Pennsylvania Statutes Title 53 Pa.C.S.A. Municipalities Generally § 3058. Powers and duties of council

(a) General rule.--All powers as provided by laws applicable to that class of municipality shall be vested in the municipal council, except as otherwise provided by this subchapter, and the council shall provide for the exercise thereof and for the performance of all duties imposed on the municipality by law.

(b) Adoption of administrative ordinance.--The council shall by ordinance adopt an administrative ordinance defining the responsibilities of the municipal departments and agencies as it deems necessary and proper for the efficient conduct of municipal affairs.

(c) Appointment of municipal manager.--The municipal council shall appoint a municipal manager. The office of municipal manager and municipal clerk or secretary may be held by the same person.

(d) Investigations.--The council may make investigations into the affairs of the municipality and the conduct of any municipal department, office or agency.

(e) Administrative departments, boards and offices.--The municipal council shall continue or create and determine and define the powers and duties of any executive and administrative departments, boards and offices, in addition to those provided for in this subpart, as it deems necessary for the proper and efficient conduct of the affairs of the municipality, including the office of deputy manager. Any department, board or office so continued or created may be abolished by the municipal council. No member of municipal council shall head an administrative department.

(f) Additional powers and limitations.--It is the intention of this subchapter that the municipal council shall act in all matters as a body, and it is contrary to the spirit of this subchapter for any of its members to seek individually to influence the official acts of the municipal manager or any other officer, or for the council or any of its members to direct or request the appointment of any person to or his removal from office, or to interfere in any way with the performance by the officers of their duties. The council and its members shall deal with the administrative service solely through the municipal manager and shall not give orders to any subordinates of the municipal manager, either publicly or privately. This subchapter does not prevent the municipal council from appointing committees of its own members or of citizens to conduct investigations into the conduct of any officer or department, or any matter relating to the welfare of the municipality, and delegating to those committees such powers of inquiry as the municipal council deems necessary.