The council shall have broad powers to delegate authority and to create any powers to carry out this authority. Such position of city administrator, city manager, or its equivalent, once created shall not be abolished without the approval of the people. This, however, does not limit the council’s power to dismiss that person with or without cause, expand or restrict any powers of the position, and set salary.
The council shall be the chief purchasing agent of the city. All city purchases and contracts shall be made in accordance with state statute by the council or another official so designated by the council on behalf of the city, when the dollar amount is not large enough to require competitive bidding.
In all cases involving the purchases of supplies, materials and equipment, or in cases involving construction work to be done by contract, or the purchase of personal property of any kind, where state statute requires competitive bidding, unless the council shall by an emergency ordinance otherwise provide, the city shall advertise for bids in such manner as may be designated by the council. Contracts entered into pursuant to such bids shall be let by the council only to the lowest responsible bidder. The council may, however, reject any and all bids. Nothing contained in this section shall prevent the council from contracting by a two-thirds vote for the doing of work with patented processes, or from the purchasing of patented appliances by the same majority. Subject to the provisions of this Charter, the council may by ordinance adopt further regulations for the making of bids and the letting of contracts.