The sale, lease, or other alienation of any city property, real
or personal, including public utilities, or of any interest therein,
the value of which is more than $50,000, may be made only (1) by authority
of an affirmative vote of a majority of the qualified voters of the
city who vote on the question of approving or authorizing the sale,
lease, or other alienation at an election, or (2) by authority of
a special ordinance. Such ordinance shall be published in full in
a newspaper of general circulation within the city within ten days
after its passage, and shall take effect thirty days after passage
unless the ordinance specifies a later date,. The sale, lease, or
other alienation of an entire public utility or of any substantial
part thereof may be authorized only as provided in (1) hereinabove.
Public improvements may be made by the city government itself
or by contract. The council shall award all contracts for such improvements;
provided, that the council may authorize the city manager to award
such contracts not exceeding an amount to be determined by the council
and subject to such regulations as the council may prescribe. A contract
for public improvements of more than $2,000 may be awarded only to
the lowest responsible bidder after such notice and opportunity for
competitive bidding as may be prescribed by law. All bids may be rejected,
and further notice and opportunity for competitive bidding may be
given.
The council shall designate a certified public accountant or
firm of such accountants who shall make an independent audit of the
accounts and evidences of financial transactions of the department
of finance, of the department of taxation, and of all other departments,
offices, and agencies keeping separate or subordinate accounts or
making financial transactions, as of the end of every fiscal year
at least, and who shall report to the council and to the city manager.