2.503 Authority of Manager.
(1) Except as otherwise provided by this code, the manager shall have authority to purchase and contract for all materials, supplies, equipment, services and public improvements for which funds have been appropriated by the City Council, and to sell or dispose of all personal property of the City which is surplus, obsolete, or unusable. Contracts made by the manager pursuant to this code are "authorized . . . by ordinance of the Council" within the meaning of Section 32 of the City Charter without individual authorization by the City Council. The manager shall also administer and enforce all City contracts.
(2) The manager is hereby authorized to obligate the City of Medford as follows:
(a) For a single obligation not exceeding $250,000 for the purchase of goods and services, supplies, materials, equipment, or contractual services; without further authorization by special ordinance or other specific council approval;
(b) For a single obligation not exceeding $250,000 for services including but not limited to architectural, engineering and related services as defined in ORS 279C.105; or
(c) For a single obligation not exceeding $250,000 for public improvement contracts. As used in this section, "single obligation" includes the original contract and any individual or cumulative change orders. When the cumulative amount of change orders exceeds 25 percent of the original contract and the manager’s expense authority herein, any change order must have council approval, regardless of whether the individual change order is within the manager’s authority.
(3) All purchases exceeding the manager's obligation authority must be authorized by ordinance, except as provided in Section 2.589 for insurance contracts. The manager may authorize a change order on a contract approved by council provided the individual or cumulative change orders do not exceed 25 percent of the original contract, or do not exceed the manager’s contracting and purchasing authority.
(4) The manager may execute intergovernmental agreements and agreements that contain hold-harmless and limitations of liability clauses, to the extent of their purchasing authority herein.
(5) The manager may delegate their authority to obligate the City to one or more subordinates designated in writing. Authority so delegated may not exceed $25,000 on a single obligation, except that, in the manager's absence, the acting city manager may exercise all of the manager's authority.
(6) When a contract is required, the project or obligation cannot begin until a duly executed contract has been completed and approved by both parties. The City generally signs the contract last except for intergovernmental agreements.