Swatara Township published a legal notice on Pennlive Thursday January 22, 2015.

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN pursuant to the provisions of Section 1502.I of the First Class Township Code (53 P.S. 56502-I) that the Board of Commissioners of Swatara Township will, at its Regular Meeting of Wednesday, February 4, 2015, at 7:00 p.m. consider the adoption of an ordinance, and, if appropriate, enact an ordinance, the title, content and summary of which follows:

AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND THE CODE OF THE TOWNSHIP OF SWATARA, PENNSYLVANIA, BY REPLACING IN ITS ENTIRETY CHAPTER 65 THEREOF, ENTITLED "REAPPORTIONMENT", AND PROVIDING FOR THE REAPPOINTMENT OF THE TOWNSHIP INTO A SINGLE WARD, PROVIDING A DESCRIPTION OF THE BOUNDARIES OF THE NEWLY CREATED WARD WHICH BOUNDARIES ARE CONSISTENT WITH THE PERIMETER BOUNDARIES OF SWATARA TOWNSHIP, PROVIDING FOR A SCHEDULE OF ELECTIONS FOR THE COMMISSIONERS AT LARGE NECESSITATED BY THE CREATION OF THE SINGLE WARD, PROVIDING FOR THE RETENTION OF EXISTING OFFICES OF COMMISSIONERS OF THE TOWNSHIP PRESENTLY SERVING IN OFFICE, AND PROVIDING FOR EFFECTIVE DATE IMPLEMENTATION. SECTION 65-1. PURPOSE AND FINDINGS

This is a reapportionment ordinance for the redistricting and realignment of the existing nine wards into one new ward, which is therefore composed of compact and contiguous territory containing all the population of the Township of Swatara enacted pursuant to the mandates of Article IX, §11, of the Constitution of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and the "Municipal Reapportionment Act," Act of December 19, 1996, P.L. 1158, No. 177 (53 Pa. C.S.A. 901, et. seq.).

A. The Board of Commissioners finds that the existing nine wards of the Township as currently aligned contain a disparity in population sufficient to warrant realignment. More specifically, Ward 1 contains 2,146 persons or 9.19% of the total population, a deviation of -17.40% from the norm of 2,596, which is the number of persons an even division of population would require in a 9-ward system; Ward 2 contains 3,442 persons or 14.73% of the total population, representing a +32.50% deviation from the norm; Ward 3 contains 2,546 persons or 10.90% of the total population, representing a -.02% deviation from the norm; Ward 4 contains 1,824 persons or 7.81% of the total population, representing a -29.70% deviation from the norm; Ward 5 contains 3,241 persons or 13.87% of the total population, representing a +24.80% deviation from the norm; Ward 6 contains 3,154 persons or 13.50% of the total population, representing a +21.50% deviation from the norm; Ward 7 contains 2,907 persons or 12.44% of the total population, representing a +12.00% deviation from the norm; Ward 8 contains 2,713 persons or 11.61% of the total population, representing a +4.50% deviation from the norm; and Ward 9 contains 1,389 persons or 5.95% of the total population, representing a -46.50% deviation from the norm.

B. The Board of Commissioners finds that the provisions of the Municipal Reapportionment Act require the governing body of any Township to reapportion its territory whenever such reapportionment is deemed necessary and that because of the disproportionate population of the current wards, it is now deemed necessary by the Board to reapportion the Township.

C. The Board of Commissioners, after examining four optional reapportionment plans, including an at-large system of one ward, and considering the Township's historical development, population concentration, natural boundary lines, and contiguity of wards, finds that a one-ward reapportionment plan with boundaries contemporaneous with the boundaries of the Township as hereinafter defined and specified with five representatives elected at-large will most sufficiently and appropriately meet the requirements of the Pennsylvania Constitution and Municipal Reapportionment Act and the proper functions of government in Swatara Township.

SECTION 65-2. ADOPTION OF

1-WARD PLAN

The Township of Swatara is hereby consolidated into one ward for all purposes required under the Constitution and Laws of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, including municipal elections as hereinafter more specifically provided. The number of Commissioners in the single ward created hereby shall be, pursuant to the Pennsylvania First Class Township Code, 53 P.S. § 55505 five (5), who shall be elected at-large by the voters of the Township. At the next municipal election after the effective date of this Ordinance, three (3) Township Commissioners shall be elected for terms of four (4) years each, from the first Monday of January next succeeding, to take the place of the Commissioners whose terms then expire. At the subsequent municipal election, two (2) Commissioners shall be elected for terms of four (4) years each from the first Monday of January next succeeding, to take the Commissioners whose terms then expire.

SECTION 65-3. BOUNDARY DESCRIPTIONS

A. A single ward created pursuant to this Chapter shall consist of the boundaries of the entire Township, the description of said Township boundary and therefore its single ward is as follows: