Posts Tagged ‘municipalities’

As we get near the end of 2022, it is time for local municipalities in Pennsylvania to begin thinking about everything that needs to be accomplished before the calendar flips to 2023. Four of the major items that every municipality needs to accomplish before the end of the year are the passage of a budget, adoption of a tax resolution or ordinance, making necessary appointments or re-appointments to boards and commissions, and advertisement of meetings for the following year. Once a tentative budget has been ironed out, the board or council must approve advertisement of that tentative budget. This action… read more »

The U.S. Department of the Treasury (Treasury) recently released the Final Rule for the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds (ARPA Funds) bringing closure to most of the uncertainty surrounding eligible uses of ARPA Funds by local municipalities.  In general, the Final Rule provides numerous examples of eligible projects, within the four primary eligible ARPA Funds use categories. Additionally, the Final Rule provides local municipalities clear direction that as a recipient, a local municipality will have broad flexibility to use the ARPA Funds to respond to the specific needs of its local community. As a… read more »

Pursuant to the Right-to-know law (RTKL) Advisory, the Office of Open Records (OOR) has new advice for agencies within “yellow” status counties. These agencies should continue processing RTKL requests and appeals as usual. If an appeal is negatively affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, and the agency or requestor cannot meet a required deadline, the OOR may prolong the appeal deadline. In particular, agencies located within a county transitioning into “yellow” status may need to provide evidence showing why the appeal deadline needs to be extended. In regards to offices being closed, any day that falls within an office closure is… read more »

While the Right-to-Know Law (RTKL) continues to be in effect for most municipal entities, its function has been temporarily suspended for the Commonwealth due to the current COVID-19 emergency. Pursuant to Section 901 of the law, all requests must receive a response within five business days – excluding days closed for business. If an agency faces “bona fide issues” related to this pandemic, the Pennsylvania Office of Open Records’ (OOR) advisory permits temporary suspensions exceeding the scope of that law. The OOR recommends the agency seek their solicitor’s advice before taking this recourse. Under Act 15, municipalities operating under an… read more »

As some of you may be aware, a memo has been circulating regarding Pennsylvania House Bill 1564, which proposes to allow municipalities to conduct fully electronic meetings, as well as suspending some permit application deadlines, among other things. The memo that indicates that the Pennsylvania municipal codes have been amended by House Bill 1564. This, unfortunately, is simply not true. The Bill has passed the House of Representatives unanimously, but no action has been taken by the Pennsylvania Senate. As we all know, a bill does not become a law unless passed by the both the House of Representatives and the Senate,… read more »

On Friday, March 13th, 2020, the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (the “PUC”) issued an Emergency Order establishing a moratorium on the termination of utility services, including electric, natural gas, water, wastewater, telecommunications, and steam, for all entities which are under the jurisdiction of the PUC.  Tom Wolf’s Proclamation This Emergency Order was in direct response to Governor Tom Wolf’s Proclamation of Disaster Emergency on March 6th, 2020, which authorized and directed the suspension of “the provisions of any regulatory statute prescribing the procedures for conduct of Commonwealth business, or the orders, rules or regulations of any Commonwealth agency, if strict… read more »