The powers and duties of the Administrator shall be to:
(A) Devote all of his or her working time and attention to the affairs of the city, and be responsible to the City Council for the efficient administration of its affairs;
(B) See that all laws and ordinances are enforced;
(C) Recommend to the City Council the appointment or removal of the heads of departments and shall have the responsibility of hiring or removing, directly or through other department heads, other city employees with the exception of law enforcement officers;
(D) Exercise supervision and control over departments created by the Council or that may be created by the Council, as the Council may direct;
(E) Attend all meetings of the Council with the right to take part in the discussion, but having no vote;
(F) See that all terms and conditions imposed in favor of the city and its inhabitants in any public utility franchise are faithfully kept and performed and upon knowledge of any violation of such franchise to call the violation to the attention of the Council;
(G) Act as Budget Officer and as such to prepare and submit to the Council, prior to the beginning of each fiscal year, a budget of proposed expenditures for the ensuing year, showing in as much detail as practicable the estimated amounts required by months for the efficient operation of each department of the city government and the reasons for such estimated expenditures;
(H) Make and file a budget as required by state law;
(I) Make a full written report to the Council as soon after the close of each month’s accounts as possible, showing the operation and expenditures of each department for the preceding month, and a comparison of such monthly expenditures, by departments, with the monthly allowances made for such departments in the annual budget, and to keep the Council fully advised at all times as to the financial condition and needs of the city;
(J) (1) Act as purchasing agent for the city and to purchase all merchandise, material and supplies needed by the city; and may establish, if needed, a suitable storehouse where such supplies shall be kept and from which same shall be issued as needed; and adopt such rules and regulations governing requisitions and transactions of business between himself and herself as purchasing agent and the heads of the departments, officers and employees of the city as the Council may approve;
(2) As purchasing agent, give opportunity for competition on purchases and sales, except when the nature of the purchase or sale is such that competition is impossible or impracticable;
(3) All purchases in excess of $15,000, except of real estate, or rights or easements in real estate, shall be by contract to the lowest responsible bidder; and all sales in excess of $500, except of real estate or rights or easements in real estate, shall be made to the highest bidder after public notice and the receipt of sealed bids unless the Council, by ordinance, determines that it is impossible or impracticable to purchase or sell in such a manner, or unless the state law specifies otherwise;
(4) All sealed bids received shall be opened in public and, thereafter, shall be subject to public inspection. The Council may reject all bids and require advertisement for new bids;
(5) The purchasing agent may require successful bidders to furnish security conditioned upon the faithful performance of their contracts or conditioned upon the payment of the wages and compensation of all laborers employed on work for which the contract is made by the contractor, subcontractor, agent or any other person, or condition of both; and
(6) The purchasing agent shall not let any contract for periods exceeding one year for street lighting, public improvement, labor or supplies without the approval of the Council.
(K) In case of accident or other circumstances creating an emergency, the Administrator may, with the consent of the Council, award contracts and make purchases for the purpose of repairing damages caused by accident or avoiding a public emergency; but immediately afterwards, he or she shall file with the Mayor a certificate showing such emergency and the necessity of such action, together with an itemized account of all expenditures;
(L) Recommend/submit to the Council the salaries to be paid each appointive officer and subordinate employee of the city; and it shall be the duty of the Council to fix such rates of compensation;
(M) Recommend to the Council, in writing, for adoption, such measures as he or she may deem necessary or expedient; and
(N) Do and perform such other duties as may be prescribed by ordinance or resolution of the Council.
(2012 Code, § 2-125)
Statutory reference:
Municipal budget, see Tex. Local Government Code Ch. 102
Purchasing and contracting authority of municipalities, see Tex. Local Government Code Ch. 252