the municipal secretary desktop reference manual - Southwestern ...

DEPARTMENT OF PLANNING
Advises county commissioners and the planning commission on activities which would
contribute to a county=s physical, social, and economic improvement. Provides research and
physical planning of land, buildings, airports, highways, parks, housing and social services.
Concern to municipalities is the department=s involvement in administration of State=s Municipal
Planning Codes, storm water management and sewage facilities planning.
Telephone:
EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT
Coordinates emergency activities for the commissioners and is available to assist local
municipalities upon request.
Telephone:
FIRE TRAINING ACADEMY
Offers a variety of training courses on fire services and fire fighting tactics to county
firemen and municipal fire companies.
Telephone:
POLICE
Provides law enforcement at all county facilities and offers assistance to municipal police
departments.
Telephone:
POLICE TRAINING ACADEMY
Trains county and municipal police officials and security guards.
Telephone:
PROPERTY ASSESSMENT, APPEALS, REVIEW AND REGISTRY
Assesses real and personal property for county, local, and school taxation, hears
assessment appeals from taxpayers, updates and maintains the county real estate property files
and maps, and prepares tax blotters for each municipality and all school districts.
Telephone:
PROTHONOTARY
Has the administrative control over the responsibility for all official documents and
records of the civil division and family division of the court of common pleas. In addition this
office maintains mechanics= liens claims, municipal claims, federal and state tax liens and
municipal audits and tax collection reports.
Telephone:
RECORDER OF DEEDS
To be binding on third parties, all mortgages, deeds, and real estate transfers must be
officially recorded in this office. The recorder of deeds also collects the Pennsylvania realty tax
for the commonwealth and local realty taxes.
Telephone:
III-38