The City Council may, of its own initiative or on application
filed with the City Clerk, by ordinance, determine that new buildings,
planned for manufacturing or industrial purposes, shall be exempt
from taxation for local purposes other than for assessments for local
improvements for a period of not more than five years. Before the
City Council shall act upon such ordinance, a public hearing shall
be held. Notice of such hearing, stating the time and place thereof,
the name of the manufacturing plant or industry which it is proposed
to exempt and a brief description of the property on which such buildings
are proposed to be erected, shall be published in the official newspaper
once a week for three consecutive weeks, the last publication to be
at least three days prior to such hearing. The exemption herein authorized
shall not include or extend to the personal property, tools or machinery
placed in or attached to such buildings or the land on which they
are located. (L. 1907, Ch. 756, § 197; L. 1923, Ch. 789,
§ 1)
All officers of said City who have any power as such officers
to collect, receive or disburse money shall, when requested by the
City Council, render to it a verified statement and account of all
moneys received or disbursed by them and shall also, whenever required
by the City Council, personally appear and submit to an examination
under oath by the City Council or any committee thereof. A willful
refusal or neglect to obey any such order of the City Council shall
be deemed a neglect of duty and a sufficient cause for removal from
office. (L. 1907, Ch. 756, § 198)
Whenever any real estate in said City shall be owned by two
or more persons jointly, or as tenants in common, a notice served
on any one of them shall be a sufficient notice for any purpose requiring
notice under this article or under Chapter 473 of the Laws of 1906.
(L. 1907, Ch. 756, § 199)
All contracts for the collection and removal and disposal of
garbage, dead animals, ashes, rubbish or matters or things pertaining
thereto shall be pursuant to § 120 of Chapter 473 of the
Laws of 1906 (Second Class Cities Law § 120) which contracts
shall cover and include the collection and removal and disposal of
garbage, dead animals, ashes, rubbish or matters or things pertaining
thereto and the furnishing of the necessary appliances, conveyances
and implements for such collection and removal and disposal, and the
providing of the necessary dumping grounds for the same. The contracts
and specifications for bids for such collection and removal and disposal
shall provide for the same for a period not exceeding five years.
They shall require each bidder to furnish with his bid a certified
check, payable to the order of the Treasurer of the City in such sum
as the Board of Contract and Supply may prescribe, which sum shall
be forfeited to the City in case the bidder depositing the same shall
be awarded the contract and shall not execute the same and furnish
the bond required, which bond shall be in such penalty as the said
Board of Contract and Supply shall determine. In case the aforesaid
contracts, or either of them be not awarded to the bidder, or bidders,
or if awarded, the contract or contracts so awarded and bond or bonds
as the case may be, shall be duly executed and such check or checks
shall be returned to the party furnishing the same. (L. 1907, Ch.
756, § 200)
For the purpose of serving and executing the process and mandates
of said City Court and of summoning talesmen for jury services in
the City Court of the Police Court of the City of Schenectady and
of performing all of the other duties prescribed by law for constables
of Justices' Courts, the Mayor may appoint such five resident electors,
as in his discretion he deems proper, to be City Court constables.
A certificate of such appointment shall be filed in the office of
the City Clerk of the City of Schenectady and with the Clerk of the
City Court of the City of Schenectady, and such constables as and
for their compensation for the duties which they are required to perform
shall be entitled to receive and retain the fees prescribed by law
for the service and execution of process and mandates and such other
acts as they may perform. Every constable, so appointed, before entering
upon the discharge of his duties, shall appear before the Judge of
the City Court and after filling his certificate of appointment take
the constitutional oath of office which shall be filed with the other
records of the court. The term of office of any such constable shall
be two years, unless sooner removed by the Mayor. Every such constable
shall, previous to taking said oath of office, make and execute and
file with the City Clerk a bond to the people of the State of New
York conditioned for the faithful performance of his duties, in the
form now provided by law for a constable's bond, in the penal sum
of $200, with two sufficient sureties, to be approved by the Mayor.
(L. 1907. Ch. 756, § 201)
A. There shall be appointed by the Mayor a City Marshal, who shall be
janitor of the City Hall, and not to exceed 800 Commissioners of Deeds.
Their term of office shall be two years, respectively, unless sooner
removed by the Mayor. The City Clerk shall immediately, after the
appointment of any such Commissioner of Deeds, file a certificate
thereof with the County Clerk of Schenectady County, specifying the
time for which such Commissioner of Deeds shall have been appointed.
Such Commissioner of Deeds shall qualify in the manner provided for
Commissioners of Deeds within the state by the Executive Law and may
discharge their duties at any place within the County of Schenectady.
B. The Mayor, the Comptroller, the Treasurer, the President of the City Council, Aldermen, City Engineer, the Corporation Counsel, any Assistant Corporation Counsel, City Clerk, Deputy City Clerk, Police Justice, City Judge, the Clerk of the City Court and the Clerk of Police Court shall have the powers of a Commissioner of Deeds of the City of Schenectady. The City Marshal shall perform such duties as the City Council shall require and have such powers as the City Council shall confer upon him. (L. 1907, Ch. 756, § 201a; L. 1910, Ch. 653, § 1; L. 1916, Ch. 436, § 1; L. 1920, Ch.
204, § 1; L.L. No. 1-1929, § 1)
Notwithstanding any defect, irregularity or omission in the
manner of appointment of any Commissioners of Deeds in and for the
City of Schenectady since January 1, 1936, when Plan C of the Optional
City Government Law became effective therein, the appointments of
all such Commissioners of Deeds, including those presently serving,
are hereby legalized, validated and confirmed, and all official acts
of such Commissioners of Deeds, insofar as they may be affected or
impaired by reason of any question as to their manner of appointment
or lack of statutory authority therefor, are hereby legalized, validated
and confirmed. (L. 1957, Ch. 819, § 1)
The ordinances heretofore adopted by the City Council of the
City of Schenectady and known as the "Building Code of the City of
Schenectady," with such amendments as from time to time may be made
thereto by such City Council by ordinances shall continue to be the
Building Code of the City of Schenectady. The office of Building Inspector
as established by such Building Code is hereby continued. The salary
of such Building Inspector shall be the same as heretofore fixed by
the City Council of the said City of Schenectady, except that nothing
herein contained shall be construed to affect the jurisdiction of
the City Council by a new resolution or order to change such salary.
In addition to the powers and duties prescribed by such Building Code
of the City of Schenectady, the Building Inspector shall have such
other powers and discharge such other duties as may be granted or
prescribed by the City Council. (L. 1907, Ch. 756, § 201b)
A. Every law, ordinance, bylaw, rule or regulation imposing a penalty
or forfeiture for a violation of its provisions shall, after the passage
or adoption thereof, take effect upon its enactment or adoption unless
otherwise directed therein. The title, or a brief description of the
contents of every ordinance, bylaw, rule or regulation, the violation
of the provisions of which is declared to be a misdemeanor and of
every ordinance, bylaw, rule or regulation imposing any penalty or
forfeiture or imprisonment for a violation of its provisions, together
with a statement that said ordinance, bylaw, rule or regulation is
on record with the City Clerk, shall be published at least once in
each of the official newspapers of the City before the provisions
of such ordinance, bylaw, rule or regulation shall become effective
and enforceable. It shall not be necessary to publish any ordinance,
bylaw, rule or regulation to be enforced within the City, except as
herein provided.
B. In case of insurrection, riot, conflagration or other necessity requiring
immediate operation of said ordinance, bylaw, rule, or regulation,
it shall take effect as soon as proclamation thereof has been made
by the Mayor and it, with such proclamation, has been posted in five
conspicuous places in the City of Schenectady. (L. 1907, Ch. 756,
§ 201c; L.L. No. 3-1932, § 1; L.L. No. 1-1941,
§ 1)
A. The City Council, acting as a Board of Contract and Supply, is the
unit of this political subdivision that awards contracts subject to
the requirements for competitive bidding contained in Subdivision
1 of § 103 of the General Municipal Law.
B. A Committee on Bids, consisting of the Mayor, the Director of Finance,
the City Engineer, the purchasing agent and the Corporation Counsel,
or their designated representatives, shall open bids received under
the requirements of Subdivision 2 of § 103 of the General
Municipal Law. After examination of bids received, the Committee shall
refer them to the purchasing agent, the City Engineer or other appropriate
City officials for tabulation and examination for compliance with
specifications. The resulting tabulation with recommendations, both
in writing, shall be transmitted to the Council at its next meeting.
C. The purchasing agent, with the prior approval of the Mayor, is authorized
to let emergency contracts for public work or purchases without competitive
bidding as permitted by Subdivision 4 of § 103 of the General
Municipal Law. No proposed ordinance authorizing an open market purchase
or a direct labor contract without competitive bidding may be introduced
unless it is accompanied by a memorandum signed by the purchasing
agent setting forth the reasons for requesting adoption of the ordinance.
If the ordinance is adopted, the City Clerk shall attach a copy of
the memorandum to the original copy of the ordinance.
D. Each contract for a public improvement is to be based upon an estimate
of its whole cost, including all expenses incidental to and connected
with the contract. (L.L. No. 2-1978, § 1; L.L. No. 1-1980,
§ 1)