There shall be a City Attorney who shall report to the Council regarding all legal matters affecting the City. The Mayor shall appoint the City Attorney, and the Council shall establish his or her compensation. The City Attorney shall serve as general legal advisor and shall be responsible for providing legal services and guidance to the City and all its departments and entities. The City Attorney shall maintain regular and updated records and shall report to the Council on the progress of all legal matters conducted by or on behalf of the City, as required.
The Council may, from time to time, engage legal professionals to provide additional legal service to the City or to any department or entity. Contracts with all such legal professionals shall be reviewed and approved by the Council.
Service of legal papers on the City of Saratoga Springs shall be made in accordance with the provisions of § 311 of the Civil Practice Law and Rules of the State of New York. All legal papers served on the City shall be immediately delivered to the City Attorney's office.
8.3.1 
Civil action. No civil action shall be maintained against the City for damages or injuries to persons or property sustained in consequence of any street, highway, bridge, culvert, sidewalk, or crosswalk being out of repair, unsafe, dangerous, or obstructed, or in consequence of the existence of snow or ice thereon, unless written notice of the defective, unsafe, dangerous, or obstructed condition, or the existence of the snow or ice, was actually given to the Commissioner of Public Works and there was failure or neglect within a reasonable time after such notice to repair or remove the defect, danger, or obstruction complained of, or to cause snow and ice to be removed, or for the place to be made otherwise reasonably safe.
8.3.2 
Index record. The City shall keep an index record, in a separate book, of all written notices that it receives of the existence of such defective, unsafe, dangerous, or obstructed condition, or of such snow or ice. The record shall state the date of receipt of the notice, the nature and location of the condition stated to exist, and the name and address of the person from whom notice is received.
8.3.3 
Notice upon the City. No action shall be maintained against the City for damages or injuries to person or property pursuant to this section, unless notice is served upon the City in a manner consistent with the General Municipal Law.
The City may acquire or lease property for public purposes in any lawful manner, including proceedings under the Eminent Domain Proceedings Law.
Whenever any public work authorized by law shall be undertaken, the City may take by eminent domain lands held or used for public purposes by any corporation, for the purpose of carrying out such work.
Upon a published notice, the Council may change or sell for fair value, at private sale or auction, any property of the City.