All purchases and all contracts shall be made by the Manager. No purchase or contract shall be made unless funds therefor have been appropriated and are available or in the process of collection; a statement to this effect signed by the Manager shall accompany each purchase order and each contract. General law regarding appropriation and availability of funds shall govern as to contracts running beyond the fiscal year in which they were made, contracts payable from utility earnings, and contracts to be paid in whole or in part by special assessments for improvements.
General law shall govern the limit of expenditure with respect to a purchase or contract at which specific authorization or approval by Council is required.
Except as hereinafter provided, no purchase or contract shall be made except after one (1) advertisement in a newspaper of general circulation in the City at least ten (10) days prior to the final day for receipt of sealed bids to be received and opened by the Manager at a time and place stated in the advertisement. Council shall authorize acceptance of the bid made by the responsible bidder who in Council's judgment offers the best and most responsive proposal to the City, considering quality, service, performance record, and price; or Council may direct the rejection of all bids. The advertisement and bidding procedure set forth herein is not required on contracts for expert or professional services, contracts with or purchases from other governmental units, purchases made through the State of Ohio Cooperative Purchasing Agreement, and purchases or contracts where the expenditure does not exceed the limit at which provisions of general law require advertisement and competitive bidding.
No contract shall be made for a term longer than five (5) years, except that franchises for public utility services and contracts with other governmental units for service to be received or given, may be made for any period no longer than twenty (20) years. No contract for longer than two (2) years shall be made unless authorized by a resolution passed by the affirmative vote of five (5) members of Council.
Purchases may be made simultaneously with purchases by other governmental bodies and in cooperation with their offices.
The requirements for advertisement and competitive bidding and for authorization by Council may be waived in case of emergency, provided the Manager secures approval of Council in any situation where a meeting of Council is to be held in time to deal with the emergency or, in the absence of such a meeting, the Manager secures approval of four (4) members of Council. Emergency is a situation making it imperative that there be immediate action to maintain necessary operation of the City government or to preserve the public peace, health, safety, morals or welfare.
Notwithstanding any provision of general law, contractors and vendors shall not be entitled to receive interest on funds temporarily retained on a contract pending final acceptance of work performed or goods supplied, nor shall the City be required to maintain a separate escrow account from which to pay any contractor or vendor.
Real and personal property may be sold as provided by ordinance. Real and personal property may be traded simultaneously with purchase of real and personal property and the sale price of the unneeded real and personal property may be credited on the price of the property being purchased.