A trio of bills before the Pennsylvania General Assembly have the potential to drastically impact how every municipality in Warren County is managed.

The bills, crafted by the General Assembly’s Local Government Commission, would allow second class townships, boroughs and third class cities within the state to utilize outside entities for management services rather than an individual as current law provides.

Under the bills — Senate Bills 0749, 0765 and 0774; and House Bills 1230, 1232 and 1234 — such municipalities would have the option to appoint a “partnership, limited partnership, association or professional corporation” as chief administrator. In other words, municipalities could outsource head administrator duties to management or consulting firms.

“I see this as another option for local governments,” State Sen. Scott Hutchinson, R-21, a co-sponsor of the bills who chairs the Local Government Commission and represents Warren County said. “This is already in place for first class townships. This spreads it to the other municipalities we have.”

All municipalities in the county are classified as a third class city, borough or second class township.

In the case of third class cities, such as Warren, wording would be changed to specify that only an individual appointed as city administrator or manager can serve as the chief financial officer. Currently, law allows the city administrator or manager to be appointed to the role, but only an individual can be appointed city manager or administrator.

Municipalities would not be required to utilize options provided by the legislation.

“It’s not a mandate,” Hutchinson said. “Some places that can’t afford a highly qualified, full-time manager – it gives them other options.”

The change stems from a request by the Pennsylvania State Association of Boroughs to provide more flexibility in how municipalities are managed. The Local Government Commission discussed the proposed change with the Pennsylvania Municipal League and the Pennsylvania State Association of Township Supervisors and deemed it appropriate for second class township and cities as well as boroughs. Both the Municipal League and Association of Townships support the legislation.

All three pieces of legislation were introduced in the state Senate during the 2021-22 session and passed unanimously. Legislation introduced in the state House of Representatives impacting second class townships and boroughs were also passed in the 2021-22 session before being tabled, while legislation affecting third class cities was tabled. None of the legislation was reconciled and sent to the governor before the expiration of the session.