As used in this Chapter, the following terms shall have the
meanings ascribed to them:
CONTRACTUAL SERVICES
Personal services, all telephone, gas, water, electric light
and power services, towel and cleaning services, leases for all grounds,
buildings, offices or other space required by the using agency and
the rental, repair or maintenance of equipment, machinery and other
City-owned personal property. The term shall not include insurance,
professional and other contractual services which are in their nature
often unique and not subject to normal competitive bidding.
COOPERATING AGENCY
Any department, agency, commission, bureau or other unit
in the City Government not under the direction and control of the
Board of Alderpersons or in any other governmental unit whether school
district, special authority, other municipality, County or otherwise
which cooperates with the City through its Director of Purchasing
in purchasing any items covered by this Chapter.
SUPPLIES
All supplies, materials, equipment, commodities and capital
outlays.
USING AGENCY
Any department, agency, commission, bureau or other unit
in the City Government using supplies or procuring contractual services
as provided for in this Chapter and which shall be under the direction
and control of the Board of Alderpersons.
Any purchase order or contract within the purview of this Chapter
in which any officer or employee of the City is financially interested,
directly or indirectly, shall be void unless the Board of Alderpersons
waives compliance with this Section before the execution of a purchase
order or contract. The Board of Alderpersons shall waive this Section
only when the best interests of the City require such action and the
laws of the State do not prohibit the transaction. The City Administrator
shall immediately report to the Board any information that he/she
has or that comes to his/her attention that would indicate any such
interest either before or after a purchase has been made.
The Director of Purchasing and each officer and employee of
the City is expressly prohibited from accepting, directly or indirectly,
from any person to which any purchase order or contract is or might
be awarded any rebate, gift, money or anything of value whatsoever,
except where given for the use and benefit of the City.
[Ord. No. 772-12 §2, 2-1-2012]
A. This
Section provides guidelines for approving City warrants:
1. Definition. When used by governmental entities, the term "warrant" means a warrant of payment which is a check or
an IOU issued by a government agency or municipality to satisfy a
financial obligation.
2. Responsibility. The Board of Alderpersons is responsible
for paying for the City's indebtedness in a reasonable and timely
manner. The City Treasurer prepares the warrants and the Board of
Alderpersons has responsibility for releasing the funds. The Board
of Alderpersons must be diligent and prudent with the public money
and, as such, their action of approval (or disapproval) of warrants
needs to be recorded as a tallied vote.
3. Budget. The Board of Alderpersons must review and approve
monthly expenditures to ensure the warrants are within the spending
guidelines as dictated by the approved budget.
4. Checks and balances. By voting to approve or disapprove
the warrants, the Board of Alderpersons along with the City Treasurer
offer the check and balance for controlling taxpayer monies going
out of the City coffers.
5. Board of Alderpersons approval. As a general rule, no warrants
are to be paid without Board of Alderpersons approval.
6. Exception to Board of Alderpersons approval. Because the
budget was passed by ordinance, the following types of warrants may
be paid without Board of Alderpersons approval whenever a regular
scheduled meeting cannot be convened due to lack of a quorum or a
meeting is canceled due to inclement weather or some other such reason.
a. Payment
of employee payroll.
b. Payment
of utility bills.
c. Payment
of recurring contract obligations for expenditures as stated in the
approved budget of the City.
d. Payment
for necessary consumables such as postage, office supplies, etc. (not
to exceed nine hundred dollars ($900.00)).
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This exception allows the City Treasurer to release warrants
(checks) that are absolutely necessary without having to ask for a
special meeting.
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All purchases and contracts for supplies and contractual services,
and all sales of personal property which has become obsolete and unusable
shall, except as expressly provided in this Chapter, be based wherever
possible on competitive bids.
No resolution or ordinance shall finally be passed approving
any contract for supplies or contractual services (except for professional
services) unless such resolution or ordinance shall contain the endorsement
of the City Administrator on the face thereof indicating that proper
purchasing procedures have been followed.