For the purpose of this Charter, except as the content may otherwise require:
"Charter" shall mean the Charter of the City of Batavia, New York.
"Department" shall mean an overall organizational unit of City government containing within said unit other subdivisions.
"Bureau" shall mean a subdivision of a department within the City government.
"Agency" and/or "Authority" shall mean an entity, created by the State of New York, with defined separate and distinct powers and duties including the power to act in specific areas on behalf of the City, the power to incur debt independent of the City and such other powers as shall be set forth in legislation creating the agency and/or authority.
"Local Law" shall have the same meaning as set forth in Municipal Home Rule Law Section 2(9).
"Council" shall mean the local legislative body of the City elected in the manner provided by this Charter.
"Manager" shall mean the Manager of the City government appointed pursuant to the Charter or any Assistant Manager temporarily serving in place of the Manager pursuant to the Charter or local law.
"Ordinance" shall mean a rule established by authority; a permanent rule of action; a law or statute. In its most common meaning, the term is used to designate the enactments of the legislative body of a municipal corporation. . . An ordinance is the equivalent of a municipal statute, passed by City Council, or equivalent body, and governing matters not already covered by federal or state law. Ordinances commonly govern zoning, building, safety, etc., matters of the municipality.
"Resolution" shall mean a formal expression of opinion or will of an official body or public assembly, adopted by vote; as a legislative resolution. . . The term is usually employed to denote the adoption of a motion, the subject matter of which would not properly constitute a statute, such as a mere expression of opinion; . . . Such is not law, but merely a form in which legislative body expresses an opinion.
Subject to the provisions of the Charter, the City shall have all powers of local government, functions, rights, privileges and jurisdiction delegated to cities under the Constitution and Laws of the State of New York, or which it would be competent for this Charter specifically to enumerate. The City may provide for the distribution of such powers among and within its departments and regulate and control the exercise thereof by its officers and employees. All powers of the City, whether express or implied, shall be exercised in the manner provided by this Charter or by local law or ordinance not inconsistent herewith.
In the exercise of its powers for any municipal purpose, the City may use a corporate seal; may sue and be sued; may acquire property within and without its boundaries for any municipal purpose, in fee simple or any lesser interest or estate, by purchase, gift, devise, lease or condemnation, and may sell, lease, hold, manage and control such property as its interests may require; may require licenses and permits and enter into contracts; may exercise powers of taxation delegated to it; and may adopt, amend and repeal local laws, ordinances and resolutions.