The Council shall, upon receipt of the annual capital improvements budget from the Mayor, schedule one (1) or more public hearings on the contents of said budget. The Council may, however, schedule such hearings on the annual capital improvements budget concurrently with those scheduled to hear testimony on the annual operating budget. Notice of hearings shall be published in a newspaper of general circulation in the territory of the Merged Government at least seven (7) days prior to the date set for such hearings.
The Council may delete projects from the annual capital improvements budget as submitted to it by the Mayor, but shall not otherwise amend said budget until it has requested in writing the recommendations of the Mayor and the Chief Administrative Officer concerning any proposed amendment the Council intends to make. The Council may specify a time limit of not less than five (5) days within which the Mayor and the Chief Administrative Officer may provide written recommendations. The Council shall not be bound by such written recommendations, and may act without them if they are not received within the time limit specified by the Council.
Adoption of the annual capital improvements budget by the Council shall be in the form of an annual capital improvements ordinance which shall specify the capital improvements to be made during the next fiscal year and the contents of the capital improvements program planned for the next five (5) fiscal years. Said ordinance shall be adopted by the Council and forwarded to the Mayor not later than the fifteenth day of June each year. Final action on the annual capital improvements ordinance, including Council action on any veto by the Mayor, shall be completed by the thirtieth day of June each year.
All appropriations for capital improvements expenditures for the next fiscal year shall be included in the annual operating appropriations ordinance. Said appropriations by the Council shall be in conformity with that part of the annual capital improvements program applicable to the next fiscal year; and shall be consistent with the descriptions of proposed expenditures, sources of revenue and type of capital improvements to be made during that fiscal year as set forth in the annual capital improvements ordinance.