A department of public works is hereby created, the head of which shall be the director of public works.

The department shall provide all engineering, architectural, maintenance, construction, and work equipment services required by the city except those performed by private persons, firms or corporations under contract, or those assigned to other departments by this Charter.

A public work or improvement, the cost of which in whole or in part are to be assessed by the city; may be initiated by the council on recommendation of the director of public works; or on petition of property owners in such number and in such form as may be prescribed by ordinance. The council shall by ordinance prescribe the method of making such improvements and the assessments for their cost.

Where all outstanding bonds have been paid in a public improvement district, and any money remains to the credit of said district, it shall be transferred to a special surplus and deficiency fund and whenever there is a deficiency in any improvement district to meet payment of outstanding bonds, it shall be paid out of said fund. Whenever a public improvement district has paid and canceled four-fifths of its bonds outstanding, and for any reason the remaining assessments are not paid in time to take up the final bonds of the district, and there is not sufficient money in said special surplus and deficiency fund, then the city shall pay said bonds when due and reimburse itself by collecting the unpaid assessments due said district.

In addition to all other power which it has to acquire property, the City of Cortez is hereby authorized to purchase or otherwise acquire property on which there are delinquent taxes and/or special assessments. The city may also dispose of any property acquired under this authority.

In addition to the provisions of Section 4 of this article and not in limitation thereof, the city prior to the issuance hereafter of any bonds of any public improvement district therein may contract by ordinance with the holder or holders thereof that the payment of the bonds of such district, both as to principal and interest, is additionally secured by a pledge of monies in a special fund created therefor into which the city covenants to deposit the proceeds of general (ad valorem) property taxes to be levied not earlier than the date of the bonds of any such series nor later than one year after the maturity date thereof, not exceeding three mills in any one year. After the issuance of any such bonds, the city shall levy such general taxes pursuant to such contract; provided, however, that any such levy may be diminished to the extent other funds of the city available therefor are deposited in such fund. Prior to the redemption of all such bonds, both principal and interest, the proceeds of such taxes or equivalent transfer or both, shall be disbursed from such fund only for the payment of the principal of and interest on such bonds. After such bonds have been redeemed in full, any monies remaining in such fund shall be deposited in said special surplus and deficiency fund. Whenever there are no outstanding bonds of any public improvement district of the city, all or any part of any monies in the special surplus and deficiency fund may be transferred to the city’s general fund or any designated special fund pursuant to ordinance of the city council. Bonds of any public improvement district payable from special assessments, which payment may be additionally secured as provided in this article, shall not exhaust the city’s debt incurring power, nor shall such bonds be required to be authorized at an election. (Adopted May 13, 1958.)