The City of Monongahela is classified as a "Third Class City" in the state of Pennsylvania. This classification is primarily determined by the population of the city, and the city is bound to adherence to the "Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Third Class City Code".
Cities of the Third class operate with executive and administrative powers, and duties within the city being distributed into and among five departments as follows:
- Department of Public Affairs
- Department of Accounts and Finance
- Department of Public Safety
- Department of Streets and Public Improvements, and
- Department of Parks and Public Property.
Under this system, the residents elect a mayor to serve as the Director of Public Affairs (who is also responsible for supervising the conduct of all City Officers, and the City Police) with four other council members, each serving as the Director of one of the other four departments and whose responsibilities are determined by Council.
The Mayor serves as the Chief Executive of the City, and the Director of Accounts and Finance serves as the Vice President of City Council. Under the Third Class City Code, each of the five members of Council vote on all questions coming before the Council. (The Mayor has no right of veto.) In general, an affirmative vote of three Members is necessary in order to pass any ordinance, resolution, rule, or regulation. The Mayor and other Members of Council are each elected for four-year terms.
Council meetings for the City of Monongahela are held the second Wednesday of every month at 7:00 p.m. at Monongahela City Hall in Council Chambers - 449 West Main Street, Monongahela PA 15063.