Sec. 5-400. - Functions of department generally.

The department of public works shall have the power and its duty shall be to perform the following functions:

(a)

City streets, etc., generally. It shall itself, or by contract, design, construct, repair and maintain city streets, which shall include highways, roads, streets, alleys, footways, bridges, tunnels, overpasses and underpasses, including approaches and viaducts, owned, controlled or operated by the city or designated in accordance with the law as streets of the city;

(b)

Lighting of streets. The department shall itself, or by contract, locate, design, install, repair, maintain and operate equipment for lighting city streets and for that purpose supply electric current and gas to such equipment.

(c)

Sanitation. The department shall itself, or when specifically authorized by the council, by contract, clean and sand city streets; remove and dispose of ashes, garbage and refuse; remove and dispose of ice and snow from city streets; design, construct, repair, maintain and operate incinerators or other plants or equipment for the disposition of ashes, garbage and refuse; and administer and enforce statutes, ordinances and regulations for maintaining the cleanliness of city streets.

(d)

Traffic engineering, regulation, etc. The department shall make such regulations governing traffic and parking on city streets as shall be authorized by statute or ordinance; establish and determine the type and location of any and all signs, signals, markings and devices for regulating and controlling vehicular and pedestrian traffic as shall be authorized by and not inconsistent with statute or ordinance; install, repair, maintain and operate them; collect and compile traffic data; prepare engineering studies and surveys in regard to vehicular and pedestrian traffic; prepare analyses of traffic accidents for determining their causes and means for their prevention; and institute and conduct an educational and public information program for the purpose of promoting the safety and unimpeded movement of vehicular and pedestrian traffic.

(e)

Surveys, lines and grades, maps and plans. The department shall perform all surveying functions of the city. It shall furnish lines and grades of all kinds, prepare all maps, plans and other land records, and prepare and furnish descriptions of real property, based on surveys which it makes.

(f)

Sewage and sewage disposal. The department shall itself operate, or by contract, maintain, repair and improve the city's sewage system and sewage disposal plants. When authorized by the council, it shall acquire, design and construct additional sewage disposal plants and sewage facilities.

(g)

Water system and supply. It shall operate the city's water supply system, and shall either itself, or by contract, construct, maintain, repair and improve city water supply facilities, including fire and drinking hydrants and water meters. It shall make investigations and prepare plans and estimates looking towards the acquisition by the city of new and better sources of water supply, and shall, with the approval of the administrative assistant, make its recommendations to the mayor for transmission to the council. It shall also investigate and adopt methods for improving the quality of the water supply.

(h)

Maintenance, etc., [of] buildings and other real property. The department shall itself, or by contract, maintain and repair all city buildings and grounds, except that with the approval of the administrative assistant any department, board or commission may perform such services itself as to any building and grounds which are under its exclusive control. Except for such space as shall in the judgment of the president of the council and the mayor be required for the accommodation of the council and its members, which shall be assigned as provided in the rules of the council, the department shall assign to the courts and the judges thereof, courtrooms, offices and other rooms, and to the officers, commissions and other governmental agencies supported out of the city treasury, and to the mayor and other officers of the city, and all departments, boards and commissions thereof, suitable quarters in buildings owned or leased by the city.

(i)

Construction design and supervision. Whenever the city shall have been authorized by ordinance or otherwise to erect a new building or to remodel or alter an existing building, the department shall when necessary employ a suitable architect, and also when necessary an engineer, to design the same. When the plans have been approved by the mayor and the director of planning and development, the department shall cause appropriate specifications to be prepared which shall be submitted to the mayor and director of planning and development for approval. In the preparation of plans and specifications, the department shall consult with the department, board or commission of the city or other governmental agency for whose use the building is being remodeled, altered or constructed. After a contract has been awarded, the department shall supervise through its own engineers or otherwise, the remodeling, alteration or erection of the building under the contract.

(j)

Maintenance and assignment of automobiles and other vehicles. The department shall maintain and repair or supervise the maintenance and repair of all automobiles and other vehicles owned by the city and assign, upon proper requisition, to any officer, department, board or commission of the city the use of such automobiles and other vehicles as may be required.

Sec. 5-401. - Street openings and excavations.

The department of public works shall determine the location, time, method and manner of making any opening or excavation in any city street, of installing any underground street structure, and of any repaving required because of such openings, excavations, or installations.

Sec. 5-402. - Power to condemn.

The department shall, whenever authorized by ordinance, purchase, condemn in the manner provided by law, lease or otherwise acquire such grounds, buildings and building accommodations, structures and facilities as may be required by the city.

Sec. 5-403. - Water and sewer rates and charges.

In accordance with such standards as the council may from time to time ordain, the department shall fix and regulate rates and charges for supplying water, including charges to be made in connection with water meters, and for supplying sewage disposal services. The standards pursuant to which rates and charges shall be fixed by the department shall be such as to yield to the city at least an amount equal to operating expenses and interest and sinking fund charges on any debt incurred or about to be incurred for water supply, sewage and sewage disposal purposes. In computing operating expenses, there shall be included proportionate charges for all services performed for the department by all officers, departments, boards or commissions of the city.

Sec. 5-404. - Water and sewer users outside the city.

When authorized by the council, the department may enter into contracts for supplying the services of city water and sewer and sewage disposal facilities to users outside the limits of the city.

Sec. 5-405. - [Performance of services by] authority or private operator.

This chapter shall not be construed to prevent the city from creating an authority under any applicable statute or from contracting with a private operator to perform any or all of the operations and to render any or all of the services provided for herein and from contracting with any such authority or private operator to supply such services to the city.