Borough Council

Last Updated: June 5, 2026

Who Serves on Council

Council has seven members, plus the Mayor, all elected by Borough voters at large (Home Rule Charter, Article III, § C-6). Members serve four-year terms, staggered so that only part of Council is up for election in any given year, which keeps experience on the body at all times (§ C-9, § C-10). To serve, a person must be a United States citizen and a registered voter of the Borough (§ C-7).

The Mayor serves as President of Council and presides over meetings; at its organizational meeting each even-numbered year, Council also elects one of its own members as Vice President (Charter, Article IV, § C-14). If a seat becomes vacant mid-term, the Charter lays out a public process for Council to interview candidates and appoint a replacement (§ C-12). The Charter also spells out when a seat is forfeited — for example, if a member no longer meets the qualifications for office, is convicted of a felony or a crime involving moral turpitude, or misses two consecutive regular meetings without reasonable cause — with written notice and the right to a public hearing before Council declares the seat vacant (§ C-11).

When Council Meets

Council meets in regular session on the second Monday of each month at 7:00 p.m. at the Municipal Building, 1100 Logan Avenue. The Borough is required to do its business in the open: a quorum of five members must be present to act (Charter, § C-21), and a measure passes on the vote of a majority of the members present (§ C-22).

Ordinances vs. Resolutions — The Two Kinds of Council Action

Council acts in two main ways, and the difference matters (Charter, Article V, § C-23 through C-25):

• Ordinances are local laws. They are required for the things that carry the most weight — creating or abolishing a department, levying taxes, setting utility rates, adopting the budget, or establishing a penalty (§ C-25).
• Resolutions and motions handle routine or administrative business that does not require a full ordinance.

How a Local Law Actually Gets Made

Passing an ordinance is deliberately not quick — the Charter builds in public notice so residents can weigh in before anything becomes law. For significant ordinances (such as zoning, new taxes, or adopting a building code), the Borough must advertise the proposal in a newspaper before Council can take final action (Charter, § C-29, § C-30). Final adoption is taken by a recorded roll-call vote, so every member’s position is on the record (§ C-23), and the ordinance is then published before it takes effect (§ C-33). Every ordinance the Borough has on the books is compiled in the Tyrone Code.

Your Seat at the Table

Council works for the residents, and the Charter guarantees you a voice. Meetings are open to the public (§ C-19), the agenda is available in the Borough office at least 24 hours beforehand, and Council must “provide reasonable opportunity for interested citizens and taxpayers to address the Council” (§ C-24). Minutes of every meeting are public record (§ C-18). You do not need an appointment or a special reason — just show up.

Your Current Council

In the Charter & Code: Art. III, Borough Council · Art. IV, Operation & Procedures of Council · Art. V, Ordinances & Resolutions · Chapter 3, Administration of Government. Full code: ecode360.com/TY1357.