RSS Feeds
ASK SKIP: What’s a Mayor to do?
What, besides participating in Council meetings and presenting awards, does Mayor Scoda do?
Thanks for the forum.
The Commonwealth’s Borough Code assigns legal responsibilities to a mayor that in some respects define him as a municipality’s chief executive. He must report to Borough Council, a legislative body, periodically on the state of the Borough, actively suggest problems to which Council should direct its attention, and even declare states of emergency should the occasion arise.
The Mayor has a procedural role in relation to Council as well. Mayors participate in all council deliberations, including those in executive sessions, and can break tied Council votes. All resolutions and ordinances passed by Council must be presented to the mayor for approval or veto; if a measure is subject to a mayoral veto, a majority plus one of Council is needed to override.
Perhaps the heftiest of a mayor’s responsibilities is as a borough’s chief law enforcement officer. In that role a mayor is required to exercise “full control and supervision over the Chief of Police and the Police Department and shall direct the time during which, and the manner in which, the police department operates.”
But, in the words of former Darby Borough Mayor Paula Brown, “The extent of the mayor's complete role is defined by the individual office holder's view of civic responsibilities, personal skills, background in intergovernmental affairs and individual interest.”
Phoenixville Mayor Leo Scoda agrees. In other respects, he said, “it’s a figurehead position so to speak. But you can be an active figurehead.” He believes the Mayor should be the visible presence of Borough government in places outside Borough Hall.
“I think it’s important for the Mayor to reach out and be present for so much that happens in the Borough,” he said. “There have been a string of anniversaries of groups and clubs lately. There are weddings, meetings, public events, big ones and small ones.
“This is now my eleventh year as Mayor,” Scoda said. “When I took office, I felt that too much of the office had been tied to politics. I think people appreciate the Mayor’s presence in their activities.
"But with so many people and groups in such a diverse community,” he said. “I feel bad that I can’t make everything.”
Posted by Skip Lawerence
You can email you questions for Skip to askskip@phoenixvillenews.com
Thanks for the forum.
The Commonwealth’s Borough Code assigns legal responsibilities to a mayor that in some respects define him as a municipality’s chief executive. He must report to Borough Council, a legislative body, periodically on the state of the Borough, actively suggest problems to which Council should direct its attention, and even declare states of emergency should the occasion arise.
The Mayor has a procedural role in relation to Council as well. Mayors participate in all council deliberations, including those in executive sessions, and can break tied Council votes. All resolutions and ordinances passed by Council must be presented to the mayor for approval or veto; if a measure is subject to a mayoral veto, a majority plus one of Council is needed to override.
Perhaps the heftiest of a mayor’s responsibilities is as a borough’s chief law enforcement officer. In that role a mayor is required to exercise “full control and supervision over the Chief of Police and the Police Department and shall direct the time during which, and the manner in which, the police department operates.”
But, in the words of former Darby Borough Mayor Paula Brown, “The extent of the mayor's complete role is defined by the individual office holder's view of civic responsibilities, personal skills, background in intergovernmental affairs and individual interest.”
Phoenixville Mayor Leo Scoda agrees. In other respects, he said, “it’s a figurehead position so to speak. But you can be an active figurehead.” He believes the Mayor should be the visible presence of Borough government in places outside Borough Hall.
“I think it’s important for the Mayor to reach out and be present for so much that happens in the Borough,” he said. “There have been a string of anniversaries of groups and clubs lately. There are weddings, meetings, public events, big ones and small ones.
“This is now my eleventh year as Mayor,” Scoda said. “When I took office, I felt that too much of the office had been tied to politics. I think people appreciate the Mayor’s presence in their activities.
"But with so many people and groups in such a diverse community,” he said. “I feel bad that I can’t make everything.”
Posted by Skip Lawerence
You can email you questions for Skip to askskip@phoenixvillenews.com
posted by The Phoenix Files at
8:27 AM
9 Comments:
Well, this perfectly explains why Mayor Scoda didn't bother standing up for the police department he's supposed to oversee when the cops were catching an unwarranted budgetary beat down from Anthony DiGirolomo. While his officers were having their pay reduced because Anthony decided they were making too much money, their tuition reimbursement denied and were left with vehicles so bad that the headlights would go out while the cops were on patrol in the middle of the night, Mayor Scoda decided he would rather be a non-political attendee at local functions. Oh thank you so much, Mr. Mayor for all your fine work. Do us a favor and stay out of the next mayor's race.
Since Skip is answering questions I'd like to ask the following of him:
Why do you think the Democrats REALLY want Messina involved in local politics or borough government?
Why do you think a vote of "present" is worthy of a backdoor laudatory comment?
What are the legal ways a councilmember can register his/her vote?
Please give us your considered opinion as to exactly what you think is council's agenda with regards to this situation and other snafus, i.e., the Anthony hiring.
Please include any personal observations of yours which may help the public understand if the above mentioned snafus are the result of an unknown agenda (unconscious sabotage?), or incompetence.
Thank you, Skip.
Question for Skip can be sent to
askskip@phoenixvillenews.com
The Dems arent doing anything that the Reps arent doing , its just the Reps are not in the winners seat, so they complain more.AND I WONDER WHO WROTE THE FIRST POST?Ha ha , yea gotta smile.Please grow up.
Mr. Mayor, I thank you for attending a recent function for my daughter. I do not care what they say; YOU are entitled to all the free chicken dinners that you can get an invitation too. After all, the Borough Council still pays your $200 monthly stipend and it lets you keep all of the $10,000 + that you ILLEGALLY COLLECTED for performing wedding ceremonies after it was brought to their attention. After all, why should the Democratic State Committee Member of this area not be entitled to those items? Why should the voters of this town be upset that the Police Department Grievances are stacked up because YOU let Ant the Great interfere with the Police Department? Why should the voters be concerned that our legal fees for your and the Council inability to control an unqualified, political crony, Borough Manager screw the entire Borough up? We truly do thank you for your support!
"But with so many people and groups in such a diverse community,” he said. “I feel bad that I can’t make everything.”
- You'd never know you missed something according to the length of your social agenda, I am sorry, THE MAYOR'S REPORT!
The post from Feb 18 7:31 is the typical hypocritical argument we always hear when Democrats get snagged.
If a Republican gets snagged doing something, we hear the self-righteous Democrats calling them all sorts of names (right-wing, neocon, fascist, blah blah blah).
When a Democrat gets caught - it's "oh, well they all do it". Move on, nothing new. Boys will be boys. We're sorry, let's do it over.
You know the Democrats screwed up. Be a man and admit it. Make them take responsibility - if you don't, they'll just do it again and again. Because they know the sheeple will keep pulling the "D" lever as long as they say they hate Bush enough times. LOL. So sad.
No its not an the typical hypocritical agument.What iam saying is that Dems and Reps do the same things .And where it not what one of them wants they bitch and call names.Its just that right now the Dems are winners in town , and the Reps. are LOSERS SO THEY BITCH MORE. GOT IT,SO BY the sound of the last post iam asuming that its a Reps post? Thank you .
How can you say these things about the mayor.He is a great man.he has done alot for our town , ALOT MORE THAN YOU DID AND WILL EVER DO !ALL THAT YOU DO IS COMPLAIN. SORE LOSER I GUESS. NOW STOP BEING so DISRESPECTFULL!
Post a Comment
<< Home