Mayor & Council

The Council consists of five (5) members, including the Mayor, elected at large by all the voters in the Township for a term of four (4) years.  The Mayor is a voting member of Council on all issues.  The responsibilities of the Council are law making (legislative),  and policy making.  The Mayor and Councilmembers are the only elected officials in Township government.  The Mayor is the presiding officer of the Township Council and has advisory committee appointment authority.  The Municipal Manager is appointed by the Township Council to run the business operations of the municipal government.  The Manager is appointed based on his/her experience, education, and qualifications.  The Manager is in charge of administrative functions and the executive branch of government.

In a Council-Manager form of government, legislative and executive /administrative responsibilities are clearly separated.  Checks and balances exist too because the Council appoints the Manager, and the Manager can be removed by majority vote of the Council. 

The selection of a professional, non-partisan Manager by the Council helps assure that Council policies will be implemented professionally.  The Manager’s authority on personnel appointments helps to keep any potential politics out of these decisions.  The Municipal Manager handles administrative functions in the Township which allows the Township Council to concentrate on major policy and legislative initiatives.