Occasionally a purchase may be required on an emergency basis. Emergency action is authorized when and only when the health, safety or welfare of the people is actually in jeopardy. To authorize an emergency purchase requirements including, but not limited to, the requisition for purchase, the applicable bid requirement, approval by the applicable official or groups of officials with verification, preparation of the purchase order with certification, if applicable, must be satisfied. However, to expedite the approval by applicable groups of officials, the following steps may be taken:
(a) If Council is required to approve, a special meeting of Council shall be called. If such meeting is impractical, the Clerk-Treasurer or Fiscal Officer may poll all of the members who can be reached by telephone (by conference call, if possible) or e-mail and proceed if a majority of Council approves.
Approval or disapproval by a majority of Council, if required, shall be recorded by the Clerk-Treasurer or Fiscal Officer in the Council minutes. If a telephone poll was conducted to obtain the majority votes, those results shall be verified and recorded at the first regular Council meeting proceeding the poll. Such meetings shall be called (or such telephone or e-mail polls conducted) as soon as is reasonably possible, but if one is not called (or conducted) within three (3) days (excluding Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays), the applicable official may proceed as if a majority of the committee or Council had approved. For the purpose of this section, the Mayor or any member of the appropriate committee of Council shall have the power to call a committee meeting, if required, and the Mayor or any three (3) members of Council shall have the power to call a special meeting of Council, if required. In either instance, if the Mayor calls the meeting, (s)he shall cause to be delivered written notice of that meeting to the residence of each committee member or member of Council. Failure to obtain a quorum, after diligent effort to do so, shall have the same effect as failure to call a meeting.
(Ord. 2014-12. Passed 10-14-14.)