of the township.
(c) The owner of any land through which any public road may be located or relocated may apply by petition to the court of common pleas, setting forth the injury which has been sustained by reason of the relocation of the public road, and the proceedings relative to the assessment and payment of damages of the landowner shall be under this act for eminent domain.

Section 2314. Petition of Property Owners for Improvements.-(a) Any township may improve any public street in the township upon the petition of property owners representing a majority in number of feet front of the properties abutting on the street proposed to be improved at the expense of the property owners.
(b) The cost of the improvement may be collected from the owners of the real estate abutting on the street or highway, or part thereof, by an equal assessment on the foot-front basis.
(c) The assessments for improvement shall be filed with the township treasurer under section 3302(a).
(d) The term "owner," as used in this section, means all individuals and public or private corporations, copartnerships and associations having title in the assessed property. If the owner is a nonresident of the township and the place of residence is unknown or if the ownership of the property cannot be ascertained, the notice shall be posted on the premises and a copy shall be left with the occupant, if any.

Section 2315. Improvements Without Petition.-(a) The board of supervisors may by ordinance provide for the construction, reconstruction, repair or other improvements to any public street in the township.
(b) The cost of improvements may be collected from the owners of the real estate abutting on the street or highway, or part thereof, by an equal assessment on the foot-front basis; but in no instance shall any abutting property owner be liable for the cost of improvements in an amount greater than fifteen percent of the assessed valuation of the abutting property: Provided, further, with respect to any property used exclusively for forestry purposes, for agricultural purposes, or for both as of the time of the assessment, That the assessment shall be based upon the actual foot frontage of such property or one hundred and fifty feet, whichever is less. Any expense above the maximum liability of abutting property owners shall be paid by the township.
(c) All assessments for improvements shall be filed with the township treasurer under section 3302(a).
(d) If abutting property owners fail to pay the expenses of the improvements for which they are liable, the board of supervisors may recover the amount by action of assumpsit or may file municipal liens therefor against the abutting properties under law for the filing and collection of municipal liens.

Section 2316. Acceptance of Land for Road Purposes.-(a) The board of supervisors may by resolution accept any land dedicated by deed to the township to be used as a road, street or alley. A copy of the resolution, together with a draft or survey of the road, street or alley, showing location and width thereof, shall be filed with the clerk of the court of common pleas.
(b) When plans of dedicated roads, streets or alleys located in townships have been approved and recorded under this article, the board of supervisors may by resolution accept any roads, streets or alleys as public roads if shown in the plans as dedicated to that use and if the roads or streets are not less than thirty-three feet in width and the alleys are not less than fifteen feet in width.
(c) Upon the filing with the clerk of court of common pleas of the county a certified and attested copy of the resolution, the roads, streets or alleys become a part of the public road system of the township and shall be so recorded in the court.

Section 2317. Approval of Plans.-(a) No person shall construct, open or dedicate any road or any drainage facilities for public use or travel without first submitting plans thereof to the board of supervisors for its approval. The plans shall be prepared under rules and regulations adopted by the board of supervisors and shall show the profiles of the roads, the course, structure and capacity of any drainage facilities, the method of drainage of the adjacent or contiguous territory and any other details that may be required under the rules or regulations adopted by the board of supervisors. The board of supervisors may alter the plans and specify any changes or modifications of any kind and may make its approval of the plans subject to those alterations, changes or modifications. The plans when so approved shall be signed by the board of supervisors, and a copy shall be filed with the secretary of the township. No road or drainage facilities shall be opened, constructed or dedicated for public use or travel except in compliance with plans approved by the board of supervisors and until the approved plan is recorded as required in this section.
(b) If the board of supervisors refuses to approve any plans submitted to it under this section, any person aggrieved by the action of the board of supervisors may within thirty days appeal to the court of common pleas. The court shall hear the matter de novo and, after hearing, may enter a decree affirming, reversing or modifying the action of the board of supervisors.
(c) The action of the board of supervisors, or of the court on appeal, in approving any plans shall be recorded by the person applying for the approval in the office of the recorder of deeds of the county.
(d) No person shall present to the recorder of deeds any plan which has not been approved by the board of supervisors. Approval shall be so indicated on the plan presented for recording.
(e) If any road or any drainage facilities are opened, constructed or dedicated for public use or travel, except in compliance with plans approved and recorded, neither the board of supervisors nor any public authorities shall be required to place, construct or operate any sewer, drain, water pipe or other facilities or do any work of any kind in or upon that road; and neither the board of supervisors nor any other public authorities have any responsibility of any kind with respect to the road or drainage facilities even if they are in use by the public. Nothing in this act shall prevent the laying of trunk sewers, drains or water or gas mains if required by engineering necessity for the accommodation of other territory.
(f) Any person who constructs, opens or dedicates any road or any drainage facilities in connection therewith for public use or travel in any township without having first complied with this section and any resolutions of the board of supervisors commits a misdemeanor of the third degree and is subject to a suit for all costs and damages incurred by the township or property owners in the course of correcting all substantive violations of State or municipal law or regulations resulting from or arising out of the unlawfully recorded plan. All fines and moneys so recovered shall be paid to the township treasurer.
(g) No approval of plans by the board of supervisors shall obligate or require the township to construct, reconstruct, maintain, repair or grade the roads.

Section 2318. Markers and Monuments.-The board of supervisors and its agents may enter any land and property and maintain marks and monuments in carrying out its powers and duties under this article.

Section 2319. Powers of State and Counties Preserved.-Nothing contained in this article shall be held to restrict or limit the Department of Transportation or any county in the exercise of any of its duties, powers and functions under any State law.

Section 2320. Power to Open Drains and Ditches.-(a) The board of supervisors or its agents may enter any lands or enclosures and cut, open, maintain and repair drains or ditches through the property when necessary to carry the water from the roads.
(b) Any person who damages or diverts any drain or ditch without the authority of the board of supervisors commits a summary offense and is liable for the cost of restoring the drain or ditch. All fines and moneys so recovered shall be paid to the township treasurer.

Section 2321. Railroad Crossings.-(a) Every township constructing a road across a railroad shall construct the road above or below the grade thereof unless permitted by the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission to construct the road at grade.
(b) Any crossing of a railroad by a road or any vacation of any road crossing a railroad shall be made only under the jurisdiction of the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission. Compensation for damages to the owners of adjacent property taken, injured or destroyed shall be determined under 66 Pa. C.S. (relating to public utilities).

Section 2322. Permits.-No railroad or street railway shall be constructed upon any township road, nor shall any railroad or street railway crossings, driveway connections, gas pipe, water pipe, electric conduits or other piping be laid upon or in, nor shall any telephone, telegraph or electric light or power poles or any coal tipples or any other obstructions be erected upon or in, any portion of a township road except under conditions, restrictions and regulations specified in permits granted by the township for that purpose. Each application shall be submitted to the township in duplicate. The township shall collect a fee as determined by the Department of Transportation for processing the application and another fee for making the inspection. Each application shall be accompanied by both fees. When the township grants the permit, the board of supervisors or its agents shall inspect the work authorized by the permit upon the completion thereof and, when necessary, enforce compliance with the conditions, restrictions and regulations specified by the township. In addition to that inspection, the board of supervisors or its agents may reinspect the work not more than two years after its completion, and, if any settlement of the road surface or other defect appears in the work contrary to the conditions, restrictions and regulations of the township, it may enforce compliance therewith. If the applicant fails to rectify a defect which presents an immediate or imminent safety or health problem within forty-eight hours or any other defect within sixty days after written notice from the board of supervisors to do so, the board of supervisors or its agents may do the work and impose upon the applicant the cost thereof, together with an additional twenty percent of the cost, which may be recovered by an action in assumpsit in the court of common pleas of the county. All fees received by the township shall he paid into the township treasury. Nothing in this section shall be construed to require a permit in advance for emergency repairs necessary for the safety of the public or the restoration or continuance of public utility service or other public service, but application for the permit and the fees shall be submitted within five days after completion of the work, after which time the remaining provisions of this section apply. Nothing in this section authorizes a township to regulate or control the operations of any permittee except under this section.

Section 2323. Penalty for Destroying Signs.-A person shall not destroy, remove, injure or deface any sign legally erected upon or near any public street, road or bridge by the board of supervisors, or by any club, association or other organized body, for the direction, guidance or safety of travelers. A person shall not destroy, remove, injure or deface any temporary traffic-control device legally erected to enhance traffic or worker safety in a construction or maintenance work zone, including, but not limited to, cones, batons, barrels, barricades, signs, sign trucks, arrow boards or other devices specified in a traffic safety plan approved by the township or the Department of Transportation. Any person who violates this section commits a summary offense and shall, upon conviction, be sentenced to pay a fine of not less than two hundred dollars ($200) nor more than five hundred dollars ($500) for the first offense and a mandatory fine of five hundred dollars ($500) for the second or any subsequent offense, with costs of prosecution, together with the value of the destroyed, removed or defaced sign. All fines and moneys imposed and collected shall be paid to the township treasurer.

Section 2324. Protection of Highways from Snowdrifts.-(a) The board of supervisors may enter private property adjacent to any public road or highway and place thereon a snow fence to within a limit of one hundred feet from the right-of-way line of the public road in order to eliminate snow drifting on the traveled portion of the public road.
(h) A snow fence may not be placed before the first day of November or remain in place after the first day of April of the succeeding year unless the written consent of the owner is obtained, agreeing to an extension of time for the removal of the snow fence.
(c) If the board of supervisors and the owner of the property upon which a snow fence is placed and removed under this section cannot agree to the amount of compensation, if any, to be paid to the owner for placing the fence, including the amount of damages, if any, to be paid for injury to the property resulting from placing and removing the fence, the owner may petition the court of common pleas of the county for the appointment of viewers to ascertain the amount of damage incurred in the manner provided in this act for eminent domain proceedings. Damages, if any, when ascertained shall be paid by the township from the general township fund.

Section 2325. Saving Trees and Shrubbery.-(a) The board of supervisors or its agents shall not remove any shrub or tree growing within the right-of-way of any township road or street except those shrubs and trees the board of supervisors finds to constitute a hazardous or dangerous condition to the use of the highway or those which impair the use or maintenance of the public road or street. No tree having a trunk diameter in excess of six inches shall be removed without notice of the proposed removal having first been given to the abutting property owner. The township supervisors shall determine by resolution the form of notice to property owners.
(b) All logs, cordwood, branch wood or other forms of wood derived from the destruction or removal of any trees growing along the highways shall be surrendered to and remain the property of the abutting owners.
(c) The board of supervisors may clear out brush and other refuse along the sides of the road to the legal width thereof. All clearing and removal of brush and refuse shall be confined to growth that is within the right-of-way and to the removal of branches that in any way interfere with public travel. No other injury by fire, cutting, abrasion or otherwise shall be done to the standing timber.
(d) Any person who violates the provisions of this section commits a summary offense. All fines shall be paid into the general township find.
(e) Nothing in this section prevents the board of supervisors or roadmasters or other persons in their employ from removing roadside trees which may be thrown down by wind or lodged in a position as to be a menace to public travel or which, by reason of any other cause, may become a source of danger to the public.

Section 2326. Obstructions and Nuisances.-Any person who obstructs any public road or commits any nuisance thereon by felling trees, making fences, turning the road, diverting water onto or in any other way and who does not, on notice given by the board of supervisors, immediately remove the obstruction or nuisance and repair the damages done to the road commits a summary offense. Nothing in this section shall debar a prosecution for any nuisance as in case of misdemeanor at common law.

Section 2327. Traffic Lights and Signals.-The board of supervisors may provide for the erection, maintenance and operation of traffic lights and traffic signals in accordance with 75 Pa. C.S. (relating to vehicles).

Section 2328. Regulation of Parking.-(a) The board of supervisors may by ordinance regulate parking, provide parking accommodations to promote the convenience and protection of the public, post signs regulating parking in areas established or designated for handicapped or severely disabled veteran parking and impose penalties for the violation of those regulations.
(b) The board of supervisors may provide for the erection, maintenance and regulation of parking meters, and it may by ordinance establish parking meter charges and impose penalties for the violation of those regulations.

Section 2329. Naming of Streets.-The board of supervisors may provide for and regulate the naming of streets, roads and highways. When the naming of a street, road or highway will affect signing maintained by the Department of Transportation, the board of supervisors shall notify the department.

Section 2330. Bike Paths.-The board of supervisors may provide for the construction and maintenance of bike paths for the protection or convenience of the traveling public.

Section 2331. County Bridges.-When the cost of construction or maintenance of a bridge located within the township is paid in whole or in part by the county, the board of supervisors may make agreements for the maintenance and repair of the bridge.

Section 2502. Sanitary Sewer Connections.-(a) The board of supervisors may by ordinance require adjoining and adjacent property owners to connect with and use the sanitary sewer system, whether constructed by the township or a municipality authority or a joint sanitary sewer board. In the case of a sanitary sewer system constructed by the township pursuant to either section 2501 or 2516, the board of supervisors may impose and charge to property owners who desire to or are required to connect to the township's sewer system a connection fee, a customer facilities fee, a tapping fee and other similar fees, as enumerated and defined by clause (t) of subsection B of section 4 of the act of May 2, 1945 (P.L. 382, No. 164), known as the "Municipality Authorities Act of 1945," as a condition of connection to a township-owned sewer collection, treatment or disposal facility. If any owner of property adjoining or adjacent to or whose principal building is within one hundred and fifty feet from the sanitary sewer fails to connect with and use the sanitary sewer for a period of sixty days after notice to do so has been served by the board of supervisors, either by personal service or by registered mail, the board of supervisors or their agents may enter the property and construct the connection. The board of supervisors shall send an itemized bill of the cost of construction to the owner of the property to which connection has been made, which bill is payable immediately. If the owner fails to pay the bill, the board of supervisors shall file a municipal lien for the cost of the construction within six months of the date of completion of the connection.
(b) When an existing sanitary sewer system owned by or leased to a township is extended or altered at the expense of a developer or other private person or corporation under the supervision of the township or a municipality authority of the township, the board of supervisors may by ordinance or resolution take over the extension or alteration and compel all owners of property which is not already connected to an existing public sanitary sewer system and which is accessible to and whose principal building is within one hundred and fifty feet from the sanitary sewer extension to make connection therewith and use the sanitary sewer system as the board of supervisors may order.
(c) Whenever a sewer system or any part or extension thereof owned by a township has been constructed by the township at the expense of a private person or corporation or has been constructed by a private person or corporation under the supervision of the township at the expense of the private person or corporation, the board of supervisors shall have the right to charge a tapping fee, including a reimbursement component, and refund said reimbursement component to the person or corporation who has paid for the construction of said sewer system or any part or extension thereof.
(d) The board of supervisors shall not require any commercial or industrial business to connect to the township sanitary sewer system when the commercial or industrial business is operating a private sanitary sewage treatment plant under mandate of any agency of the Federal or State Government. This exemption shall last as long as the private sanitary sewage treatment plant continues to meet the specifications and standards mandated by the Federal or State agency and for forty-five days after that. If, during the days immediately after the day a business' private sanitary sewage treatment plant is determined to be below Federal or State mandates, repairs cannot be made to bring the private sewage treatment system back up to satisfactory condition, the board of supervisors may require the business to connect to the township sanitary sewer system. The full costs of connection to and any necessary refurbishing of the township sanitary sewer system shall be paid by the business.
(e) The exemption in subsection (d) is not available in any situation where the business seeking to use it had notice, either actual or constructive, before construction of its sewage treatment plant, of the township's intention to construct a sanitary sewer system and to require that business to connect with its system.
(f) The Department of Environmental Protection shall not issue any permit to allow a commercial or industrial business to construct its own private sewage treatment plant without the written consent of the board of supervisors of the township in which the private sewage treatment plant is proposed to be located.

Section 2503. Notice of Contemplated Construction.-No sanitary sewer system shall be constructed under this article unless a resolution of the board of supervisors authorizing the construction is published in a newspaper of general circulation in the township once a week for three successive weeks.

Section 2504. Entering Lands to Mark Sanitary Sewer Routes; Damages.-In the absence of an agreement with the owners of land required for sanitary sewer systems or for the marking of the route of the systems, the board of supervisors or its agents have the right to enter the lands for that purpose. For all damage done by entering the land under this section, the general fund of the township shall be pledged as security. Damages shall be determined by viewers under this act for eminent domain proceedings.

Section 2505. Sanitary Sewer Systems; Acquisition of Land and Facilities; Damages.-The board of supervisors may acquire by eminent domain or make contracts with other municipal corporations, corporations or persons for the acquisition of lands or facilities for the location, construction, maintenance, reconstruction and enlargement of sanitary sewer systems and treatment facilities. Acquisitions may be made for the purpose of future construction or additions to existing systems. The acquired land may be located either inside or outside the boundaries of the township. For all damage done to owners of land by reason of the taking of the land, the general fund of the township shall be pledged as security. Damages shall be determined by viewers under this act for eminent domain proceedings.

Section 2506. Cost of Construction; How Paid.-All or part of the cost of construction of a sanitary sewer system constructed under this article may be charged upon the properties accommodated or benefited by the construction.

Section 2507. Sanitary Sewer Districts.-(a) When a sanitary sewer system is constructed by a township for the accommodation of a certain portion of the township, the board of supervisors may before or after the construction designate the territory accommodated as one sanitary sewer district or divide it into several sanitary sewer districts. The board of supervisors shall estimate the proportion of the cost of the sanitary sewer system to be charged on each of the districts and declare and establish the apportionment by resolution.
(b) When a sanitary sewer system is constructed by a township for the benefit only of a certain portion of the township and the cost of main sanitary sewers, pumping stations, pressure lines, et cetera, is charged against the sanitary sewer district or sanitary sewer districts, all or part of the amount charged to each district may be assessed to the district by an assessment upon each lot or piece of land in the district, in proportion to its frontage abutting on the sanitary sewer, or by an assessment upon the several properties abutting on the sanitary sewer, in proportion to benefits, or upon the properties connected with and using the sanitary sewers as rental fees, or each lot or piece of ground abutting upon the sanitary sewer may be assessed, in proportion to its frontage or according to benefits, the cost of a local sanitary sewer, and the balance of the amount charged against the district may be assessed upon the properties connected with and using the sanitary sewer, as rental fees. No district shall be charged with more than its due proportion of the cost of the main sanitary sewers, pumping stations, et cetera, used jointly by more than one district. If the whole of the township is accommodated by the sanitary sewer system, it may be treated as a single district.

Section 2508. Manner of Assessment.-When a township is divided into sanitary sewer districts, the assessment in each district may be by different methods. The assessment, if any, for sanitary sewer system construction shall be charged upon the properties accommodated or benefited by one of the following methods:
(1) By an assessment, under a resolution or ordinance of the board of supervisors, of each lot or piece of land in proportion to its frontage abutting on the sanitary sewer system, allowing an equitable reduction in the case of corner properties and unusually shaped properties or those properties abutting on more than one collector line of the sanitary sewer as the resolution or ordinance may specify. When the lot or piece of land is on a corner, it shall be assessed for its entire frontage abutting on any sanitary sewer system.
(2) By an equal assessment on all properties abutting on the sanitary sewer system in proportion to the total cost of construction of the sanitary sewer system. The amount of the charge on each property shall be determined by the board of supervisors.

Section 2509. Procedure for Assessments.-If taxpayers of the district whose property valuation as assessed for taxable purposes within the district amounts to fifty percent of the total property valuation so assessed or if taxpayers representing fifty percent of the parcels within the district present a petition within three months of the adoption of a resolution or ordinance levying an assessment under section 2508 to the court of common pleas that the assessment insufficiently represents the benefits accruing to abutting properties, they may include in the petition a request for the appointment of viewers to assess benefits. The court shall appoint three disinterested viewers, none of whom shall be a resident of that portion of the township which is accommodated by the sanitary sewer system in question, and the viewers shall proceed under this act for the assessment of damages and benefits by viewers. Upon the filing of a petition by taxpayers for appointment of viewers, any assessment made by the board of supervisors and any proceedings shall be stayed pending the disposition of the petition by the court.
(2509 amended June 22, 2000, P.L.400, No. 55)
 

Section 2510. Liens for Assessments; Costs of Proceedings.-After the amount of the assessment charged upon the several properties has been established by resolution making assessments according to section 2508 or by confirmation of any report of viewers, in whole or in part, the amounts of all assessments are payable to the township treasurer for the use of the sanitary sewer district or districts or the township in which they are assessed. The board of supervisors shall make out bills for the amounts charged against each property, which shall be sent to all property owners whose property will be served by the sanitary sewer system. If the assessment is not paid within sixty days after the mailing of a bill therefor, the board of supervisors shall collect it by action of assumpsit or under law for the filing and recovery of municipal claims.
(2510 amended June 22, 2000, P.L.400, No. 55)
 

Section 2511. Rental Fees.-(a) All persons whose property is connected to a sanitary sewer system shall pay to the township treasurer, in addition to the cost of making the connection, a monthly, quarterly, semi-annual or annual charge adopted by a resolution of the board of supervisors. The charges constitute a lien until paid against the property connected to the sanitary sewer system, and the amount thereof may be recovered by due process of law. All water utilities supplying water to users within the boundaries of any township shall at the request of the board of supervisors furnish to the township, on or before the fifteenth day of the month following the month during which bills are issued, a list of all water meter readings and flat-rate water bills and the basis for each flat-rate water charge so that the data may be used in calculating rental fees. The township may pay to the utilities clerical and other expenses incurred in the preparation of the lists.
(b) Nothing in this section shall be construed to repeal or modify any of the provisions of 66 Pa.C.S. (relating to public utilities).
(c) All sewer rentals received shall be deposited in a special fund to be used only for the payment of the cost of construction, reconstruction, repair, operation and maintenance of the sanitary sewer system.

Section 2512. State and County Highways; Consents Necessary.- Sanitary sewers may be constructed in or under any State or county highway. If the construction of sanitary sewers is in or under county highways, the consent of the county commissioners of the county shall first be obtained and, if the construction of sanitary sewers is in or under any State highway, the consent of the Department of Transportation shall first be obtained.

Section 2513. Municipal Corporation; Municipality Authority; Agreements for Connections; Appointment of Viewers.-(a) Any township may by agreement connect with an existing sanitary sewer owned by any municipal corporation or municipality authority for either sewage collection or treatment purposes.
(b) When any township desires to connect with the existing sewer of any municipal corporation or municipality authority, a petition shall be presented by the board of supervisors to the court of common pleas setting forth the facts. The court shall fix a day for hearing upon the petition and direct public notice be given to all interested parties. If the court is of the opinion that the connection can be made without impairing the usefulness of the existing sanitary sewer system, it shall appoint three viewers to view the premises, investigate the facts of the case, assess the necessary costs and expenses of making the connection and the proportionate part of the expense of building the original sanitary sewer system upon the township, determine the proportion of the expense for repairs which the municipal corporation or municipality authority and the township shall bear and determine all other questions liable to arise in connection therewith.

Section 2514. Report of Viewers.-The viewers shall report the results of their investigation to the court, and the court shall confirm the report within thirty days of its submission unless exceptions are filed. Any interested party may appeal the disposition of filed exceptions.

Section 2515. Acquisition of Existing Sanitary Sewer Systems.-(a) The board of supervisors of the township in which the facilities are located may acquire all or part of an existing sanitary sewer system or community subsurface sewage collection and treatment system.
(b) Acquisition may be by either purchase, when the board of supervisors and the owner can agree on a price not exceeding the actual value of the sanitary sewer system or part thereof to be transferred, or by deed of dedication to the township by the owners of the sanitary sewer system or part thereof or by the exercise of eminent domain.
(c) If any sanitary sewer system or community subsurface disposal collection and treatment system is acquired by purchase or taking under this section, the cost of acquisition may be distributed or assessed under this act as when a sanitary sewer system is constructed by the township.
(d) The rights, powers and duties of the board of supervisors with respect to acquired systems are the same as exist with respect to sanitary sewer systems constructed by the township.

Section 2516. Joint Sanitary Sewer Systems.-(a) Townships may contract with other municipal corporations and municipal authorities providing for the joint construction or maintenance of sanitary sewer systems and for the connection onto existing sanitary sewer systems. The agreements shall provide for the apportionment of costs among the municipal corporations. The board of supervisors may assess the township's respective portions of the costs, as may be legally assessable, upon property benefited by the facilities. Any portion of the cost not
assessed or assessable shall be paid by the respective municipal corporations under the agreement.
(b) The municipal corporations joining or contemplating joining in the project in order to facilitate the building of the sanitary sewer system and in securing preliminary surveys and estimates may by ordinance provide for the appointment of a joint sanitary sewer board composed of one representative from each of the municipal corporations joining which shall act generally as the advisory and administrative agency in the construction of the improvement and its subsequent operation and maintenance. Members of the joint sanitary sewer board shall serve for terms of six years each from the dates of their respective appointments and until their successors are appointed. The joint sanitary sewer board shall organize by the election of a chairman, vice-chairman, secretary and treasurer. The municipal corporations may in the ordinances creating the joint sanitary sewer board authorize it to appoint an engineer, a solicitor and other necessary assistants and agree to the share of the compensation of those persons each municipal corporation is to pay. The members of the joint sanitary sewer board shall receive compensation for attending board meetings as established in the budget that is prepared by the joint sanitary sewer board and submitted to and adopted by the municipal corporations. The budget item providing for the compensation to members for attending meetings shall not exceed a total of two hundred and fifty dollars ($250) for each member in each year, but the members shall be entitled to actual expenses to be paid by the respective municipal corporations the members represent.
(c) The joint sanitary sewer board may adopt rules and regulations to govern its proceedings and prepare and suggest measures and plans under which the joint improvement may be completed and for the future development of the system. It may prepare a joint agreement or agreements for submission to and adoption by the municipal corporations defining the advisory and administrative powers of the joint sanitary sewer board and setting forth: the consents of the municipal corporations to the proposed improvement; the manner in which preliminary and final plans, specifications and estimates for the proposed improvement shall be prepared and adopted and in which proposals for bids shall be advertised and contracts let; the manner in which the costs of the improvement and other incidental and preliminary expenses in connection therewith, and the future cost of operation and maintenance, shall be equitably shared, apportioned and paid; and all other matters, including the preparation and submission of annual and other budgets, that are necessary or required by law to complete the proposed improvement and to assure future maintenance and operation thereof. The board may not make any improvement or spend any public moneys which have not first been authorized by all of the municipal corporations proceeding with the improvement.
(d) When it is necessary to acquire, appropriate, damage or destroy private property to build any joint sanitary sewer system or improvement and the property cannot be acquired by purchase or gift, the right of eminent domain shall vest in the municipal corporation where the property is located. When it is necessary to acquire, damage or destroy property in any territory not within the limits of any of the municipal corporations joining in the improvement, the right of eminent domain shall be vested in the municipal corporation adjacent to the territory where the property is located. Damages for any property that is taken, damaged or destroyed shall be assessed under laws relating to the municipal corporations exercising the right of eminent domain and shall be paid by the municipal corporations joining in the same proportion as other costs of the improvements.

Section 2602. Water Lines and Connections.-The board of supervisors may contract with any private corporation or any adjacent municipal corporation owning a water system to provide water for public and private uses to be delivered into the lines of the township at or near the boundary thereof. The board of supervisors may by contract lay water lines and extensions and regulate the making of connections therewith.

Section 2603. Connection to Water System.-The board of supervisors may by ordinance require that abutting property owners of a water system provided by the township or a municipality authority or a joint water board connect with and use the system. Those industries and farms which have their own supply of water for uses other than human consumption may continue to use their own water for that purpose but are required to use the township water system to provide water for human consumption. In the case of a water system provided by the township or a joint water board, the board of supervisors may impose and charge to property owners who desire to or are required to connect to the water system a connection fee, a customer facilities fee, a tapping fee and other similar fees as enumerated and defined by clause (t) of subsection B of section 4 of the act of May 2, 1945 (P.L. 382, No. 164), known as the "Municipality Authorities Act of 1945." Whenever a water system or any part or extension thereof owned by a township has been constructed by the township at the expense of a private person or corporation or has been constructed by a private person or corporation under the supervision of the township at the expense of the private person or corporation, the board of supervisors shall have the right to charge a tapping fee, including a reimbursement component, and refund said reimbursement component to the person or corporation who has paid for the construction of said water system or any part or extension thereof. If any owner of property abutting the water system fails to connect with and use the system within ninety days after notice to do so has been served by the board of supervisors, the board of supervisors or their agents may enter the property and construct the connection. The board of supervisors shall send an itemized bill of the cost of construction of connection to the owner of the property to which connection has been made, which bill is payable immediately, or the board of supervisors may authorize the payment of the cost of construction of connections in equal installments under Article XXXIII.

Section 2604. Water Rents.-The board of supervisors may provide for the collection of water rents from users of water supplied by the township.

Section 2605. Distribution System; State Permit.-The board of supervisors may by ordinance provide, acquire, establish, regulate and protect any system of distribution of water for private and public use after a certified copy of the plans and surveys for the system, with a description of the sources from which it is proposed to derive the supply, are filed with the Department of Environmental Protection and a written permit for the construction of the system is obtained from the Department of Environmental Protection.

Section 2606. Occupation of Highways.-In regulating, protecting and extending its system of distribution of water, the township may occupy public highways, but no highway under the jurisdiction of the Department of Transportation shall be occupied until a permit therefor has been obtained from the department nor any highway under the jurisdiction of the county until a permit therefor has been obtained from the county commissioners.

Section 2607. Joint Construction, Acquisition or Maintenance of Water Systems.-Any township may join with any other municipal corporation in the construction or acquisition and maintenance of water systems. The construction of water systems shall be commenced only after plans for the systems have been filed with the Department of Environmental Protection and permits have been issued.

Section 2608. Joint Water Board.-The municipal corporations joining in the improvement, in order to facilitate the building of the water system and in securing preliminary surveys and estimates, may by ordinance provide for the appointment of a joint water board composed of one representative from each of the municipal corporations joining to act generally as the advisory and administrative agency in the construction of the improvement and its subsequent operation and maintenance. Members of the joint water board shall serve for terms of six years each from the dates of their respective appointments and until their successors are appointed. The joint water board shall organize by the election of a chairman, vice-chairman, secretary and treasurer. The municipal corporations may in the ordinances creating the joint water board authorize it to appoint an engineer, a solicitor and other necessary assistants and agree to the share of the compensation of those persons each municipal corporation is to pay. The members of the joint water board shall receive compensation for attending board meetings as established in the budget that is prepared by the joint water board and submitted to and adopted by the municipal corporations. The compensation to members for attending meetings shall not exceed a total of two hundred and fifty dollars ($250) for each member in each year, but the members shall be entitled to actual expenses to be paid by the respective municipal corporations the members represent.

Section 2609. Public Utility Law Saved.-Nothing contained in this article shall be construed to repeal or to supersede any of the provisions of 66 Pa. C.S. (relating to public utilities).

Section 2610. Cost of Construction; How Paid.-All or part of the cost of construction of any water system constructed by the authority of this article may be charged upon the properties accommodated or benefited thereby.

Section 2611. Water Districts.-The board of supervisors may designate, define and create one or more water districts within the township, and the board of supervisors shall determine the proportion of the cost of the water system which shall be equitably charged on each district and declare and establish the apportionment by resolution. No district shall be charged with more than its due proportion of the cost of the main pipe lines, pumping stations, et cetera, used jointly by more than one district.

Section 2612. Assessment.-The board of supervisors may provide for the payment of the cost of water lines or water systems in the township or in districts thereof by an assessment upon the properties accommodated or benefited by one of the following methods:
(1) By an assessment under a resolution or ordinance of the board of supervisors of each lot or piece of land in proportion to its frontage abutting on the water mains, allowing an equitable reduction in the case of corner properties and unusually shaped properties or in the case of properties abutting on more than one main as the resolution or ordinance may specify.
(2) By an equal assessment on all properties abutting on the mains in proportion to the total cost of construction. The amount of the charge on each property shall be determined by the board of supervisors.

Section 2613. Procedure for Assessment.-If taxpayers of the district whose property valuation as assessed for taxable purposes within the district amounts to fifty percent of the total property valuation so assessed or if taxpayers representing fifty percent of the parcels within the district present a petition within three months of the adoption of a resolution or ordinance levying an assessment under section 2612, to the court of common pleas stating that the assessment insufficiently represents the benefits accruing to abutting properties, they may include in the petition a request for the appointment of viewers to assess benefits. The court shall appoint three disinterested viewers, none of whom shall be a resident of that portion of the township which is accommodated by the water system in question, and the viewers shall proceed under this act for the assessment of damages and benefits by viewers. Upon the filing of the petition by taxpayers for appointment of viewers, any assessment made by the board of supervisors and any proceedings shall be stayed pending the disposition of the petition by the court.
(2613 amended June 22, 2000, P.L.400, No. 55)
 

Section 2702. Construction of Storm Water Management Facilities.-
(a) The board of supervisors may acquire by purchase, deed of dedication or eminent domain proceedings all or part of any existing system or facility for the management of surface water runoff which may have been established or constructed by any property owner in the township or establish, construct and maintain systems or facilities in the best interest of the township.
(b) If the board of supervisors and the owners of systems can agree upon a price to be paid by the township, the purchase may be consummated if the amount to be paid does not exceed the actual value of the facilities to be transferred.
(c) If the board of supervisors acquires the system by the exercise of eminent domain, the damages shall be determined by viewers under this act for eminent domain proceedings.

Section 2703. System Management.-(a) When exercising the powers under this article, the board of supervisors shall manage storm water originating in or passing through the township in a manner which is consistent with the requirements of the act of October 4, 1978 (P.L. 864, No. 167), known as the "Storm Water Management Act," and the storm water management guidelines and any regulations which may be adopted by the Department of Environmental Protection.
(b) All storm water management activities undertaken must be consistent with any watershed storm water management plan when the plan has been approved by the Department of Environmental Protection.
(c) When storm water management activities are undertaken in watersheds for which there is no approved storm water management plan, all drawings, documents, profiles and designs and descriptions of the proposed activities to be undertaken by the township shall be submitted to the county conservation district for review and comment before the initiation of earthmoving activities. The conservation district shall have thirty days to review and respond with comments to the board of supervisors. Failure to respond within that time constitutes favorable comment by the conservation district.

Section 2802. Regulation of Use and Prices.-Any township furnishing electricity under this article may regulate the use of electricity in dwellings, business places and other places in the township and the rate to be charged for the electricity.

Section 2803. Sale of Hydroelectric Generating Facilities.-A township may by ordinance sell all or part of its hydroelectric generating facilities to a purchaser for that sale price as the parties may agree upon.

Section 2804. Construction or Purchase of Hydroelectric Generating Facilities.-Any township may construct or purchase facilities to manufacture electricity by hydroelectric generation. Any township may purchase a hydroelectric generating facility at that price as may be agreed upon by the township and the person, partnership or a majority of the stockholders of a corporation that owns the facilities.

Section 2902. Commission Members; Appointment; Terms; Vacancies.- A shade tree commission shall be composed of three members who shall be residents of the township. The initial terms of members shall be for periods of three years, four years and five years respectively. All subsequent terms shall be for a period of five years. Members of the commission shall serve without compensation but shall be reimbursed for actual and necessary expenses incurred in the performance of their duties. Vacancies in the office of shade tree commissioner shall be filled by the board of supervisors for the unexpired term.

Section 2903. Powers May be Vested in Recreation Board.-When there exists a board for the care of public parks, the board of supervisors may by ordinance confer on the recreation board all the powers and duties under this article for a shade tree commission.

Section 2904. General Powers of Commission.-The shade tree commission has exclusive control of the shade trees in the township and is authorized to plant, remove, maintain and protect shade trees on the public streets and highways in the township, excluding State highways.

Section 2905. Hiring of Employes.-The shade tree commission may with the approval of the board of supervisors employ persons to perform the duties and directions of the commission and make, publish and enforce regulations for the care and protection of the shade trees of the township. No regulations shall be in force until approved by the board of supervisors and until published at least once in a newspaper of general circulation in the township.

Section 2906. Report of Commission.-The shade tree commission shall annually report to the board of supervisors its transactions and expenses for the preceding fiscal year of the township.

Section 2907. Removal of Diseased or Dangerous Trees.-(a) The shade tree commission or, if no commission exists, the board of supervisors may by ordinance require owners of property to cut and remove trees located on the property if the condition of the trees, through disease or otherwise, unreasonably affects or interferes with the health, safety or welfare of the public or the right of the public to the unobstructed use of public roads or property.
(b) If within thirty days after the date of notice by certified mail, return receipt requested, to remove the trees, the property owner has not complied with that order, the commission or the board of supervisors may enter the premises and remove the trees.
(c) The cost of cutting and removal of trees by the township shall be charged to the property owner. The charge shall be a lien against the real estate of the property owner and shall be collected in the same manner as other municipal liens.

Section 2908. Maintenance by Township Funds.-The shade tree commission shall annually certify the costs incurred under this article to the board of supervisors. The costs shall be paid from the general township fund.

Section 2909. Penalties.-The shade tree commission, to the extent provided by ordinance of the township, may assess penalties for the violation of its regulations and of this article as far as it relates to shade trees. Any penalty so assessed shall be a lien upon the real estate of the offender and may be collected as municipal claims are collected.

Section 3002. Members of Board of Health.-A board of health appointed under this article shall be composed of five members, at least one of whom shall be a licensed physician with not less than two years' experience in the practice of his profession The members of the board of health shall be appointed by the board of supervisors. Upon the creation of a board of health, one member shall be appointed to serve for one year, one for two years, one for three years, one for four years and one for five years, and after that one member shall be appointed each year to serve for five years. Upon the creation of a board of health in a township which has an existing sanitary board, the board of supervisors may continue the incumbent members of the sanitary board as members of the board of health. The members of the board of health shall serve without compensation but shall be reimbursed for actual and necessary expenses incurred in the performance of their duties.

Section 3003. Organization, Secretary, Health Officer and Inspectors.- The members of the board of health shall annually organize by electing a chairman from among the members of the board of health, a secretary who may be a member of the board of health and a health officer and inspectors who shall not be members of the board of health. The secretary, health officer and inspectors shall each receive a salary as determined by the board of supervisors and shall serve for a period of one year or until their successors may be appointed and qualified.

Section 3004. Duties of Secretary.-The secretary of the board of health shall keep the minutes of the proceedings of the board of health, keep accurate accounts of the expenses of the board of health, draw all requisitions for the payment of moneys on account of the board of health from appropriations made by the board of supervisors to the board of health and present them to the board of health for approval, render statements of the expenses to the board of health at each stated meeting or as frequently as the board of health may require, prepare under the direction of the board of health the annual report to the board of supervisors, together with the estimate of appropriation needed for the ensuing year, and make other reports and perform other duties as the board of health may require.

Section 3005. Powers and Duties of Health Officer and Inspectors.-The health officer and inspectors shall attend all stated and special meetings of the board of health and at all times be ready and available for the prompt performance of their official duties. They shall make inspections and execute the orders of the board of health.

Section 3006. Powers of Board of Health.-(a) The board of health shall enforce the health and sanitation laws of this Commonwealth and any regulations adopted under those laws and the health and sanitation laws and regulations of the township.
(b) Regulations, when authorized by ordinance of the township, shall have the force of ordinances of the township. All penalties prescribed for violation of the regulations, as well as the expenses actually and necessarily incurred in enforcing ordinances and regulations, are recoverable in enforcement proceedings and shall be paid into the general township fund. Townships may establish and revise fees for licenses or permits issued by the township as necessary.

Section 3007. Entering Premises.-The board of health, health officer or inspectors may enter at any time any premises within the township where there is reasonably suspected to exist any health hazard or violation of health or sanitation laws or regulations or which are of a type that may give rise to a health hazard.

Section 3008. Written Order for Violation.-When the board of health, health officer or inspectors determine that a health or sanitation hazard or violation exists, a written order shall be directed to the owner or occupant of the premises involved, ordering an abatement of the hazard or violation and the taking of corrective action as the board of health, health officer or inspectors may deem necessary under the circumstances. The order shall set forth a specific time in which the abatement and corrective action shall be accomplished. If the order is not complied with within the time provided, the board of health, health officer or inspectors may enter the premises and issue orders for the immediate termination of activities creating the violation, the potential violation and all acts of commerce conducted in, on or at the premises in question. In addition, the board of health, health officer or inspectors may proceed to enforce the law or regulation being violated the same as ordinances of the township.

Section 3009. Appropriations and Annual Report.-The board of supervisors shall make an annual appropriation to the board of health as the board of supervisors determines. The board of health or health officer shall before the preparation of the annual budget of the township submit to the board of supervisors the estimated expenses of the board of health or health officer for the ensuing year. The board of health or health officer shall by the first day of February of each year prepare and submit to the board of supervisors and the regional office of the Department of Environmental Protection, the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Health an annual report in writing, setting forth the activities and expenditures of the board of health or health officer during the prior calendar year.

Section 3102. Letting Contracts.-(a) All contracts or purchases in excess of the required advertising amount of ten thousand dollars ($10,000), except those specifically excluded, shall not be made except with and from the lowest responsible bidder after due notice in one newspaper of general circulation in the township. The notice for bids shall be published at least two times at intervals of not less than three days in daily newspapers or once a week for two successive weeks in weekly newspapers. The first advertisement shall be published not more than forty-five days, and the second advertisement not less than ten days, before the date set for the opening of bids. Notice of proposed contracts or purchases shall also be posted where the board of supervisors normally meets or in a conspicuous place within the township. Any published notice for bids shall contain full plans and specifications, or refer to the places where copies thereof can be obtained, state the amount of the performance bond determined under subsection (g) and give the date, time and place of a meeting at which an individual or committee appointed by the board of supervisors or the board of supervisors will open and read the bids. ((a) amended Dec. 19, 1996, P.L.1412, No. 181)
(b) Written or telephonic price quotations from at least three qualified and responsible contractors shall be requested for all contracts that exceed four thousand dollars ($4,000) but are less than the amount requiring advertisement and competitive bidding, or, in lieu of price quotations, a memorandum shall be kept on file showing that fewer than three qualified contractors exist in the market area within which it is practicable to obtain quotations. A written record of telephonic price quotations shall be made and shall contain at least the date of the quotation, the name of the contractor and the contractor's representative, the construction, reconstruction, repair, maintenance or work which was the subject of the quotation and the price. Written price quotations, written records of telephonic price quotations and memoranda shall be retained for a period of three years.
(c) The board of supervisors may purchase or make contracts under the act of October 27, 1979 (P.L. 241, No. 78), entitled "An act authorizing political subdivisions, municipality authorities and transportation authorities to enter into contracts for the purchase of goods where no bids are received," if no bids are received on an item after proper notices.
(d) The amount of the contract, whether of straight sale price, conditional sale, lease, lease purchase or otherwise, is the entire amount the township pays to the successful bidder in order to obtain the services or property, or both, and does not mean only the amount which is paid to acquire title or to receive any other particular benefit or benefits.
(e) The award of contracts shall only be made by public announcement at the meeting at which bids are opened by the board of supervisors, or received from the individual or committee appointed by the board of supervisors to open and read bids, or at a subsequent meeting of the board of supervisors, the time and place of which shall be publicly announced when bids are received. If for any reason one or both of the meetings are not held, the same business may be transacted at a subsequent meeting if at least five days' notice of the meeting is published in the same newspaper as the notice of bids. Bidders shall be notified and other interested parties, upon request, shall be notified of the date, time and location of the opening of bids and may be present when the bids are opened.
(f) The board of supervisors may reject all bids received if it is believed to be in the best interest of the township, and at a public meeting the reasons for the rejection of all bids shall be announced and be noted in the minutes.
(g) Unless covered under the bonding requirements of the act of December 20, 1967 (P.L. 869, No. 385), known as the "Public Works Contractors' Bond Law of 1967," the successful bidder shall furnish a bond guaranteeing performance of the contract, in an amount as determined by the supervisors at the time of advertising for bids which shall be not less than ten percent nor more than one hundred percent of the amount of the contract, within twenty days after the contract is awarded. If the bidder fails to furnish the bond within twenty days, unless delivery is made or the entire contract is fulfilled during that time, the contract is void. Delivery, accomplishment and guarantees may be required in all cases, including the exceptions contained in this section.
((g) amended Dec. 19, 1996, P.L.1412 , No. 181)
(h) The contracts or purchases made by the board of supervisors involving payments in excess of the required advertising amount, which do not require advertising, bidding or price quotations are as follows:
(1) Those made for emergency or routine maintenance, repairs or replacements for water, electric light and other public works of the township if they do not constitute new additions, extensions or enlargements of existing facilities and equipment.
(2) Those made for improvements, repairs or maintenance of any kind made or provided by any township through its own employes. All contracts or purchases of materials used for improvement, maintenance or construction in excess of four thousand dollars ($4,000) but less than the required advertising amount are subject to the provisions contained in subsection (b), and those contracts or purchases in excess of the required advertising amount are subject to the advertising requirements contained in subsection (a).
(3) Those involving any policies of insurance or surety company bonds, those made for public utility service, those made for electricity, natural gas or telecommunications service either directly or with an association authorized under article XIV in which the township is a member and those made with another municipal corporation, county, school district or municipality authority or Federal or State Government, including the sale, leasing or loan of any supplies or materials by the Federal or State Government or their agencies. ((3) amended October 11, 2000, P.L.535, No. 70)
(4) Those involving personal or professional services.
(5) Those made for materials and supplies or equipment rental under emergency conditions under 35 Pa.C.S. Pt. V (relating to emergency management services).
(6) Those contracts involving equipment rental with operators if more than fifty percent of the total labor personnel hours required for the completion of the contract is supplied by the township through its own employes.
(7) Those contracts for the purchase of repair parts or materials for use in existing township equipment or facilities if the item or material to be purchased is the sole item of its kind on the market or is manufactured as a replacement for the original item or equipment being repaired.
(8) Those for used equipment, articles, apparatus, appliances, vehicles or parts thereof being purchased from a public utility.
(9) Those where particular types, models or pieces of equipment, articles, apparatus, appliances, vehicles or parts thereof which are patented and manufactured products.
((h) amended Dec. 18, 1996, P.L.1412, No. 172)
(i) No township official, either elected or appointed, or township employe who knows, or who by the exercise of reasonable diligence could know, shall be interested to any appreciable degree, either directly or indirectly, in any contract for the sale or furnishing of any supplies or materials for the use of the township or for any work to be done for the township involving the payment by the township of more than five hundred dollars ($500) in any year unless the contract is awarded through the public bid process. This limitation does not apply if the officer or appointee of the township is an employe of the person, firm or corporation to which the money is to be paid in a capacity with no possible influence on the transaction and the officer cannot possibly be benefited thereby, either financially or otherwise. If a supervisor is within this exception, the supervisor shall so inform the board of supervisors and refrain from voting on the payments and shall in no manner participate in the contract. Any official or appointee who knowingly violates this provision is subject to surcharge to the extent of the damage shown to be sustained by the township, is ousted from office or employment and commits a misdemeanor of the third degree.
(j) Contracts for the purchase of materials or rental of equipment for the construction, reconstruction, maintenance and improvement of roads and bridges shall be in writing and let only on standard specifications of the Department of Transportation.
(k) Contracts for the purchase of materials or supplies may be bid on a per-unit basis.
(l) Every contract for the construction, reconstruction, alteration, repair, improvement or maintenance of public works shall comply with the act of March 3, 1978 (P.L. 6, No. 3), known as the "Steel Products Procurement Act."
(m) No person, consultant, firm or corporation contracting with a township for purposes of rendering personal or professional services to the township shall share with any township officer or employe, and no township officer or employe shall accept, any portion of the compensation or fees paid by the township for the contracted services provided to the township except under the following terms or conditions:
(1) Full disclosure of all relevant information regarding the sharing of the compensation or fees shall be made to the board of supervisors.
(2) The board of supervisors must approve the sharing of any fee or compensation for personal or professional services before the performance of the services.
(3) No fee or compensation for personal or professional services may be shared except for work actually performed.
(4) No shared fee or compensation for personal or professional services may be paid at a rate in excess of the commensurate for similar personal or professional services.
 

Section 3103. Road Contracts.-The board of supervisors may make a contract for the improvement and keeping in repair of township roads. No contract shall extend over a period of more than four years. Every contractor for road work shall give bond for the amount of the contract and sign specifications furnished by the board of supervisors for the building and care of the contract roads.

Section 3104. Evasion of Advertising Requirements.-(a) No supervisor shall evade the provisions of section 3101 as to advertising for bids by purchasing or contracting for services and personal properties piecemeal to obtain prices under the required advertising price. This provision is intended to make unlawful the evading of advertising requirements by making a series of purchases or contracts each for less than the advertising requirement price, or by making several simultaneous purchases or contracts each below the required advertising price, when the transactions involved should have been made as one transaction for one price. Any supervisors who vote in violation of this provision and who know that the transaction upon which they vote is or ought to be part of a larger transaction and that it is being divided in order to evade the requirements as to advertising for bids are jointly and severally subject to surcharge for ten percent of the full amount of the contract or purchase.
(b) Any supervisor who votes to unlawfully evade the provisions of this article and who knows that the transaction upon which he so votes is or ought to be a part of a larger transaction and that it is being divided in order to evade the requirements as to advertising for bids commits a misdemeanor of the third degree for each contract entered into as a direct result of that vote. This penalty shall be in addition to any surcharge which may be assessed pursuant to subsection (a).

Section 3105. Bonds for Protection of Labor and Material Suppliers.- Before any contract exceeding five thousand dollars ($5,000) is awarded to any prime contractor or construction manager for the construction, reconstruction, alteration or repair of any building or other public work or public improvement of the township, the contractor shall furnish to the township a payment bond for the protection of claimants supplying labor or materials to the prime contractor to whom the contract is awarded, at one hundred percent of the contract amount, conditioned for the prompt payment of all materials furnished or labor supplied or performed in the prosecution of the contract under the act of December 20, 1967 (P.L. 869, No. 385), known as the "Public Works Contractors' Bond Law of 1967."

Section 3106. Purchase Contracts for Supplies and Equipment; Fire Company, Et Cetera; Participation.-The board of supervisors may permit any paid or volunteer fire company, paid or volunteer rescue company and paid or volunteer ambulance company in the township to participate in purchase contracts for supplies and equipment of the township and agreeing that it will be bound by any terms and conditions the township prescribes.

Section 3107. Separate Specifications for Branches of Work.-In the preparation of specifications for the erection or alteration of any public building, when the entire cost of the work exceeds the advertising requirement price, the architect, engineer or person preparing the specifications shall prepare separate specifications for the plumbing, heating, ventilating and electrical work, and the township shall receive separate bids upon each of those branches of work and award the contract to the lowest bidder.

Section 3108. Workers' Compensation Insurance.-(a) All contracts executed by any township which involve the construction or performance of any work involving the employment of labor shall contain a provision that the contractor shall accept, and file with the township proof of compliance with or exemption from, insofar as the work covered by the contract is concerned, the act of June 2, 1915 (P.L. 736, No. 338), known as the "Workers' Compensation Act."
(b) Any contract executed in violation of this section is void.

Section 3202. Annual Budget.-(a) The board of supervisors shall annually prepare a proposed budget for all funds for the ensuing fiscal year. The proposed budget shall reflect as nearly as possible the estimated revenues and expenses of the township for the year for which the budget is prepared. A township shall not prepare and advertise notice of a proposed budget when it is knowingly inaccurate. Upon any revision of the proposed budget, if the estimated revenues or expenses in the final budget are increased more than ten percent in the aggregate or more than twenty-five percent in any major category over the proposed budget, it may not be legally adopted with those increases unless it is again advertised once, the same as the original proposed budget, and an opportunity given to taxpayers to examine the amended proposed budget. A major category is a group of related revenue or expense items, the combined total of which is listed as a line item. The budget shall be prepared on a uniform form prepared and furnished under section 3203. The estimates in the budget shall specify the amount of money necessary for each governmental activity of the township for which a special tax levy may or may not be authorized and the amount of money necessary for the payment of debts and other miscellaneous purposes.
(b) Upon the preparation of the proposed budget, the board of supervisors shall give public notice by advertisement once in one newspaper of general circulation in the township that the proposed budget is available for public inspection at a designated place in the township. After the proposed budget has been available for public inspection for twenty days, the board of supervisors shall, after making revisions as are appropriate, adopt the final budget not later then the thirty-first day of December and the necessary appropriation measures required to put it into effect.
(c) The total appropriation shall not exceed the revenues estimated as available for the fiscal year.
(d) During the month of January next following any municipal election, the board of supervisors may amend the budget and the levy and tax rate to conform with its amended budget. A period of ten days' public inspection at the office of the township secretary of the proposed amended budget, after notice by the township secretary to that effect is published once in a newspaper of general circulation in the township, shall intervene between the adoption of the proposed amended budget and the final adoption of the amended budget. Any amended budget must be adopted by the board of supervisors on or before the fifteenth day of February. No proposed amended budget shall before final adoption be revised upward in excess of ten percent in the aggregate or in excess of twenty-five percent of the amount of any major category in the proposed amended budget. A major category is a group of related revenue or expense items, the combined total of which is listed as a line item.
(e) The board of supervisors may by resolution make supplemental appropriations for any purpose from any funds on hand or estimated to be received within the fiscal year and not otherwise appropriated, including the proceeds of any borrowing authorized by law. Supplemental appropriations may be made whether or not an appropriation for that purpose was included in the original budget as adopted.
(f) The board of supervisors may by resolution transfer unencumbered moneys from one township account to another, but no moneys may be transferred from the fund allocated for the payment of debts or from any fund raised by a special tax levy or assessment for a particular purpose. Transfers shall not be made during the first three months of the fiscal year. No moneys shall be paid out of the township treasury except upon appropriation made according to law.
(3202 amended June 22, 2000, P.L.329, No.35)
Compiler's Note: Section 301(a)(16) of Act 58 of 1996, which created the Department of Community and Economic Development and abolished the Department of Community Affairs, provided that all other powers and duties delegated to the Department of Community Affairs not otherwise expressly transferred elsewhere by Act 58 and currently performed by the Department of Community Affairs under section 3202 are transferred to the Department of Community and Economic Development.
 

Section 3203. Uniform Report Forms.-(a) The uniform forms for the annual financial report required to be made by the auditors shall be prepared by a committee consisting of four representatives of the State Association of Township Supervisors and one representative each from the Department of Transportation and the Department of Community and Economic Development.
(b) Representatives of the State Association of Township Supervisors shall be appointed by the president of that organization. The representatives may be township supervisors, auditors or secretaries and should represent townships in the various population groups. The president of the State Association of Township Supervisors shall supply to the Department of Community and Economic Development the names and addresses of the representatives immediately upon their appointment.
(c) Representatives of the townships shall serve without compensation but shall be reimbursed by the Commonwealth for all necessary expenses incurred in attending meetings of the committee from appropriations made to the Department of Community and Economic Development. The committee shall meet at the call of the Secretary of Community and Economic Development, or an agent of the secretary, who shall chair the committee.
(d) (Deleted by amendment)
(e) The Department of Community and Economic Development shall prepare and furnish the forms required by this act in cooperation with the committee. If the committee fails to cooperate, the Department of Community and Economic Development shall issue the forms and distribute them annually, as needed, to the proper township officers.
(3202 amended June 22, 2000, P.L.329, No. 35)
Compiler's Note: Section 301(a)(16) of Act 58 of 1996, which created the Department of Community and Economic Development and abolished the Department of Community Affairs, provided that all other powers and duties delegated to the Department of Community Affairs not otherwise expressly transferred elsewhere by Act 58 and currently performed by the Department of Community Affairs under section 3202 are transferred to the Department of Community and Economic Development.
 

Section 3204. Investment of Township Funds.-(a) The board of supervisors may:
(1) Make investment of township sinking funds as authorized by the act of July 12, 1972 (P.L. 78 1, No. 185), known as the "Local Government Unit Debt Act."
(2) Make investment of moneys in the general fund and in special funds of the township.
(3) Liquidate any investment, in whole or in part, by disposing of securities or withdrawing funds on deposit. Any action taken to make or to liquidate any investment shall be made by the officers designated by action of the board of supervisors.
(b) The board of supervisors shall invest township funds consistent with sound business practice.
(c) The board of supervisors shall provide for an investment program subject to restrictions contained in this act and in any other applicable statute and any rules and regulations adopted by the board of supervisors.
(d) Authorized types of investments of township funds are:
(1) United States Treasury bills.
(2) Short-term obligations of the Federal Government or its agencies or instrumentalities.
(3) Deposits in savings accounts or time deposits, other than certificates of deposit, or share accounts of institutions insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, the National Credit Union Share Insurance Fund, the Pennsylvania Deposit Insurance Corporation or the Pennsylvania Savings Association Insurance Corporation, or their successor agencies, to the extent that the accounts are so insured and, for any amounts above the insured maximum, if approved collateral therefor is pledged by the depository.
(4) Obligations of the United States of America or any of its agencies or instrumentalities backed by the full faith and credit of the United States of America, of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania or any of its agencies or instrumentalities backed by the full faith and credit of the Commonwealth or of any political subdivision of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania or any of its agencies or instrumentalities backed by the full faith and credit of the political subdivision.
(5) Shares of an investment company registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940 (54 Stat. 789, 15 U.S.C. § 80a-l et seq.), whose shares are registered under the Securities Act of 1933 (48 Stat. 74, 15 U.S.C. § 77a et seq.), if the only investments of that company are in the authorized investments for township funds listed in paragraphs (1) through (4).
(6) Certificates of deposit purchased from institutions insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, the National Credit Union Share Insurance Fund, the Pennsylvania Deposit Insurance Corporation or the Pennsylvania Savings Association Insurance Corporation, or their successor agencies, to the extent that the accounts are so insured. However, for any amounts above the insured maximum, the certificates of deposit shall be secured by a pledge or assignment of assets of the institution, and the collateral may include loans, including interest in pools of loans, secured by first mortgage liens on real property. Certificates of deposit purchased from commercial banks shall be limited to an amount equal to twenty percent of a bank's total capital and surplus. Certificates of deposit purchased from savings and loan associations or savings banks shall be limited to an amount equal to twenty percent of an institution's assets minus liabilities.
(7) Any investment authorized by 20 Pa.C.S. Ch. 73 (relating to fiduciaries investments). This paragraph is limited to investments for any pension or retirement fund.
(e) In making investments of township funds, the board of supervisors may:
(1) Permit assets pledged as collateral under subsection (d)(3) to be pooled under the act of August 6, 1971 (P.L. 281, No. 72), entitled "An act standardizing the procedures for pledges of assets to secure deposits of public funds with banking institutions pursuant to other laws; establishing a standard rule for the types, amounts and valuations of assets eligible to be used as collateral for deposits of public funds; permitting assets to be pledged against deposits on a pooled basis; and authorizing the appointment of custodians to act as pledgees of assets."
(2) Combine moneys from more than one fund under township control for the purchase of a single investment if each of the funds combined for the purpose is accounted for separately in all respects and the earnings from the investment are separately and individually computed and recorded and credited to the accounts from which the investment was purchased.
(3) Join with one or more other municipal corporations, municipality authorities or school districts under the act of July 12, 1972 (P.L. 762, No. 180), referred to as the Intergovernmental Cooperation Law, in the purchase of a single investment if the requirements of paragraph (2) on separate accounting of individual funds and separate computation, recording and crediting of the earnings therefrom are adhered to.

Section 3205. Township and Special Tax Levies.-(a) The board of supervisors may by resolution levy taxes upon all real property within the township made taxable for township purposes, as ascertained by the last adjusted valuation for county purposes, for the purposes and at the rates specified in this section. All taxes shall be collected in cash.
(1) An annual tax not exceeding fourteen mills for general township purposes. If the board of supervisors petitions the court of common pleas for the right to levy additional millage, the court may order a greater rate than fourteen mills, but not exceeding five additional mills, to be levied.
(2) An annual tax not exceeding five mills to light the highways, roads and other public places in the township.
(3) An annual tax not exceeding fifty percent of the rate of assessment for the general township tax to procure land and erect public buildings thereon and for the payment of indebtedness incurred in connection therewith.
(4) An annual tax not exceeding three mills to purchase and maintain fire apparatus and a suitable place to house fire apparatus, to make appropriations to fire companies located inside and outside the township, to make appropriations for the training of fire company personnel and for fire training schools or centers and to contract with adjacent municipal corporations or volunteer fire companies therein for fire protection. If an annual tax is proposed to be set at a level higher than three mills, the question shall be submitted to the voters of the township.
((4) amended Dec. 18, 1996, P.L.1154, No. 175)
(5) A tax not exceeding two mills to establish and maintain fire hydrants and fire hydrant water service.
(6) A tax to acquire, maintain and operate parks, playgrounds, playfields, gymnasiums, swimming pools and recreation centers.
(7) An annual tax sufficient to pay interest and principal on any indebtedness incurred under the act of July 12, 1972 (P.L. 781, No. 185), known as the "Local Government Unit Debt Act."
(8) An annual tax not exceeding one-half mill to support ambulance and rescue squads serving the township. If an annual tax is proposed to be set higher than one-half mill, the question shall be submitted to the voters of the township.
(9) An annual tax not exceeding five mills to create and maintain a revolving fund to be used in making permanent street, sidewalk, water supply or sewer improvements before the collection of all or part of the cost from the property owners. A revolving find may also be used for the deposit of funds raised through the issuance of general obligation bonds of the township for the making of permanent street, sidewalk, water supply or sewer improvements. When all or part of the cost of the construction of any permanent street, sidewalk, water supply or sewer improvement is paid from the revolving fund and is later assessed and collected from the owners of the property adjoining or abutting upon the improvement, the collections shall be applied to the credit of the revolving fund to the extent of the withdrawal therefrom for that purpose.
(10) An annual special tax not exceeding two mills to create and accumulate moneys in a road equipment fund to be used exclusively for purchasing road equipment.
(b) When it is shown to the court that the debts due by any township exceed the amount which the board of supervisors may collect in any year by taxation, the court, after ascertaining the amount of indebtedness of the township, may in an action of mandamus direct the board of supervisors, by special taxation, to collect an amount sufficient to pay the debts. If the amount of indebtedness is so large as to render it inadvisable to collect the entire amount in any one year, the court may direct the special taxes to be levied and collected during successive years as may be required for payment of the debt.
Compiler's Note: The act of July 12, 1972 (P.L.781, No. 185), known as the Local Government Unit Debt Act, referred to in subsec. (a)(7), was repealed by the act of December 19, 1996, P.L.1158, No. 177. The subject matter is now contained in 53 Pa.C.S. Pt. VII Subpt. B (relating to indebtedness and borrowing).
 

Section 3206. Procedure for Referendum on Tax Questions.-When the assent of the electors is required under this article for special tax levies, the county board of elections shall frame the question under the election laws of this Commonwealth for submission to the voters of the township at the first municipal or general election occurring not less than sixty days after submission of the question.

Section 3207. Taxes for Special Districts.-This article does not include the levy of any taxes upon particular districts or parts of any township for particular purposes.

Section 3208. Tax Rate to be Expressed in Dollars and Cents.-When the board of supervisors by resolution establishes the rate of taxation for any year at a mill rate, the resolution shall also include a statement expressing the rate of taxation in dollars and cents on each one hundred dollars ($100) of assessed valuation of taxable property.

Section 3209. Tax Duplicates.-The board of supervisors shall require a duplicate to be made designating the amount of township tax levied against each taxpayer of the township, and also duplicates for all other taxes levied and assessed under this act, and deliver the duplicate within thirty days after the adoption of the budget or within thirty days after receipt of the assessment roll from the county, whichever is later, to the township tax collector.