(A) When an emergency requires immediate purchase of supplies and equipment, the department concerned shall, after approval by the City Manager, or acting City Manager, or in the event of his or her absence or unavailability, the Finance Director, or, in the case of the absence of both, on its own authority, immediately deliver a purchase order to the City Manager's office, which will expedite verification of funds available and complete the preparation of the purchase order, returning the vendor's copy to the ordering department "on the spot" to enable an immediate purchase.
(B) If, at the time of the emergency, the Purchasing Officer is unavailable, the department head, having obtained prior approval in accordance with the provisions of divisions (A) above, may order immediately the needed commodity from the nearest available source. As soon as possible thereafter, the department head shall submit to the Purchasing Officer a requisition having the approval of the City Manager and a notation that the commodity has been ordered on an emergency basis from the vendor designated.
(C) For purposes of this section, an emergency shall be deemed to exist only if:
(1) There is great public calamity; or
(2) There is an immediate need to prepare for national or local defense; or
(3) There is a breakdown in machinery or essential service which requires the immediate purchase of supplies or equipment to protect the public health, welfare, or safety; or
(4) An essential departmental operation affecting the public health, welfare, or safety would be greatly hampered if the prescribed purchasing procedure would cause an undue delay in the procurement of the needed item.
('65 Code, § 2-7.11) (Ord. 448-C.S., passed 4-18-95; Am. Ord. 656, passed 9-17-19; Am. Ord. 657, passed 11-5-19)