The City Manager may reject all bids for any contract or purchase under five hundred dollars ($500.00) or for any one or more commodities included in such bid when the public interest shall be served thereby, in which event he shall report such action to the next meeting of Council. If all bids so rejected are for the same unit price or total amount, or if the public interest will not permit the delay of soliciting or readvertising for bids, the City Manager shall have authority to purchase the required supplies, materials, equipment or contractual services in the open market, provided the price paid in the open market shall not exceed the lowest bid price.
(1961 Code Sec. 173.07)