[Amended by L.L. No. 3-1990]
There is hereby created a Department of Public Works in and for the City of Rensselaer; the head of the Department of Public Works shall be the Commissioner of Public Works, who shall be appointed by the Mayor at an annual salary of not less than $20,000, to be fixed and determined by the Common Council, and whose term of office shall be the same as other appointive officers of this city, as provided in Title II, §
18, herein.
The Mayor may appoint and at pleasure remove,
at an annual salary of not less than $7,500, to be fixed and determined
by the Common Council, a Department Commissioner of Public Works,
who shall be authorized to act subject to the directions of the Commissioner
of Public Works, generally for and in place of his principal and who
shall perform all duties and possess all powers of the Commissioner
of Public Works during the latter's absence or inability to act or
in the event of a vacancy in such office.
[Amended by L.L. No. 3-1990]
The Commissioner of Public Works shall have
the power and it shall be his duty:
1. To keep in his office books and records properly indexed,
in which shall be entered a survey and map of every street, park,
avenue, lane, sidewalk, water main and service pipe, sewer and sewer
inlet and conduit, with locations and grades thereof as far as practicable,
both those heretofore established and which may hereafter be established,
which shall be and remain the property of the city, and such books
and records shall be transmitted with all other matter pertaining
to his office to his successor.
2. To have the direction and control of the maintenance
and ordinary alterations, repairs, grade, cleaning, paving, flagging,
lighting and improvements of the streets, highways, sidewalks, and
public places of the city and the repair of all bridges, sewers, sewer
connections and drains and shall have the jurisdiction and authority
to make ordinary repairs and improvements thereto and the flushing
and cleaning thereof.
3. With the approval of the Mayor, to employ such laborers,
vehicles and equipment and incur such expenditures as may be authorized
by the Common Council or as otherwise provided by this Act.
4. To have general supervision and control of all works
performed under any contract of the city for local or other improvements
subject to supervision of a licensed civil engineer, who shall be
designated by the Common Council and the Mayor.
5. At each regular meeting of the Common Council, to
present thereto a payroll in such form as the Common Council may prescribe,
verified by his oath, setting forth the work done by the city under
his charge since his last payroll and specifying the name of each
person employed thereon, the time he labored, his wages, the number
of days and the amount due him; said payroll, if correct, shall be
audited at the meeting at which the same was presented without referring
to the Auditing Committee and shall be paid from the Property Fund
of the city on account of which said work shall be performed or such
expense incurred.
6. Except as otherwise provided herein or by law, ordinance
or resolution of the Common Council, to have all the jurisdiction
and be charged with all the duties over streets and public places
within the city of a commissioner of highways within the towns of
the state.
7. To possess such other powers and be charged with such
other duties as may be prescribed by statute, the City Charter, ordinance
or resolution of the Common Council.
The Commissioner of Public Works shall, before assuming office hereunder, take and fill the oath of office and make, execute and deliver a bond to the city as required by Title II, §§
30 and
31 herein.