Department of Finance

Section 5.1. Director - Appointment; qualifications

The director of the department of finance shall be, or be appointed by, the city manager. He shall have knowledge of municipal accounting and taxation and shall have had experience in budgeting and financial control.

Section 5.2. Same - Powers and duties

The director of finance shall have charge of the administration of the fiscal affairs of the city and to that end he shall have authority and shall be required to:

(1) Keep books of account of the receipts and expenditures of all departments.

(2) Keep accurate detailed accounts of:

(a) All taxes assessed by the city and all money due to the city from any and every source.

(b) Moneys received and the several sources from which derived.

(c) All funds of the city and disbursements made therefrom and all obligations incurred.

(3) Prescribe the method of keeping accounts for all departments and offices of the city, which method shall be uniform as nearly as practicable and conform to the laws of the state.

(4) Examine and audit all accounts and claims against the city except claims for unliquidated damages. He shall not issue or sign any draft, check or warrant until he shall have verified the correctness of the account for which the same is issued; neither shall he allow the payment of any account unless the money shall have been appropriated therefor, nor shall he issue or sign any draft, check or warrant for any account against the city unless sufficient money is in the fund on which it is drawn.

(5) Balance the books of account of all departments of the city each calendar month under the direction of the city manager, who shall make monthly and quarterly public financial statements to the council.
(6) Present to the council annually, and whenever required by the council, a detailed statement of the financial condition of the city, which shall include all receipts and expenditures of the various departments; a detailed statement of the debt of the city, and the purpose for which it was incurred; and an inventory of all real estate, personal property, supplies, and equipment of the city, with both their cost and estimated current value.

(7) Serve as city treasurer and have custody of all public funds belonging to or under the control of the city, or any office, department, or agency of the city government; deposit all funds coming into his hands in such depositories as may be designated by resolution of the council, or, if no such resolution be adopted, in such depositories as may be designated by the city manager, subject to the requirements of law as to surety and the payment of interest on deposits.

(8) Have custody of all investments and invested funds of city government, or in possession of such government in a fiduciary capacity; have the safekeeping of all bonds, notes or other evidences of indebtedness of the city, and be responsible for the receipt and delivery of the same for transfer, registration or exchange.

(9) Have supervision and direction of the collection of all moneys due the city from any other source whatsoever unless otherwise provided by this Charter. All moneys due the city collected by any other officers or employees of the city shall be promptly accounted for and paid into the city treasury.

(10) As director of finance and as city treasurer, perform such additional duties not herein specifically set out as may be required of him by this Charter, by law, by ordinance or by the city manager.

(11) Be responsible for the approval of all proposed expenditures; and unless he shall certify that there is an unencumbered balance of appropriated and available funds, no appropriation shall be encumbered and no expenditure shall be made.

(12) Collect all taxes, special assessments, license fees and other revenues of the city or for whose collection the city is responsible, and receive all money receivable by the city from the state or federalgovernment, or from any court, or from any office, department or agency of the city, or from any source whatsoever.

(13) He shall assess, or cause to be assessed, on a just and equitable basis, and as provided by law, all taxable property in such manner and within such time as the council may prescribe.

Section 5.3. Division of purchases

There shall be established in the department of finance a division of purchases, the head of which shall be the city purchasing agent, who shall be appointed by the city manager. The purchasing agent, pursuant to rules and regulations approved by the city manager and adopted by ordinance, shall contract for, purchase, store and distribute all supplies, materials and equipment required by any office, department, board or other agency of the city unless otherwise provided in this Charter. He shall also have power and shall be required to:

(1) Establish and enforce specifications with respect to supplies, materials and equipment required by the city.

(2) Inspect or supervise the inspection of all deliveries of supplies, materials and equipment, and determine their quality, quantity and conformity with specifications.

(3) Have charge of such general storerooms and warehouses as the city may maintain.

(4) Transfer to or between offices, departments or agencies, or, with the approval of the council, sell surplus, obsolete, or unused supplies, materials or equipment.

Section 5.4. Competitive bidding

Before the city makes any purchase or contract, or lets any contract for improvements, there shall be given ample opportunity for competitive bidding, subject to such exceptions as the council upon recommendation of the city manager may prescribe by ordinance or resolution; provided, however, that the council shall not except individual contract, purchases or sales from the requirement of competitive bidding, or shall it permit the subdivision of contracts, or purchases, for the purpose of evading the requirements of competitive bidding.

Section 5.5. Representation on board of equalization

For the purpose of giving the City of Springfield representation on the County Board of Equalization when said Board is sitting for the purpose of equalizing assessment of property in the city, the city shall have the same number of representatives thereon as the city was entitled to prior to the adoption of this Charter. The representatives of the City shall be appointed by the council, one of whom may be the Director of Finance. The city council may prescribe the compensation which the city members of the Board of Equalization shall receive from the city treasury.

Approved by vote of the people August 5, 1986.

Section 5.6. Fiscal year

The fiscal year of the City of Springfield unless otherwise provided by ordinance, shall begin on the first day of July and shall end on the last day of June of each calendar year. The fiscal year shall constitute the budget and accounting year. As used in this Charter, the term "budget year" shall mean the fiscal year for which any particular budget is adopted and in which it is administered.