All legislative powers, rights and duties of the City shall be vested in the City Council, except as otherwise provided in the Charter or the Constitution of the State of Ohio. Without limitation of the foregoing, the Council shall have and possess the following powers:
A. Taxes and Debts. The power to levy taxes and incur debts, subject to the limitation imposed thereon by this Charter or the Constitution of the State of Ohio.
B. Local Regulations. The power to adopt and to provide for the enforcement, including penalties, of local police, sanitary and other similar regulations as are not in conflict with the general laws of the State.
C. Departments, Divisions, Boards and Commissions. In addition to the departments, divisions, Boards, Commissions and Committees required under this Charter, the Council shall have the power to create and define the duties, responsibilities and authorities of other offices, departments, divisions, Boards, Commissions and Committees of the City as the Council deems necessary, and the power to combine, change, alter or abolish any office, department, division, board, commission, or committee so created by the Council.
D. Personnel. The power to fix the number of employees in the various offices, departments, and divisions of the City administration and to fix the rate of their compensation, hours of work and to provide such other fringe benefits as deemed proper by the Council. The Council shall also have the power to require such bonds as, in the opinion of the Council, are necessary for the faithful discharge of the duties of the officers and employees of the City. The premium for such bonds shall be paid by the City.
E. Municipal Utilities. The power to establish municipal utilities and to set the rates charged for use of such utilities and services.
F. Franchises. The Council, in addition to all other rights and powers granted to it under the general laws of the State, may grant permission to any person, firm or corporation to construct and operate a public utility on, across, under or above any public street or public ground within the City. The Council may prescribe 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 (25) years, but such grant may be amended or renewed. All such grants, amendments or renewals shall be made subject to the continuing right of the Council to provide reasonable regulations for the adequacy of service and the maintenance and operation of such utilities with reference to such streets and public grounds, including the right to require reconstruction, relocation or discontinuance of appliances, materials or equipment used by the franchisee in, on, across or under such streets and public grounds as is, in the discretion of the Council, necessary for the public interest.
G. Real Property.
(1) The power to acquire title to, or interests in, real property, whether such property is acquired by the exercise of the power of eminent domain, purchase, gift, lease, devise, bequest, in trust or otherwise.
(2) The power to sell, convey, lease, or grant the use of real property owned by the City, or any rights therein, shall also be vested in the Council. Such sale, conveyance, lease or grant of use shall be made only upon a determination by Council, by resolution, that such property is not needed for any municipal purpose or, in those cases in which real estate is offered only for lease or use for a term, that it will not be needed for municipal purposes during the term of the proposed lease or use or that such proposed lease or use will not interfere with the property’s use for municipal purposes. Any sale, conveyance, or lease shall be made only by negotiation, informal competition, or formal bidding, as prescribed by Council in the resolution authorizing the method of sale, conveyance, lease, or grant. The sale, conveyance, lease or grant of use of real property owned by the City, or any rights therein, shall be effective only upon the adoption of an ordinance by Council, approved by the affirmative vote of at least four (4) members of the Council.
H. Personal Property.
(1) Council shall, by ordinance, prescribe rules and regulations for the disposal of personal property belonging to the City that is no longer needed for any municipal purposes or which is obsolete or unfit for the use for which it was acquired. Such rules and regulations shall set forth procedures and policies for the sale or disposal of such personal property, including when such sale shall be by competitive bid, by auction, by internet auction, by trade-in, or by such other methods as the ordinance may prescribe. In addition, the rules and regulations shall include a dollar amount for the estimated value of such personal property, which amount shall not be less than five thousand dollars ($5,000), at which Council approval, by resolution, is required before sale or disposal.
(2) Notwithstanding the foregoing and regardless of the property’s value, the Council may, by resolution, authorize the sale of personal property owned by the City that is not needed for any municipal purpose to the United States, the State of Ohio, to any subdivision or agent of the United States or the State of Ohio, or to any nonprofit corporation organized for a public or charitable purpose, upon such terms as may be deemed proper by Council.
I. Rules of Council. The power to adopt Rules of Council to govern the order of all meetings, to set forth the Council’s duties and privileges and establish its rules of order, investigations, and other such related items; provided, however, that such rules shall not be in conflict with the provisions of this Charter. In the absence of adopting its own Rules of Council, Robert’s Rules of Order shall be followed by the Council. In addition, the Council shall have the power to establish rules of conduct for its members beyond those specified in this Charter and may provide such sanctions for violations of such rules as the Council deems appropriate.
J. All Other Powers. Council shall have and shall exercise all other powers granted to it, as the legislative authority of the City, by the Constitution of the State of Ohio, this Charter, and the general laws of the State. There is hereby expressly reserved to the Council any residual home rule powers not expressed directly in this Charter.