There is hereby created in the city government a department
to be known as the department of public works.
[Local Law No. 1-98, § 2, 1-13-1998]
(a) Subject to the provisions of law and ordinance, the director of the
department of public works shall have cognizance, direction and control
of:
(1)
The construction, maintenance, alteration, repair, care, cleaning,
paving, flagging and improving of the streets, highways, sidewalks
and public places of the city;
(2)
The construction, alteration and repair of all city buildings
and bridges belonging to the city;
(3)
All public sewers and drains and public works of the city;
(4)
The construction and maintenance of water and sewage treatment
facilities and lines and the employment, control and supervision of
all persons employed upon such work;
(5)
The maintenance of city parks;
(6)
The city forester and all city tree and shrubbery programs for
and upon public lands and rights-of-way.
(b) The director of the department of public works shall inspect the
condition of the streets, avenues, highways, sidewalks, crosswalks,
area-ways, subways, curbing, paving, street lights, sewers, drains
and public works of the city with sufficient frequency to ascertain
their condition, and report at once to the common council whenever
the same shall not be in good repair and proper condition. The director
shall also have general supervision and control of all work performed
under any contract of the city for local or other improvements to
be performed within or upon any of the public streets, ways or places,
or with reference to the public works and ways within the jurisdiction
of the department of public works and shall cause the same to be performed
in full compliance with the previsions of any contract therefor.
(c) The director of the department of public works shall supervise the
collections and disposal of all garbage and rubbish in the manner
provided by the common council. The director shall have supervision
and control of the persons employed in connection with such work.
(d) The director shall, whenever a license or permit is required to connect
with any gas or water pipe, sewer, to excavate in a street, or do
any other act relating to streets or public works under his control,
countersign such license or permit and return the same to the permittee
or licensee before such work shall be commenced.
(e) The director of the department of public works shall, upon application
by any lot owner in the city furnish to such owner, the line of the
street upon which the lot abuts and the grade and line upon which
sidewalks abutting upon the property shall be laid. The director shall
also perform such surveying and engineering work and discharge such
other duties for the city as the common council may prescribe.
(f) The director of the department of public works shall devote his time
exclusively to the service of the city.