HB 297

Abstract

This Act amends the City of Seaford's Charter (“Charter”) as follows: 1. In Section 1, to make clear that the existing exceptions to the general requirement of advertising and competitive bidding requirements are meant to excluded from both the advertising and competitive bidding requirements established in the Charter. In addition, to create a new exception to the general requirement of advertising and competitive bidding for a purchase related to a Department of Public Works or Department of Electric project in the aggregate amount of not more than $50,000. Furthermore, to provide that an advertisement for bid is not required for a purchase related to a Department of Public Works or Department of Electric project in the aggregate amount of $50,000 to $99,999. For projects that do not require an advertisement for bid, the Director of the Department of Public Works or the Department of Electric, as applicable, shall solicit competitive, written proposals from a minimum of 3 contractors. Finally, purchases related to a Department of Public Works or Department of Electric project with an aggregate amount of $100,000 or greater continue to generally require competitive bidding and advertisement of bid. 2. In Section 2, to increase the City’s borrowing limit from $2 million to $3 million and make clear that a Councilman is not personally liable for a note issued under Section 37 of the Charter. 3. Throughout the Act, to make technical corrections to conform existing law to the standards of the Delaware Legislative Drafting Manual, including as it relates to the drafting of lists, numbers, and amounts of money. This Act requires a greater than majority vote for passage because § 1 of Article IX of the Delaware Constitution requires the affirmative vote of two-thirds of the members elected to each house of the General Assembly to amend a municipal charter.