§11-44-135. Distribution of municipal powers and duties among departments; authority of commissioners as heads of departments; additional duties of president of board.

The commissioners shall be municipal officers only and shall have, possess, and exercise the municipal powers, legislative, executive, and judicial, now or hereafter conferred upon municipalities and governing bodies thereof. The powers and duties of the municipality shall be distributed into and among three departments, as follows:

(1) The department of general administration shall be especially charged with the administration of all legal affairs of the municipality, the purchase of supplies, the collection of taxes, licenses and other sources of income, the expenditures of the municipality, the management of its sinking fund, the management of public utilities either owned and operated by the municipality or operated by private corporations under franchises or contracts with the municipality, and supervision and control of all public libraries. The president of the board shall be the head of the department of general administration.

(2) The department of public improvements shall have special supervision over all public improvements in the municipality including the improvement and maintenance of streets and sidewalks, the building of viaducts, the construction, maintenance and operation of sewers, the erection and maintenance of all public buildings, parks, playgrounds, and cemeteries and the collection and disposal of garbage and refuse. The associate commissioner number one shall be the head of the department of public improvements and shall be charged with, and responsible for, the operation of such department.

(3) The department of public safety shall have supervision over the fire and police departments and of all things connected therewith and over the public health and sanitation and, except as provided otherwise in this section, all things pertaining thereto. The associate commissioner number two shall be the head of the department of public safety and shall be charged with, and responsible for, the general administration of such department.

Each commissioner acting as the head of the department to which he is elected shall be limited in his authority as head of such department to the execution and enforcement of the laws and ordinances of the municipality pertaining to his department and to the administration thereof, except that all commissioners while sitting as members of the board as a legislative body at any regular meeting of the board or any adjournment thereof shall exercise the legislative powers of the board. In addition to the duties hereinbefore provided for, the president of the board shall perform all duties not inconsistent with the provisions of this article which are imposed by law on mayors in cities or towns having the aldermanic form of government.

(Acts 1964, 1st Ex. Sess., No. 214, p. 288, §6.)