Chapter 2-36
PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT

Sections:

Article I. Organization

2-36-010    Department created—Jurisdiction.

2-36-020    Office of superintendent created.

2-36-030    Superintendent—Powers and duties.

2-36-040    Office of assistant superintendent created—Powers and duties.

2-36-050    Building maintenance division.

2-36-060    Parking division.

2-36-070    Sanitation division.

2-36-080    Sewer division.

2-36-090    Street division.

2-36-100    Traffic engineer.

2-36-110    Vehicle maintenance division.

Article II. Functions of Department

2-36-120    Supervision and maintenance of public property.

2-36-130    Departmental accounts and records.

2-36-140    Annual estimate of repairs and improvements.

2-36-150    Pavement, curb and gutter repairs.

2-36-160    Encroachment control for highways.

2-36-170    Performance of work.

2-36-180    Sanitation inspectors.

2-36-190    Authority to establish routes for street sweeping and garbage removal.

2-36-200    Liens for work performed on private property.

Article I. Organization

2-36-010 Department created—Jurisdiction.

There is established an executive department of the city which shall be known as the public works department. The department shall include a superintendent, an assistant superintendent, division foremen, such divisions as are established by this code and such other personnel as may be provided for in the annual appropriation ordinance. The public works department shall have general jurisdiction over the maintenance and repair of all public buildings, streets, sewers, alleys, public parking lots owned or operated by the city as well as over all publicly owned vehicles. (Ord. 2910 § 1 (part), 1995)

2-36-020 Office of superintendent created.

There is created the office of superintendent of the public works department. The superintendent shall be appointed by the mayor by and with the advice and consent of the city council. (Ord. 2910 § 1 (part), 1995)

2-36-030 Superintendent—Powers and duties.

The superintendent of the department shall have general jurisdiction over the operation of the department. In addition to his general supervisory authority, the superintendent shall have the following specific powers and duties:

A.    Supervision of the improvement and maintenance of the public ways of the city and the lighting thereof;

B.    Supervision of the maintenance of traffic control signals and devices, where the city is required to maintain such devices;

C.    Supervision over the cleaning of all public ways and the removal of garbage, refuse and waste from both public and private property;

D.    Supervision over the maintenance and repair of all public parking lots owned or operated by the city;

E.    Supervision over the cleaning and maintenance of all public buildings owned by the city;

F.    Supervision over the repair and maintenance of all city vehicles and heavy equipment;

G.    Coordination with the city engineer of the plans for the widening, improvement or reconstruction of any public highway or street within the city;

H.    Supervision over the repair and maintenance of all city sewers, including developing a capital improvement plan for the sewer system;

I.    Such other and further duties as may be assigned to him from time to time by the mayor. (Ord. 2910 § 1 (part), 1995)

2-36-040 Office of assistant superintendent created—Powers and duties.

There is, created the office of assistant superintendent of the, public works department. The assistant superintendent of the department shall be appointed by the mayor upon the recommendation of the superintendent. The assistant superintendent shall have such duties as the superintendent may assign. The superintendent may establish administrative responsibilities for the assistant superintendent and change such responsibilities from time to time as the needs of the department may require. The superintendent may authorize the assistant superintendent to act in his place and stead in the event of his absence or illness. In addition to any other duties assigned by the superintendent the assistant superintendent shall have day to day supervision over the street division. (Ord. 2910 § 1 (part), 1995)

2-36-050 Building maintenance division.

There is established a division of the public works department which shall be known as the building maintenance division. The building maintenance division shall be supervised by a foreman of building maintenance who shall be appointed by the mayor upon the recommendation of the superintendent. The building maintenance division shall be responsible for the maintenance, repair and cleaning of all public buildings owned by the city, including but not limited to city hall, the police station, fire stations, water pumping stations and such other public buildings as the city may from time to time acquire. (Ord. 2910 § 1 (part), 1995)

2-36-060 Parking division.

There is established a division of the public works department which shall be known as the parking division. The parking division shall be supervised by a director of parking operations who shall be appointed by the mayor upon the recommendation of the superintendent. The parking division shall be responsible for the operation, maintenance, repair and cleaning of all public parking lots owned or operated by the city. (Ord. 2910 § 1 (part), 1995)

2-36-070 Sanitation division.

There is established a division of the public works department which shall be known as the sanitation division. The sanitation division shall be supervised by a sanitation foreman, who shall be appointed by the mayor upon the recommendation of the superintendent. The sanitation division shall be responsible for the collection of garbage, refuse, and debris. The sanitation division shall also have the authority, through its sanitation inspectors, to issue citations for the accumulation of garbage and debris in violation of the city code. (Ord. 2910 § 1 (part), 1995)

2-36-080 Sewer division.

There is established a division of the public works department which shall be known as the sewer division. The sewer division shall be supervised by a sewer foreman, who shall be appointed by the mayor upon the recommendation of the superintendent. The sewer division shall be responsible for the repair, maintenance and improvements to the sewer system. The sewer division shall not be responsible for the billing function for sewer usage by residents and businesses. The billing function for the sewer division shall be handled and supervised by the superintendent of the water department. (Ord. 2910 § 1 (part), 1995)

2-36-090 Street division.

There is established a division of the public works department which shall be known as the street division. The street division shall be supervised by either the superintendent or the assistant superintendent. The street division shall be responsible for the maintenance and repair of public streets, sidewalks, alleys and such other public ways as may be designated, including repair of traffic control devices and street lights. (Ord. 2910 § 1 (part), 1995)

2-36-100 Traffic engineer.

The city traffic engineer shall be appointed by the mayor with the advice and consent of the city council. The traffic engineer shall work in coordination with the superintendent of public works with respect to such matters as may be necessary. (Ord. 2910 § 1 (part), 1995)

2-36-110 Vehicle maintenance division.

There is established a division of the public works department which shall be known as the vehicle maintenance division. The vehicle maintenance division shall be supervised by a vehicle maintenance foreman appointed by the mayor upon the recommendation of the superintendent. The vehicle maintenance division shall be responsible for the repair and maintenance of all city owned vehicles and heavy equipment. (Ord. 2910 § 1 (part), 1995)

Article II. Functions of Department

2-36-120 Supervision and maintenance of public property.

It shall be the duty of the superintendent, subject to the ordinances of the city, to supervise and maintain public bridges, public ways and public buildings in the city. (Ord. 2910 § 1 (part), 1995)

2-36-130 Departmental accounts and records.

A.    It shall be the duty of the superintendent to cause the receipts and expenditures of the department to be kept in books of account in such manner as to show the same with entire accuracy and so that the same may be readily understood and investigated. The superintendent shall preserve on file vouchers of all the expenditures of the department. The books and records shall be at all times open to the examination of the comptroller, the mayor, or any member of the city council.

B.    In addition to the financial records described above, it shall also be the duty of the superintendent to maintain accurate books and records pertaining to the repair and maintenance of city owned vehicles and heavy equipment, plans for the construction of any public improvement in which the department participates, records pertaining to the repair of public buildings and other property and any inspection reports pertaining to the citations issued by the sanitation division. (Ord. 2910 § 1 (part), 1995)

2-36-140 Annual estimate of repairs and improvements.

The superintendent of public works shall, on or before the first day of April of each year, submit to the city comptroller a statement showing his estimates, as near as can be estimated, of the repairs and improvements to be paid for out of the general fund of the city and necessary to be undertaken by the city during the fiscal year to begin on May 1st, and of the sums required by the department to make such repairs and improvements, as near as can be estimated. The superintendent shall also make a statement as to any improvements which would be desirable, with the probable expense of such improvements, the nature of any contracts entered into which remain unfinished and the estimated amounts necessary to be appropriated in the ensuing fiscal year for their completion; and the amount of any unexpended balances and appropriations from that fiscal year. (Ord. 2910 § 1 (part), 1995)

2-36-150 Pavement, curb and gutter repairs.

The superintendent is authorized and empowered to repair all pavements, including curbs and gutters, when such funds are available for such purpose and to do all things necessary to provide that such public ways are made passable for public travel. (Ord. 2910 § 1 (part), 1995)

2-36-160 Encroachment control for highways.

The superintendent shall have the power and authority to remove or to compel the removal of any pillar, plaster, abutment, chamber, vault, projection, extension, overhanging spur, conduit, pipe, wire, pole, or any other structure, erection or property of any kind or character whatsoever, which lies in or extends outside the lot lines of private property and into the public ways or public places of the city, above, on or below the surface thereof, whenever the use of the space so occupied by any such object or thing is necessary, convenient or desirable in the construction of any roadway improvement. (Ord. 2910 § 1 (part), 1995)

2-36-170 Performance of work.

The superintendent shall be authorized to accept from other city departments orders for work required upon receipt of a proper requisition therefor, approved by the chief administrative officer or his designee. He may perform such work as may be necessary and the costs for such work shall be assessed against the appropriation for such department’s maintenance costs. (Ord. 2910 § 1 (part), 1995)

2-36-180 Sanitation inspectors.

The superintendent shall supervise such sanitation inspectors as may be provided to the department pursuant to the annual appropriation ordinance. Sanitation inspectors provided for under this code shall have the power and authority to issue citations for the violation of any city ordinance pertaining to garbage, refuse storage or removal. Such citations shall be prosecuted in accordance with the manner in which ordinance violations are customarily prosecuted. In the enforcement of such sanitation ordinances, the inspectors shall have the authority to enter upon private property where such a violation has been observed for purposes of inspecting the same and obtaining photographs of conditions at the site. (Ord. 2910 § 1 (part), 1995)

2-36-190 Authority to establish routes for street sweeping and garbage removal.

The superintendent is authorized and directed to establish mutes for street sweeping and garbage removal and to amend such routes from time to time as may, in his judgment, improve the efficiency of the operations of his department. The superintendent may also establish a schedule for extra garbage pickups of large or bulk items, special clean ups and establish such other programs as may be necessary. The superintendent shall also be authorized to keep the public informed of changes in routes, extra pick ups and special programs. Rates for such services shall be in accordance with the provisions of this code. To the extent that the code does not provide for such rates, the superintendent is authorized to promulgate rules and regulations covering the cost of such services. Such rules and regulations shall become effective upon their approval by the city council. (Ord. 2910 § 1 (part), 1995)

2-36-200 Liens for work performed on private property.

The department shall be authorized to perform, in accordance with state statute, such work upon private property to abate public nuisances, such as the cutting of high weeds, removal of garbage or debris and rat extermination. Notice shall first be given to the owner or owners of the property where the public nuisance exists. Upon failure of the owner to correct such deficiencies within ten days, the department may enter upon the land and abate such nuisance. Upon completion of the work, the department shall calculate the reasonable costs of abating the nuisance and forward a bill to the owners for the same. In addition, the department may, in accordance with state statute, request that the corporation counsel record a lien against the property for any such costs incurred, including attorneys fees, in connection with the abatement of the nuisance. Costs for work performed under this section shall be in accordance with the provisions of this code. To the extent that this code does not provide for a such costs, the superintendent may promulgate rules and regulations providing for a schedule of costs. Such rules and regulations shall become effective upon approval by the city council. (Ord. 2910 § 1 (part), 1995)