[Amended 9-15-1980; 12-19-1994; 7-1-1996]
In accordance with the City Charter, there shall be a Department of Finance to be headed by the Director of Finance, who shall have a bachelor's degree or higher in business administration, with a major in accounting or a bachelor's degree or higher in an appropriate allied field. The Director of Finance shall have five years' experience in public finance. Said Department shall be responsible for all financial matters of the City. Within the Department of Finance there shall be the following divisions:
A. 
Division of Purchasing, to be headed by the Purchasing Agent pursuant to the Charter. In addition to such powers and duties as it may be assigned by statute, the Charter, this chapter, other legislation, the City Manager or the Director of Finance, the Division of Purchasing shall be responsible for the following:
(1) 
The promulgation of a purchasing procedure to be approved by City Council. Any purchase or contract for purchasing, including a continuing order or contract for the purchase of the same commodity or service over a period of time, in excess of $4,000 shall be awarded on sealed bids or proposals in conformance with the procedures set forth in the Charter of the City of Meriden.
B. 
Division of Property Assessment, to be headed by the City Assessor. This Division shall have such powers and duties as it may be assigned by statute, the Charter, this chapter, other legislation, the City Manager or the Director of Finance.
C. 
Division of Tax Collection, to be headed by the Tax Collector. This Division shall have such powers and duties as it may be assigned by statute, the Charter, this chapter, other legislation, the City Manager or the Director of Finance.
D. 
Division of the City Treasury, to be headed by the City Treasurer. In addition to such powers and duties as it may be assigned by statute, the Charter, this chapter, other legislation, the City Manager or Director of Finance, the Division of the City Treasury shall be responsible for the following:
(1) 
Annually, no later than January 15, to set the value of bonds for each City official with the approval of the City Council.
[Added 9-2-1997[1]]
A. 
For the purposes of this section, "City-based business" shall mean a business with its principal place of business located within the boundaries of the City of Meriden. A business shall not be considered a "City-based business" unless evidence satisfactory to the Department of Finance has been submitted with each bid by said business to establish that it has a bona fide principal place of business in the City of Meriden. Such evidence may include evidence of ownership of or a long-term lease of the real estate from which the principal place of business is operated or payment of property taxes on the personal property of the business.
B. 
The Department of Finance shall determine the lowest responsible bidder in the following order:
(1) 
Any City-based business responsible bidder which has submitted a bid not more than 10% higher than the low bid, provided that such City-based business responsible bidder agrees to accept the award of the bid at the amount of the lowest bid. The acceptance shall be submitted in writing to the Department of Finance during the next business day following the opening of the bid. If more than one City-based business responsible bidder has submitted bids not more than 10% higher than the lowest bid and has agreed to accept the award of the bid at the amount of the lowest bid, the lowest responsible bidder shall be that one of the City-based business responsible bidders which has submitted the lowest bid. This subsection shall not apply in those instances where the bid requested involves a cooperative purchasing arrangement between the City of Meriden and other municipalities or the State of Connecticut.
(2) 
The low responsible bidder.
[1]
Editor's Note: Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. II).
[Added 9-15-1997]
A. 
For the purposes of this section "City-based business" shall have the same meaning as set forth in § 3-14A.
B. 
Purchases below the minimum expenditure amount requiring sealed bids or written proposals shall be made from City-based businesses whenever the price quoted by a City-based business is not more than 10% higher than the lowest price otherwise quoted. This subsection shall not apply to purchases involving a cooperative purchasing arrangement between the City of Meriden and other municipalities or the State of Connecticut.
In accordance with the Charter and this chapter, the City Council shall appoint and may remove the Director of Finance. The City Manager shall appoint and may remove all division heads within the Department of Finance, except as provided in the Charter.