91 - Powers and duties of commissioner.

§ 91. Powers  and duties of commissioner. The commissioner, subject to  the provisions  of  law  and  ordinances  of  the  common  council,  has  cognizance,  direction  and  control  of  the construction, maintenance,  alteration, repair,  care,  cleaning,  paving,  flagging,  lighting  and  improving  of  the streets, highways, sidewalks and public places of the  city; of the construction, alteration and repair of all  city  buildings  and of all docks and bridges belonging to the city; of all public sewers  and  drains  in  the  city; of the construction, maintenance, extension,  repair and care of the city waterworks; of the care, superintendence and  management and improvement of all parks and grounds,  public  baths  and  recreation  piers belonging to the city. Except as otherwise provided by  law, the commissioner  shall  have  supervision  of,  control  over  and  jurisdiction  and authority to make all ordinary repairs or improvements  upon the streets, parks, sidewalks, crosswalks, gutters, vaults, drains,  culverts, bridges and public ways and places of the city, including  the  cleaning,  sprinkling,  laying of dust with substances other than water,  watering and flushing of the same, and  may  employ  such  laborers  and  teams  and incur such expenditures as may be necessary within the limits  of the appropriations made therefor. It shall be his duty to inspect the  same with sufficient frequency to ascertain their  condition  and  cause  the  same  to  be  kept free from obstructions and in good condition and  repair and reasonably safe for public use. The commissioner  shall  also  have  general  supervision  and  control of all work performed under any  contract of the city for local or other  improvements  to  be  performed  within  or  upon  any  of the public streets, parks, ways and places, or  with reference to the public works and ways within the  jurisdiction  of  his  department, including the lighting, sprinkling, laying of dust with  substances other than water, watering or  flushing  of  the  streets  or  public  places,  and  shall  cause  the  same  to  be  performed in full  compliance with the provisions  of  any  contract  therefor.  Except  as  otherwise  provided  by  law  or  ordinance  of  the common council, the  commissioner of public works has, over the  streets  and  public  places  within the city, all the jurisdiction and is charged with all the duties  of commissioners of highways within the towns of the state.