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Text Box: The 2020 Organization Meeting, January 10, 2020 was opened by the Honorable Margaret Maddalena, Mayor the presiding officer for this even year creation of a new local government. The responsibility of the presiding officer is by borough code: § 1003. When the mayor may preside over council and vote, attendance of mayor at council meetings and breaking tie votes. (a) Presiding over meetings.--The mayor shall preside over the organization of the council until it is organized as provided in section 1001 (relating to organization of council, quorum, participation by telecommunication device, voting, compensation and eligibility) and shall be deemed a member of council at the organizational meeting if the mayor's membership becomes necessary to constitute a quorum. § 1001. Organization of council, quorum, participation by telecommunication device, voting, compensation and eligibility. (a) Organization.--The council shall organize on the first Monday of January of each even-numbered year by electing one member as president and one member as vice president, who shall hold the offices at the pleasure of the council. If the first Monday is a legal holiday, the meeting and organization shall take place the following day. Any action taken by any council at any time between 12:01 a.m. on January 1 of an even-numbered year and the organization of council in that year shall be subject to reconsideration by the new council at any time within ten days after organization. Wherefore, the Presiding Officer after a quorum was established held elections of President and Vice President. Two seats were open and the Presiding Officer did not address the issue of two seats vacancies in the face of a Court Order by the Honorable Court. No resolutions were enacted for any appointees. § 10A07. Duties of mayor. The mayor shall have the following duties: To preserve order in the borough, to enforce the ordinances and regulations, to remove nuisances, to exact a faithful performance of the duties of the officers appointed and to perform any other duties as shall be vested in the mayor's office by law or ordinance. On January 1, 2020, the Honorable Mayor was served a letter with 22 interrogatories and the Requester was denied answers to the questions. Did the Presiding Officer completely ensure the Organization Meeting was established properly? One of the 22 questions, Honorable Mayor will you ensure adherence to the RTKL for the Organization Meeting? The Borough from January 1 to the 10th never placed a notice on the agency building for the Organization Meeting. The newspaper ad was two days before January 10, 2020. Therefore according to the RTKL and Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Borough Code, Title 8, the Organization meeting was not in compliance to the law.

Text Box: RIGHT TO KNOW LAW PROTECTION AGENCY OPEN RECORDS OFFICER (AORO)

Text Box: On February 7th, 2019, the Honorable Court set forth an “Order” for the Coalport Borough local government to be five Councillors on January 1, 2020. Appears there was contempt of the Order when the 2019 Council did not ensure there would be five Councillors seated on January 1, 2020. Only three Councillors and the Mayor were present on January 10, 2020. Both elected Councillors elect, in the 2019 general election, denied the role of Councillor. Therefore, the 2020 Council has 30 days to appoint two councilors for

Text Box: the vacancies on Honorable Council starting January 1. If Council fails or refuses to appoint by January 30th, the Vacancy board has 15 days to appoint individuals to the vacant seats. After 45 days the matter of vacancies must be set forth to the Honorable Court of Common Pleas as set forth in the Borough Code. There was one applicant for the Role of Councillor and the Presiding Officer denied the applicant. The newly formed Council denied the applicant. The borough advertised in the local newspaper

Text Box: “Coalport a Town with a Potential.”

2020 ORGANIZATION MEETING

of circulation for applicants. Therefore pursuant to the Honorable Court Order January 1, 2020 was the date of effectiveness of five Councillors were to be in place. So thirty 30 days would be the window of opportunity for Council to fill vacancies by January 30.

Will Council fill the two seats before January 30, 2020? If not, then the Vacancy Board will have 15 days. However, no vacancy board Chairman has been appointed.

A violation of a Court Order is known as Contempt and can be subject to Court action.