(a) (1) In addition to the powers elsewhere conferred upon the New Castle County Council and without limiting their generality, the New Castle County Council shall have general jurisdiction over all matters pertaining to the County, its business, finances and general welfare, including the power to act upon all matters pertaining to sewers, sewerage disposal plants, trunk line sewers and sewerage systems generally, garbage, garbage disposal, removal and incineration of ashes, garbage, trash and rubbish, and the operation of plants therefor, drainage, engineering, construction of public buildings, fire protection, ambulance service, general supervision of county offices, public welfare institutions, fire companies and other matters of a public nature.
(2) The County Council in accordance with the provisions of § 1162 of this title shall establish and fix the salaries of all employees except the elected officeholders employed in the several county offices in New Castle County, and the chief deputy appointed by certain of the elected officeholders, provided:
a. All employees in the same classification shall be paid the same salary and
b. All Chief Deputies of elected or appointed officeholders shall be paid a salary of not less than $6,000 per annum and
c. All Assistant Chief Deputies of elected or appointed officeholders shall be paid a salary of not less than $5,500 per annum.
(b) In the performance of its duties, the New Castle County government may employ such assistants, enter into contracts and generally take such action as in its opinion it deems necessary and proper and for the best interests of the County.
(c) The New Castle County Council, in the general supervision of the county offices as enumerated in this section, shall have the power and authority to install, in such of the county offices as it shall consider necessary and desirable, modern and efficient business machines and machine record systems, to the end that all of the county offices shall be administered efficiently and economically. The New Castle County Council shall purchase or lease the necessary and appropriate business machine record systems and business machines to carry out the purposes of this section.
(d) The New Castle County Council may employ technical or professional advisors and consultants that it deems necessary or proper to advise it on the efficient and economical administration of the affairs of New Castle County. The technical and professional consultants and advisors so employed shall have full authority to examine and study the operation, management and administration of all county offices or departments that receive any appropriation for salaries or operational expenses from the New Castle County Council, and shall render to the New Castle County Council a written report of the findings and recommendations as result of such examination and study.
(e) County Council may determine that lands owned by New Castle County are surplus and no longer needed for County use and may authorize their disposal. The determination that lands are surplus shall be made after a public hearing not less than 30 days prior to the first published advertisement for bids or introduction of any ordinance or the execution of any contract for providing for the conveyance of such lands. Notice of the hearing shall be published in a newspaper of general circulation in New Castle County at least 10 days before the hearing.
(f) Notwithstanding any provision in this title, any real property acquired by New Castle County as the result of a Sheriff's Sale brought by the County to collect delinquent taxes, sewer service charges or other fees or charges due to the County shall be deemed surplus upon the execution by the Sheriff of a deed conveying the property to New Castle County. Lands acquired in this manner may be sold without further approval by County Council; provided that, prior to the completion of the sale, the conveyance of the property shall be approved by the County Executive of New Castle County in accordance with a written policy promulgated by the County Executive or Chief Administrative Officer.
(g) In addition to those powers enumerated in this section, New Castle County Council may by ordinance transfer lands held by the County, including but not limited to, surplus lands, to the State after written notification from the Governor or the Governor's designee that such lands are required by the State for public purposes.