The fiscal year of the City shall begin on the first day of January.
Pursuant to Section 517 and Section 518 of the Charter Law,[1] the City budget shall consist of the following:
A. 
General fund operating budget.
B. 
Liquid fuels tax budget.
C. 
Capital improvement reserve budget.
D. 
Such other budgets as may be required by law or agreement.
[1]
Editor's Note: See 53 P.S. §§ 41517 and 41518.
At the last stated meeting in November, the Manager shall submit to Council his recommended budget in the form of an ordinance, together with such explanatory comment or statement as he may deem desirable. Public hearings shall be held on the recommended budget before action thereon is taken. Council shall, upon passing the proposed budget ordinance on the first reading, fix a date for adoption thereof, which shall be no later than the 31st day of December immediately following.
A. 
The Department of Administration shall supervise the administration of the budget.
B. 
Upon adoption of the budget, the appropriations included shall constitute the maximum authorizations to spend and shall not be exceeded except as hereinafter provided.
(1) 
Transfers by Manager. The Manager shall have the power to authorize transfer of any unexpended balance of any appropriation item or any portion thereof within any department or interdepartment, provided:
(a) 
Transfers shall not be made from any appropriation item involving personal services, i.e., salaries or wages.
(b) 
The amounts transferred to any one appropriation item shall not exceed a sum of $3,000.
(c) 
All such transfers shall be reported in writing to Council within 30 calendar days following the transfer.
(2) 
Transfers by Council. All transfers in excess of $3,000 involving all expenditure items shall be effected only after formal approval of a majority of Council.
C. 
The accounting system of the City shall be determined by the Manager and shall include an encumbrance system of accounts for control of expenditures within the limits of budget appropriations and shall be maintained on a modified accrual basis as applicable to governmental accounting.
A. 
The Manager or his designee shall be responsible for the establishment of a centralized purchasing system to be maintained within the Department of Administration and for the designation of a purchasing agent.
B. 
Formal bidding. Whenever the probable cost of materials, equipment and/or services is expected to exceed $10,000, the purchasing agent shall cause to be prepared specifications for the articles or services required and shall advertise the requirements of the City in accordance with the Third Class City Code.
(1) 
When formal bidding is employed, the bids shall be opened and tabulated publicly by the purchasing agent at the time and place specified in the advertisement of bids.
(2) 
Investigation of the responsibility of the bidders shall be made as the purchasing agent may deem necessary, and he shall award the contract to the lowest and best responsible bidder, after Council approval, unless Council determines that the interest of the City would be better served by rejecting all bids and ordering a new advertisement, in which case the Council may so order.
C. 
Three written and/or telephonic quotes should be obtained for any purchases from $4,000 to $9,999 to determine the best price. The purchasing agent may award the purchase to the supplier offering the lowest and best bid of any of the three written quotes.
D. 
Informal bids shall be solicited whenever possible for all items of less than $4,000 and more than $1,000. If the cost is less than $4,000, the purchasing agent may award the purchase to the supplier offering the lowest and best bid of any of the informal bidders.
E. 
Emergency purchases. In case of emergency, any or all using agencies may purchase directly any supplies, materials, services or repairs not to exceed $200 in the aggregate whose immediate procurement is essential to the continuance of the work of the using agency. The head of such using agency shall send written notification of such emergency purchase to the purchasing agent and the Finance Director with a full explanation of the circumstances of the emergency, which shall be filed by the purchasing agent as permanent and public record of the purchase.
F. 
The contracts or purchases made by Council involving an expenditure of over $10,000 which shall not require advertising or bidding, as hereinbefore provided, are as follows:
(1) 
Those for maintenance, repairs or replacements for water, electric light, or other public works of the City, provided they do not constitute new additions, extensions or enlargements of existing facilities and equipment, but a bond may be required by Council as in other cases of work done.
(2) 
Those made for improvements, repairs and maintenance of any kind made or provided by any City through its own employees; provided, however, that this shall not apply to construction materials used in a street improvement.
(3) 
Those where particular types, models or pieces of new equipment, articles, apparatus, appliances, vehicles or parts thereof are desired by Council, which are patented and manufactured or copyrighted products.
(4) 
Those involving any policies of insurance or surety company bonds; those made for public utility service under tariffs on file with the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission; those made with another political subdivision or a county, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the federal government, any agency of the commonwealth or the federal government, or any municipal authority, including the sale, leasing or loan of any supplies or materials by the commonwealth or the federal government, or their agencies, but the price thereof shall not be in excess of that fixed by the commonwealth, the federal government or their agencies.
(5) 
Those involving personal or professional services.
No City personal property with an estimated value of $500 shall be disposed of by sale except upon approval by Council and on such conditions as Council may designate in accordance with applicable law.
A. 
The City Treasurer shall deposit in the name of the City all City funds collected by him/her in such banks or other financial institutions conducting business with the City which have been designated by Council as City depositories.
B. 
The Manager will require acceptable securities to be pledged by any depository equal to 100% of deposits computed on a daily basis at all times.
A. 
The Manager shall have the power to authorize temporary investments of City funds and for the disposal of such investments when the monies may be needed.
B. 
Such temporary investments shall be in United States Treasury obligations or in savings or share accounts of institutions to the extent that the accounts would be insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or to the extent covered by the security requirements of the City as referred to in § 4-41.
Pursuant to Section 520 of the Charter Law,[1] all accounts of the City shall be audited following the close of each fiscal year by an independent certified public accountant, selected by resolution of Council, to be provided to Council no later than September 1 of each year for the prior year. The firm chosen to conduct the audit for the City should be let out for bid via request for proposals at least every three years.
[1]
Editor's Note: See 53 P.S. § 41520.