There shall be a department of Public Works which shall consist of the following divisions: streets and highways, water supply, sewage disposal, cemeteries, parks and playgrounds, and such other divisions as the City Council may authorize. There shall be a Director of Public Works who shall be the head of the Department of Public Works. The Director of Public Works may, with the approval of the City Manager, combine any of such divisions. The Department shall be responsible for (a) construction, maintenance, cleaning and repair of streets, highways, sidewalks, cemeteries, cemetery roads and driveways, water and sewer lines, storm sewers and drains, breakwaters and retaining walls, parking lots, municipal buildings and all other buildings, structures and works; (b) water supply and distribution, and sewage disposal systems; (c) collection and disposal of garbage, ashes, and refuse and supervision and control of private refuse collections and disposal; (d) maintenance of public parks and squares, playing fields and playground facilities and equipment; (e) house numbering, street lighting, and under the direction of the Chief of Police to install and maintain traffic control signals, signs and other traffic control devices, street signs and marking; (f) providing heat, light, and janitor service for city buildings; (g) operation of central garage and fuel supply for the maintenance and repair of all City vehicles and equipment, except fire apparatus; (h) setting out, care and removal of street shade trees and shrubs, and mosquito control programs and such other similar and related duties as the City Council may prescribe.
[Amended 12-19-2000 by L.L. No. 5-2000]
The Director of Public Works shall be appointed by the City Manager and shall be the head of the Department of Public Works. The Director of Public Works shall have had training and administrative experience in public works functions. The Director Of Public Works shall appoint all officers and employees of the Department in accordance with the provisions of the Civil Service Law and rules and regulations thereunder.
The Director of Public Works shall have charge of all engineering work of the City, unless consulting engineers are retained for such purpose. The Director of Public Works shall review all subdivision plans. The Director of Public Works shall be responsible for establishing street and sidewalk grades, and the planning and supervision of the construction of all sewer and water facilities.
The Director of Works shall have custody of all maps and surveys of the City. The Director of Public Works shall have general supervision and control of all work performed under any contract of the City within or upon any of the streets, highways, parks, or other public places unless consulting engineers are retained for such purposes. All public work performed pursuant to contract under the supervision or control of the Director of Public Works shall, before it is accepted, be certified by him or her to the effect that such work has been performed in a good and substantial manner, with the materials required, and of the quality and in the manner directed by the terms of such contract. The Director of Public Works shall file such certificate of completion with the City Comptroller.
The Director of Public Works shall be responsible for the supervision of the making of excavations in or under streets, highways, alleys, or other public places for ditches, trenches, tunnels, and vaults, the laying therein of water and sewer lines, wires, cables, and conduits, the erection of all poles in such streets, alleys, or other public places and the use thereof for such purposes. The Director of Public Works shall be responsible for the supervision of the back-filling of such excavations and the restoration to normal conditions of such streets, highways, alleys or other public places. The Director of Public Works shall issue permits for such purposes under such rules and regulations and at such fees as the City Council shall establish for the entry upon or into any street, highway, alley or other public places by any person, firm or corporation, for the purpose of construction or repair. No person, firm, or corporation shall enter upon or occupy such street, highway, alley or other such public place for any such purposes except at such times and in such manner as he or she shall prescribe. The Director of Public Works shall determine the manner and extent of posting of surety and the maintenance of proper signs and light in such permit area as will free the City of liability in the event of negligence on the part of the permittee.
The Director of Public Works shall recommend for adoption by the City Council such rules and regulations for the use and protection of the water and sewer systems of the City as he or she deems appropriate. Water and sewer laterals connecting any building with a public water or sewer main shall be installed, maintained and repaired by the owners or occupants of such buildings on their property and up to the connection where the City shall be responsible. The City shall be responsible for the maintenance and repair of such laterals and other devices from the main to the first joint outside the property line of abutting property in case of sewers and up to and including the curb box for water service. However, the abutting owner or occupant shall be responsible for any blockage or stoppage of a sewer lateral for its entire length.
The Director of Public Works shall have authority: to require the owners of property abutting upon, or adjacent to, a public street to construct, repair or bring to true grade any sidewalk in front, side or rear of any such property; any such sidewalk shall be of concrete and the specifications therefor shall be determined by the Director of Public Works and he or she shall have the authority to remove the snow and ice therefrom where the owner of any such property shall fail or neglect to remove snow or ice. Where the owner of any such property shall after due notice fail or neglect to construct, repair or bring any sidewalk to true grade, the Director of Public Works, with the approval of the City Manager, may have such sidewalk constructed, repaired, or brought to grade and costs therefor shall be chargeable to said owner. Where the Director of Public Works has performed such work, he or she shall certify the cost of same to the City Comptroller who shall present to the owner a bill for the expenses incurred thereby. If the owner shall fail to pay such bills, the City Comptroller shall add the amount thereof to the tax on the property, and the same shall be levied, enforced, and collected in the same manner, by the same proceedings, at the same time, with the same penalties, and having the same lien upon the property, as City taxes. In addition thereto, the City Council shall have the power to provide for penalties including fine and imprisonment for violation of this Section.
Water bills and penalties for non-payment for the sale of water to users both within the City and outside of the City shall be determined by the City Council. Such bills shall provide for a differential for consumers outside of the City and shall provide a fair return on the value of the property used over and above costs of operation and reserves. Such bills shall be just, reasonable, and compensatory and shall be uniform for all consumers in the same class, but different bill schedules may be applied to different classes of consumers as determined by the City Council. Bills within the City may be less but shall be no greater than for the same class of services outside the City.
A.
The maintenance of all City cemeteries presently in existence and those that hereafter may be established, whether within or without the corporate limits of the City, shall be under the care, management and control of the Division of Cemeteries.
B.
The Director of Public Works shall appoint a Superintendent of the Cemetery Division in the manner provided by this Article. The Superintendent of the Cemetery Division shall be under the immediate supervision of the Director of Public Works and shall supervise the care, maintenance and control of all City cemeteries.
C.
The City Comptroller, under the direction of the City Manager, shall be responsible for the custody of all cemetery trust funds, and shall have the authority to invest or reinvest the same in securities, legal for investment with the approval of the City Council of the amount and terms of such investment.
D.
The City Manager shall have the power and duty of providing or the carrying out of the existing cemetery trusts.
E.
The Director of Public Works shall be responsible and shall have the power to promulgate rules and regulations for carrying into effect or fully administering the operation of all City cemeteries, subject to the approval of the City Manager, except that the price or charges for services, cemetery lots or other purposes, shall be determined by the City Council.
F.
The City Manager shall execute all cemetery deeds upon the payment of the established price and shall not need the approval of the City Council prior to execution of the same.
The City may, with the approval of the City Council, take and hold, by gift, devise, bequest, lease, or otherwise, any real and personal property donated for the purpose of parks and cemeteries or for the establishment or maintenance thereon of objects of interest.