As a prerequisite to bringing suit thereon against the City or any officer, employee, department, commission, or board of the City, any claim for money or damages, including claims which would otherwise be excepted by Section 905 of the
Government Code of California, which is not governed by any other statute or regulation expressly relating thereto, shall be presented and acted upon in accordance with Title
1, Division 3.6, Part 3, Chapter 1 (commencing with Section 900) and Chapter 2 (commencing with Section 910), of the California
Government Code. This Section shall relate only to the bringing of suit upon any claim, and shall not be deemed to apply to the authority of the Director of Finance and general services, the City Council, and other City officers to process and pay, in the ordinary course of business, the just obligations of the City, such as routine salaries and wages, principal and interest on bonds, payments for purchases, and other like expenditures for which there is an express budget appropriation and in connection with which there is no dispute as to the obligation and amount being payable.
No payment shall be made from the City treasury or out of the
funds of the City unless the demand which is to be paid is duly audited
as prescribed herein or by other provisions of law.
Claims against the City shall be paid on demands on the treasury
as herein provided on forms to be prescribed by the City Manager.
Except for tort claims, every claim and demand received against
the City shall be first presented to and approved in writing by the
receiving department or office, which shall certify to the actual
delivery or rendition of the supplies, materials, property or service
for which payment is claimed. The receiving department or office shall
also certify that the quality and prices correspond with the original
specifications and contracts, if any, upon which the claim is based,
that the demand in all other respects is proper and valid, and shall
indicate the budgetary account to which said demand is to be charged.
Each demand approved by the receiving department or office shall
be presented to the City Manager, who shall determine whether:
(a) The
claim is legally due and owing by the City;
(b) There
are budgeted or otherwise appropriated funds available to pay said
claim;
(c) The
claim conforms to a valid requisition or order;
(d) The
prices and computations shown on the claim are verified;
(e) The
claim contains the approval of other departments and officials as
required.
Following audit of demands, the City Manager shall prepare a
register of audited demands showing the claimant's name, amount of
demand, the warrant number and date thereof, and transmit said register
to the City Council, with a recommendation of approval or other report.
The register of demands shall be presented to the City Council
at the next meeting thereof. The City Council may by resolution approve,
conditionally or partially approve, or reject such register of demands.
Following approval of the register of demands by the City Council,
the Mayor and the City Manager shall endorse the register of audited
demands to signify that the demands therein were properly processed
prior to any action taken by the City Council.