The city, in order to more effectually promote and protect the public health and public welfare, hereby reserves unto itself the exclusive right to collect garbage from residences in the city, and the city council shall, at such times and for such period as in its judgment is to the best interests of the city, contract with any person for the collection of garbage, thereby contracting with it or them, as independent contractors, for such collection, fixing the sums of money or percentages to be paid to the garbage collector for such collection and the term of such contract or contracts.
(1964 Code, § 11-26)