No contract shall be made by the Council or by any committee or member thereof, and no expense shall be incurred by any of the officers or departments of the city, whether the object of the expenditure has been ordered by the Council or not, unless an appropriation has been previously made concerning that contract or expense. Any contract made, or any expense otherwise incurred, in violation of the provisions of this section shall be null and void as to the city, and no money belonging thereto shall be paid on account thereof. However, pending the passage of the annual appropriation ordinance for any fiscal year, the Council may authorize heads of departments or other separate agencies of the city to make necessary expenditures for the support thereof upon the basis of the appropriations of the preceding fiscal year. However, if it is determined by two-thirds vote of the Council at a regularly scheduled meeting of the Council that it is expedient and in the best public interest to begin proceedings for the construction of a needed public work, then the provisions of this section shall not apply to the extent that the Council may employ or contract for professional services necessary for the planning and financing of such public work.
(Ord. 2011-5318, passed 4-5-2011)