All legislative power shall be vested in the Council, except as otherwise provided by this Charter and the Constitution of Ohio. Without limitation of the foregoing, the Council shall have and possess the following powers:
(1) The power to levy taxes and incur debts subject to the limitations imposed thereon by this Charter.
(2) The power to adopt and to provide for the enforcement of local police, sanitary and other similar regulations as are not in conflict with general laws.
(3) The power to provide for the exercise of all powers of local self-government granted to the City by the Constitution of the State of Ohio in a manner not inconsistent with this Charter or the Constitution of the State of Ohio.
(4) The power to fix the number of officers and employees in the various offices, departments, divisions, bureaus, boards, and commissions of the City and to fix the rate of their compensation and hours of work, and to provide fringe benefits and other conditions of employment as deemed proper by the Council. This Section shall not be construed to prevent the City from conducting negotiations and establishing the compensation, hours of work, fringe benefits, and other terms and conditions of employment through collective bargaining agreements when those agreements have been approved by the Council.
(5) The power to require such bonds as in the opinion of the Council are necessary for the faithful discharge of the duties of any of the officers and employees of the City. The premium for said bonds shall be paid by the City.
(6) The power to create other offices, departments, divisions, bureaus, boards, and commissions, and the power to combine, change and abolish any office, department, division, bureau, board or commission established by Council. The power herein above expressed in this subsection shall be exercised by ordinance or resolution and upon the concurrence of two-thirds of the members of Council. The Council shall not abolish the offices established by this Charter unless specific authority to abolish the office is granted by this Charter.
(7) The Council shall have the power to establish, by ordinance or resolution, the rates of charges made of consumers of all municipal utilities and for services provided by the City.
(8) The Council may provide, without competitive bidding, for an annual or special independent audit of any or all municipal funds. Such audit may be in addition to an audit of any or all municipal funds. Such audit may be in addition to an audit by representatives of the State Auditor or other state official or agency as may be determined to be required under the Constitution of the State of Ohio.
(9) The Council, in addition to all other rights and powers granted to it under the general law, may by ordinance or resolution grant permission to any person, firm, corporation to construct and operate a public utility on, across, under or above any public street or ground within the City. It may prescribe in the ordinance or resolution the kind and quality of service or product to be furnished, the rate or rates to be charged therefor, and any other terms conducive to the public interest, provided that such grant of permission shall not extend beyond twenty-five years, however such grant may be amended or renewed in the manner and subject to the provisions established by this Charter for original grants. No consent of the owners of property abutting on any public street or ground shall be necessary to the effectiveness of any such grant, amendment or renewal. All such grants, amendments or renewals shall be made subject to the continuing right of the Council to provide reasonable regulations for adequacy of service and maintenance and the operation of such utilities with reference to such streets and public grounds, including the right to acquire such reconstruction, relocation or discontinuance of appliances, plant or equipment used in such street or public grounds as shall, in the opinion of Council, be necessary in the public interest.
(10) The power to acquire title to or interest in real property shall be vested in the Council, whether such property is acquired by: the exercise of the power of eminent domain, purchase, gift, lease, devise, bequest, in trust, or otherwise. The power to sell or otherwise convey, lease or grant interests in real property shall be vested in the Council. Such sale, conveyance, lease or grant shall be in the manner as provided by the ordinance or resolution authorizing the sale, conveyance, lease or grant. Title to all real property shall be taken in the name of the City.
(11) The power to approve the Mayor's appointments where so provided in this Charter. The Mayor's appointment shall be announced at a regular Council meeting and the Council's approval or disapproval shall be made at the next regular Council meeting.
(12) To exercise all other powers granted to the Council by this Charter and by the Constitution and laws of the State of Ohio.