Pennsylvania State Association of Township Supervisors

Pennsylvania State Association of Township Supervisors
Name	Pennsylvania State Association of Township Supervisors
Abbreviation	PSATS
Formation	1922
Type	Association
Headquarters	Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
Region served	Pennsylvania
Membership	Township supervisors

Pennsylvania State Association of Township Supervisors is a statewide association providing representation, education, and technical assistance to township supervisors in Pennsylvania. Founded in the early 20th century, the association connects elected officials from townships across counties such as Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, Bucks County, Pennsylvania, Chester County, Pennsylvania, and Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, and engages with state institutions like the Pennsylvania General Assembly, Governor of Pennsylvania, and Pennsylvania Department of Transportation. The association serves as a hub for local officials interacting with federal entities including the United States Department of Agriculture, Federal Emergency Management Agency, and United States Environmental Protection Agency.

History

The organization traces roots to the municipal reform movements of the 1920s, contemporaneous with entities such as the National Association of Counties and the National League of Cities. Early convenings involved township leaders from regions like Lehigh County, Pennsylvania and York County, Pennsylvania seeking coordination on issues related to roads, bridges, and public safety, paralleling developments in New Jersey and Ohio municipal associations. Over decades the group expanded its portfolio responding to landmark state actions by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court and legislative milestones from the Pennsylvania General Assembly that affected local administration. The association’s history intersects with infrastructure programs influenced by the Works Progress Administration and later federal statutes such as the Clean Water Act and the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act.

Organization and Governance

Governance is exercised by an elected board and executive officers drawn from township supervisors across diverse counties including Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, Erie County, Pennsylvania, Blair County, Pennsylvania, and Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania. The board sets policy in coordination with a professional staff based in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania and committees patterned after those found in organizations like the American Public Works Association and the National League of Cities. Annual meetings convene in venues that have hosted conferences for groups such as the Pennsylvania State Association of Boroughs and the Pennsylvania Municipal League, and bylaws reflect statutory frameworks established by the Pennsylvania Borough Code and the Pennsylvania Second Class Township Code.

Membership and Services

Membership comprises supervisors from first-class and second-class townships, encompassing communities comparable to municipalities in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Allentown, Pennsylvania, and Erie, Pennsylvania. Services include legal consultations mirroring support offered by the Pennsylvania Bar Association for municipal law, access to model ordinances compatible with rulings by the Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court, and technical assistance on zoning issues that reference precedents from cases adjudicated by the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit. The association facilitates connections with regional planning agencies such as the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission and county conservation districts affiliated with the Natural Resources Conservation Service.

Training, Education, and Publications

The association operates training programs and conferences modeled on continuing education frameworks used by the American Planning Association and the Institute of Transportation Engineers. Certificate courses address topics reflected in legislation like the Municipalities Planning Code and regulatory guidance from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, with instructors drawn from universities such as Pennsylvania State University, Temple University, and University of Pittsburgh. Publications include manuals and newsletters analogous to materials published by the National Association of Towns and Townships and periodicals that analyze court decisions from the Pennsylvania Supreme Court and federal rulings from the United States Supreme Court.

Advocacy and Legislative Activities

Advocacy efforts place the association in regular dialogue with the Pennsylvania General Assembly, the Governor of Pennsylvania, and congressional delegations including representatives from districts covering Lehigh Valley and Scranton–Wilkes-Barre. Legislative priorities often align with infrastructure funding initiatives paralleling advocacy by the American Public Works Association and with environmental compliance matters involving the Environmental Protection Agency. The association files position papers, testifies before state committees such as the Pennsylvania House of Representatives Local Government Committee, and collaborates with statewide partners including the County Commissioners Association of Pennsylvania and the Pennsylvania State Association of Boroughs.

Programs and Initiatives

Programs address emergency management coordination with agencies like the Federal Emergency Management Agency and regional emergency management offices, public works best practices informed by the American Society of Civil Engineers, and stormwater management initiatives that reflect standards in the Clean Water Act. Initiatives include grant assistance programs connecting members to funding from the United States Department of Agriculture and state grant sources administered by the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development, as well as partnerships with academic centers such as the Pennsylvania State University College of Engineering for technical studies.

Awards and Recognition

The association administers awards recognizing excellence in township governance, planning, and public works, akin to programs run by the National Association of Counties and the American Planning Association. Recipients have included townships that collaborate with organizations like the Pennsylvania Resources Council and county conservation districts, and award ceremonies have been held alongside conferences featuring keynote speakers from institutions such as the Federal Highway Administration and the National League of Cities.

Category:Organizations based in Pennsylvania Category:Local government in Pennsylvania