15-1407. Department commissioners; powers and duties. The mayor shall be, ex officio, the commissioner of the police and fire departments, and shall have under his or her special charge, and be responsible for, the enforcement of all city ordinances and police regulations of such city, and have general supervision over the fire department, shall have under his or her special charge the public parks and all property of such city, and shall have supervision over the health department of such city, and shall in conjunction with the commissioner of streets keep the streets, alleys and public grounds of such city in a sanitary condition, and shall enforce all rules and regulations necessary to this end and shall protect the health of the inhabitants of such city.

The board of commissioners shall, by a majority vote of all members thereof, designate from among their number one commissioner, who shall be known as "commissioner of finance, revenue, and waterworks," and lighting plant owned by said city, who shall have under his or her special charge the preparation of an annual budget, and the levy of taxes and the collection of all revenues belonging to such city, from whatever source the same may be derived, and the management of the finances of such city, and the construction, maintenance and operation of any waterworks owned by any such city; and one commissioner, who shall be known as "commissioner of streets, alleys and public improvements," who shall have under his or her special care the supervision of streets and alleys, and the repair, construction and maintenance of sidewalks, bridges, and sewers, and all other public improvements not herein otherwise provided for and shall have general supervision over the engineering department of such city, and the commissioner shall also see that all contracts for public improvements under his or her supervision are faithfully complied with, and that the conditions of all permits to excavate in the streets and alleys of the city and the grant of any franchise or privilege are faithfully performed.

Said board of commissioners so constituted shall have control and supervision over all the departments of such city and to that end shall have power to make and enforce such rules and regulations as they may deem fit and proper for and concerning the organization, management and operation of all the departments of such city, and whatever agencies may be created for the administration of its affairs.

In case at any time the duties of any of said commissioners shall be found to be excessive, said board of commissioners, by a majority vote of all the members thereof, may relieve said commissioner by assigning to some other member of said board, for a time to be by them determined, a portion of the work assigned by this act to said commissioner; and said board may from time to time assign such further duties to each of said commissioners as shall be for the best interests of such city.

History: L. 1913, ch. 128, § 13; March 19; R.S. 1923, § 15-1407.