(A) All services rendered by the city are hereby consolidated into a single department to be known as “Utilities Department.”
(B) All employees of the city, with the exception of members of the Police and Fire Departments and the Library Board, shall be regarded as employees of the Utilities Department.
(C) The City Clerk shall keep records and allocate the time spent by the several employees of the Utilities Department to the end that the expenses of operation of each of the services are segregated for audit and bookkeeping purposes.
(D) The City Council from time to time may, if it chooses, designate and appoint a superintendent of the Utilities Department who, if appointed and designated, shall be known as the “Superintendent of Utilities.”
(E) The Commissioner of each department shall continue to be superintendent of that department to the end that all the Commissioners will cooperate in the efficient conduct of the Utilities Department under the overall supervision of the Mayor.
(F) This section is for the purpose of providing for the more efficient and economical conduct of the business of the city and is adopted pursuant to the provisions of ILCS Ch. 65, Act 5, § 4- 5-2 reading in part as follows:
The Council by ordinance . . . (3) may require an officer or employee to perform duties in 2 or more departments; and (4) may make such rules and regulations as may be necessary or proper for the efficient and economical conduct of the municipality.
(G) (1) To assist with the efficient management of municipal operations, there is hereby established the office of purchasing officer. The purchasing officer shall be appointed by the Mayor, subject to the approval of the City Council, with the term of such purchasing officer to end upon the expiration of the term of the appointing Mayor.
(2) Purchases in excess of $50 must be pre-approved by the purchasing officer and the commissioner of the affected department, prior to procurement. Purchases under $50 may be made/approved by the Utilities Superintendent and/or City Clerk, in coordination with the purchasing officer. Emergency purchases may be made as needed; however, in the event of such emergency purchases, the purchasing officer must be notified in an expeditious manner of the emergency, and the item to be purchased. All purchases must be made under the overall supervision of the Mayor, with the cooperation of the commissioner of the affected department, and the purchasing officer.
(Ord. 316, passed 10-15-73; Am. Ord. 702, passed 3-24-08)