Any expenditure less than five thousand dollars may be approved by the purchasing agent based on approved budgetary provisions. Any expenditure of five thousand dollars but less than ten thousand dollars may be approved by the city manager based on approved budgetary provisions. Expenditures of ten thousand dollars or more shall have the approval of the city council prior to the issuance of a purchase order or the execution of a contract. Orders shall not be divided or staged for the purpose of circumventing the approval required by the provisions of this section. The authority to approve an expenditure as provided in this section shall include the issuance of a purchase order or the execution of a contract on behalf of the city for such expenditure. (Ord. 500 §1, 2005; Ord. 429 §1 (Exh. 1), 1999).