Allentown City Council is accepting applications to fill a vacancy in the office of the mayor.

Pursuant to the city's Home Rule Charter and Council rules, Allentown City Council is accepting applications to fill the vacancy in the office of mayor. The final date and time for submission is Friday, March 23, 2018 at 4:30pm. The applications should be addressed to City Council and can be emailed or delivered to the Deputy Clerk at Tawanna.Whitehead@allentownpa.gov. Emails will receive a confirmation reply. Applications should consist of a resume and statement stating the reasons you will bring value to the city as the mayor. The applications will be public documents. If you have any questions, please call the City Council Office at 610-437-7556.

Time Frame: Public Meetings would start on March 26, 6pm. - decision will be completed by April 6.


COUNCIL RULES

RULE XX - FILLING OF VACANCIES - COUNCIL, CONTROLLER AND MAYOR

Vacancies shall be filled according to the requirements of the charter – sections 207, 304 and 405.

When a vacancy occurs in the office of Council, Controller or the Mayor, City Council shall immediately advertise the vacancy in a local newspaper, on the City’s website and notify the political party of the person who left office that Council will be accepting applications to fill the vacant position. Applications shall consist of a resume and a statement stating the reasons the applicant will bring value to the City as a Councilperson, Mayor or City Controller. Applications shall be received no later than 14 days after the effective date of the vacancy.

The applications shall be reviewed by the President or Acting President of Council to make sure the applicant is qualified pursuant to the Charter and applicable state law. After review, Council shall have a public meeting to review the resumes and statements of the applicants and interview each of the candidates. The candidates shall be chosen in a random fashion for interviews.

After the interviews, Council shall vote on the candidates to fill the vacancy at a public meeting. Each councilperson will fill out and sign a ballot indicating their choice to fill the position. The ballots shall be given to the City Clerk who shall read aloud the name of the candidate selected by each councilperson.

The process continues until a candidate earns a majority of votes. (26631 10/7/92; 25142 2/2/83; 26631 10/7/92; 28809 11/2/2011)

HOME RULE CHARTER RULES

SECTION 304 VACANCY
A. If the office of the Mayor becomes vacant for any reason, Council shall appoint an interim Mayor of the same political party who shall serve until the next Municipal election.

B. If the Council fails to act within 30 days following the occurrence of the vacancy, the Court of Common Pleas of Lehigh County shall, upon petition of three members of Council or ten qualified electors of the City, fill the vacancy in such office by the appointment of a qualified resident of the City. A vacancy in the office of Mayor shall be filled at the next Municipal Election, in the manner provided by law. The person elected shall hold the qualifications for the office of the Mayor and shall serve the remaining portion of the vacated term.

C. If the vacancy occurs more than ninety (90) days before the next general municipal election, the appointee as selected in the preceding paragraph shall serve until the first Monday of January next following said election. If a portion of the term remains beyond said date, an individual shall be elected at said general municipal election to serve from the first Monday of January following said election to the end of the term as provided in Section 302.

D. Until the vacancy is filled, the President of Council shall act as Mayor. If the President of Council should resign or be unable to act, the Acting Mayor shall be chosen by a majority vote of the remaining members of Council to serve as Acting Mayor until the vacancy is filled by election.