(A) The control of the Department of Utilities shall be in the Board of Public Works and Safety. It shall have general supervisory powers over all municipal utilities owned by the city as set forth in I.C. 8-1.5-3-4 as long as the members of the Board consist of the Mayor and two Council members. If the Mayor appoints anybody other than a member of the Common Council, then the Department of Utilities shall be governed by a Utility Board consisting of the Mayor and all five members of the Common Council.
(B) The Department of Utilities shall consist of the following divisions and shall be supervised by the Superintendent of Utilities.
(1) Division of Electric shall construct, operate and maintain the electric transformer, distribution and metering system.
(2) Division of Water which shall construct, operate and maintain the city water distribution system including wells and the pumping, purifying, softening, and metering of the waste supplied.
(3) Division of Sanitary Sewer Maintenance which shall construct, operate and maintain the sanitary sewer collection system including pumps and metering and either contract for or provide treatment of the sewerage.
(4) Division of Street Lighting which shall construct, install, repair and maintain all street lighting and all facilities connected therewith.
(C) The Superintendent of Utilities shall be appointed by the Mayor. Before taking office, the Superintendent shall furnish a fidelity bond in the amount required by statute, conditioned upon the faithful performance of his or her duties with a corporation licensed to do business in the state as surety. Such bond shall be filed with the Clerk after being approved by the Common Council.
(1) The Superintendent shall have and exercise all powers and duties set out in this chapter. He or she shall be charged with the enforcement of all laws and ordinances relating to utilities owned by the city insofar as their enforcement is within the powers of the city.
(2) The Superintendent shall attend all meetings of the Board and the Common Council and shall keep them informed as to the affairs of the city and shall recommend to them such actions as may be necessary or expedient for the welfare of the city.
(3) The Superintendent shall hire and discharge all employees authorized by the Mayor and the Board to be hired, within such compensation as may be authorized by the Board. All employees shall perform their duties subject to the direction of the Superintendent or that of the superior to whom the Superintendent may assign such employee.
(4) All appointive offices of the Department of Public Utilities shall be filled by appointment by the Superintendent except where otherwise provided by law. The Superintendent shall report to the Board such appointments, or any removal from office, made by him or her as soon as possible after the appointment or removal.
(5) The Superintendent shall examine all proposed contracts affecting a utility to which the city may be a party. It shall be the duty of the Superintendent to see to it that all terms of any such contract to which the city is a party are fully performed by all parties thereto.
(6) The Superintendent shall be general purchasing agent of the Utilities, and except where specific provision to the contrary is made by law or by the Board, he shall make all purchases of supplies, materials and equipment in the manner prescribed by, and subject to, the limitations imposed by law.
(7) The Superintendent shall keep a current inventory showing all real and personal property of the city's utilities and its location and shall be responsible for the care and custody of all such property including equipment, buildings and all other property which is not by law assigned to some other officer or body for care and control.
(8) The Superintendent shall cause to be kept a complete set of deeds, maps and plats showing the location of all city utilities, and other municipal properties, all street and other public places, and all lots or parcels of land and easements owned by the city.
(9) The Utilities Director is responsible for the billing and collection of the utilities rates and charges, but he or she may delegate that authority. The Utilities Director may appoint those employees responsible for that billing and collection subject to the approval of the Utility Service Board.
(`94 Code, § 30.18) (Ord. 5-1992, passed 6-15-92; Am. Ord. 3-1999, passed 2- -99)
