Boards and Commissions

Plum Council appoints residents to the various Boro Boards and Commissions to advise and assist Council with the many issues that are presented to the Boro each month. With a few exceptions, Board and Committee approvals or recommendations are advisory only and non-binding.

Civil Service Commission

The Civil Service Commission consists of three members and two alternates who are essentially charged with two functions.  First, the Commission is responsible for oversight of the Civil Service Regulations with respect to the hiring, promotion and discipline of Plum Police Officers.  Council ultimately makes all employment decisions, but the Civil Service Commission is responsible for ensuring that the Civil Service regulations were followed properly in all of those decisions.  Second, the Commission is responsible for acting as the mediator and/or judges where there is a charge of failure to properly follow the Civil Service Regulations.  In this role, the Commission is entirely independent of Council and is legally empowered to make binding decisions upon the Boro.

Construction Board of Appeals

The Turtle Creek Valley Council of Governments UCC Appeals Board, on behalf of its participating member municipalities, hears and rules on appeals, requests for variances and requests for extensions of time under the Uniform Construction Code. An application for appeal to the UCC Appeals Board shall be based on a claim that the true intent of the Pennsylvania Construction Code Act or the Uniform Construction Code has been incorrectly interpreted, the provisions of the Act or Uniform Construction Code do not fully apply or an equivalent form of construction is to be used. An owner or owner’s agent may seek a variance or extension of time or appeal a building code official’s decision by filing a petition with the Turtle Creek Valley Council of Governments UCC Appeals Board. All requests for variances, extensions of time or appeals of a building code official’s decision shall be filed no later than thirty (30) days after the determination. The postmark date or the date of personal service shall establish the filing date of the appeal.

Plum Borough is a member of the Council of Governments and participates in the Appeals Board.

Library Board

The Board is responsible for the daily management and overall supervision of the operations and programs of the Plum Library.  The Library Board is an independent entity and does not rely on direct council oversight of their actions.

Municipal Authority Board

The Board is responsible for the daily management and overall supervision of the operations and delivery of public water and sanitary sewage services to all Plum residents. The Authority Board is an independent entity and does not rely on direct council oversight of their actions.

The Plum Borough Municipal Authority Board Manager is Howard Theis.

Planning Commission

The Commission is responsible for reviewing and making recommendations to Council for all commercial and residential land developments and major subdivisions that are proposed in the Boro.  The Commission also hears requests for conditional use applications and advises council on proposed legislative changes regarding zoning and land use regulations.  

Zoning Hearing Board

The Board hears requests from property owners who propose construction or land improvements which cannot conform to the established zoning regulations.  Requests for a “zoning variance” are only to be approved in accordance with the criteria established by the state of Pennsylvania.  The Zoning Hearing Board is a “quasi-judicial body” and the decisions rendered by the Board are binding.  Zoning Hearing Board decisions must be appealed to the PA Common Pleas Court.

Vacancy Board

The sole responsibility of the Board is to cast a deciding vote when a vacancy exists on Borough Council and the Council is split on the replacement.

Residents who are interested in serving on one of these Boards and Commissions should contact their council members or Mayor.  When a vacancy occurs, the Boro will advertise and announce that they are accepting letters of interest for these positions.