(A) Establishment. There is hereby established as a Department of the municipal government of the City a Public Affairs Department, which shall manage and effectuate the duties and functions assigned to it by statute and ordinance, including but not limited to the following duties and functions: City Clerk; Finance; Legal Services; Personnel; Human Relations; and Information Technology. The Mayor shall be the Executive Officer of the Public Affairs Department, and shall inform the City Council as to the business and operations of the Department from time to time. The management and control of the Public Affairs Department is reflected on the organizational chart for such department hereby adopted.
(B) Subordinate divisions. The following subordinate divisions or functions of the Public Affairs Department are hereby established:
(1) Office of City Clerk.
(a) City Clerk. The City Clerk shall perform the duties and functions of that office as provided by statute and ordinance, including:
1. Preserve and maintain all official permanent records for the City, including such documents as ordinances, resolutions, contracts and other documents pertaining to the administration of the City of Danville;
2. Is the keeper of the City Seal which is affixed to all official documents after the City Clerk certifies and attests to official signatures;
3. Attend all Council and Oversight Committee meetings and record, maintain, and preserve the Minutes of each;
4. Is the Freedom of Information Officer for the City;
5. Issue business licenses and various permits for the City, including bulk sales licenses under the "Fraudulent Sales Act" (815 ILCS 350);
6. Administer Oaths and Affirmations upon all lawful occasions;
7. Is appointed by the Mayor to serve as a Trustee on the Fire Pension Board and the Police Pension Board;
8. Is authorized to appoint one Deputy Clerk, with the concurrence of the City Council, who shall be a City employee.
(b) Deputy Clerk. The Deputy Clerk shall perform the duties and functions as provided by statute and ordinance to execute all documents required by law to be executed by the City Clerk; to affix the seal of the Clerk thereto wherever required, in the absence of the City Clerk.
(2) Finance Division. The Finance Division shall be managed by the City Comptroller.
(a) The City Comptroller shall be the fiscal agent of the City and perform the duties and functions provided by law, statute or any ordinance of the City, including but not limited to the control, management and supervision of all fiscal affairs of the City; collection and posting of all revenues and other money due the City; payment of all expenditures; preparation of the budget and tax levy; auditing of City funds and accounts; and such other duties and responsibilities as assigned by the Mayor, with the inclusion of the following:
1. At the first meeting of the City Council every month, submit to the City Council in writing a report of all financial transactions of the City for the preceding calendar month.
2. Revise and audit all reports of a financial nature made by any officer of the City and receive all accounts and demands against the City; examine them in detail, audit them, and file and number in order those which are found to be correct, and report the same to the City Council.
3. When claims are allowed by the City Council, the Comptroller shall countersign the warrant drawn on the Treasurer, as those warrants shall be signed by the Mayor, and specify the particular fund or appropriation to which it is chargeable and the person to whom payable. No money shall be paid except on these warrants. No warrant shall be drawn on the Treasurer of the City in favor of any person for any goods or material furnished to the City, or work done unless the claimant subscribes and makes oath to a claim before presentation to the Comptroller that the claim is just, due and unpaid, and that all deductions, offsets, and credits have been allowed; provided each item of a payroll need not be verified by the payee, but the officer making out the same shall certify to its correctness before presentation to the Comptroller. If in doubt concerning the correctness of any account or demand, register the account or demand in a separate list and return it to the City Council with the objections. If the account or demand is allowed, the Comptroller shall countersign the warrant.
4. Whenever any fund is exhausted, without delay, the Comptroller shall notify the City Council, and shall not countersign any warrant against the fund.
5. Transfer to the general fund all unexpended balances of the former year which remain at the time each year goes into effect; provided no transfer shall be made of any trust fund or any fund arising from special assessment or special taxation, nor where the fund is provided for by a special tax, nor where contracts have been made or liabilities incurred on an account and remains uncompleted or is unpaid.
6. Be presented all payrolls at least one day before the session of the Council at which they are to be presented, in order that he may have sufficient time to ascertain their correctness.
(b) The City Comptroller shall be ex officio City Collector and shall perform all the duties imposed by law and the City ordinances on the City Collector. With any compensation collected by the Comptroller in the capacity as City Collector, shall turn over to the City Treasurer and credit to the general fund of the City.
(c) The City Comptroller shall be the purchasing agent of the City to ensure all supplies and materials purchased by the City are obtained at reasonable prices, and if necessary, be authorized to advertise for competitive bids for supplies or materials to be used by the City in its various departments; and ensure that all bills incurred for labor, repairs, or improvements of the equipment or buildings belonging to the City are reasonable charges for the services rendered.
(3) Legal Services Division. The Legal Services Division shall be headed and managed by the Corporation Counsel and shall consist of the Corporation Counsel and such assistants as may be authorized by the Mayor, and the environmental code enforcement staff.
(a) The duties and responsibilities of the Corporation Counsel shall be as follows:
1. Manage the Legal Services Division and staff;
2. Attend any meetings of the City Council when his presence is necessary or advisable;
3. Supervise the drafting of all ordinances;
4. Furnish opinions to the City Council and the officers of the City, either orally or in writing, on any legal question concerning the rights, duties or liabilities of the City or its officers;
5. Advise the elected and appointed officers of the City with reference to their duties;
6. Supervise the drawing of all contracts and bonds;
7. Prosecute and defend all suits for or against the City, except suits the defense of which is provided by any insurer;
8. Advise the City Clerk on licensing issues and prosecute license suspension and revocation charges;
9. Prosecute all ordinance violation cases, including demolition, housing and building code cases;
10. Represent the City in all collection cases seeking to collect debts or delinquent accounts owed to the City;
11. Prosecute disciplinary charges filed with the Board of Fire and Police Commissioners;
12. Advise the Human Relations Administrator and Human Relations Commission concerning all complaints filed under the Human Relations Ordinance;
13. Conduct all the ordinary legal affairs of the City; and
14. Perform other professional services as assigned by the Mayor.
(b) In matters which the Mayor or City Council deems advisable because of the extra amount of work required or the nature of the matter or proceedings, the Corporation Counsel may be provided with legal assistance at the expense of the City.
(4) (Reserved)
(5) Information Technology Division. The Information Technology Division shall be managed by the Information Technology Administrator. The functions of computer technology for all divisions, audio and visual design and production, web maintenance, and public information shall be performed by the information technology division. The Information Technology Division will also include the city’s Geographic Information System (GIS). Staff shall develop and maintain GIS for the use of the various divisions of the city. The Information Technology Administrator shall perform such other duties and responsibilities as assigned by the Mayor or by ordinance.
(6) Human Relations Division. The Human Relations Division shall be managed by the Human Relations Administrator. The Human Relations Administrator shall perform the duties and functions of that office as provided by statute and ordinance. The Administrator shall serve as the Director of the Human Relations Commission as provided for in Chapter 95.
(Ord. 8643, passed 3-3-09; Am. Ord. 8875, passed 4-2-13; Am. Ord. 9140, passed 3-6-18)