Township Government
In 1987, the voters of Bensalem Township passed a ballot question, which read:
"Shall a government commission of nine members be elected to study the existing form of government and to recommend whether or not an optional form of government should be adopted?"
The voters passed this question by a wide margin. The Commission spent nine intensive months studying and evaluating all available forms of government for a Second Class Township. The Commission strongly recommended the Mayor - Council form of government over the existing Board of Supervisor form of government. The Commission strongly believed that the Mayor - Council form of government was better suited to meet the needs and concerns of the citizens than the existing form of government. An unbiased study, devoid of politics was conducted. The Commission examined the form of government, not the people in the government. While the qualifications of elected officials have been and will remain a very important part of the success of any form of government, the Commission concentrated its efforts solely on the form of government itself. The form, as well as the people is equally important in determining the ultimate success of our local government.
After intense study, research and open public meetings, the Commission recommended the Mayor - Council form of government would best enable our Township to better meet the challenges of the future as well as the present. On November 4, 1987, the voters of Bensalem concurred with the Commission and a Mayor - Council form of government was adopted. In November of 1989, Bensalem Township elected its first Mayor, Ed Burns, who took office in 1990 and served until 1994. Mayor Joseph DiGirolamo was elected in 1994 to replace Mayor Burns and continues to serve the people. The issue of unlimited mayoral terms in a second class township (as classified by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania) was challenged in 2005, with a favorable decision by the Court of Common Pleas ruling the Mayor-Council form of government does not impose term limits.
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