In addition to the other powers which it may have, the governing body of any municipal corporation shall have the following powers, under this chapter, relating to the administration of municipal government:

(1) The power to establish municipal offices, agencies, and employments;

(2) The power to define, regulate, and alter the powers, duties, qualifications, compensation, and tenure of all municipal officers, agents, and employees, provided that the members of the municipal governing body shall not have the right to fix or change their own terms or the terms of their successors, nor to alter their own salaries or compensation, except pursuant to the authority of Code Section 36-35-4, nor to alter such duties or responsibilities as are specifically given to a particular elective official by charter;

(3) The power to authorize any of the officers, agents, and employees of the municipal corporation to serve, in any manner prescribed by applicable law, any process, summons, notice, or order on all persons, as defined in Code Section 1-3-3 therein named, when:

(A) The paper to be served arises out of or relates to an activity or condition conducted or maintained by such person within the territorial jurisdiction of the municipal corporation in violation of an applicable law or ordinance; and

(B) The paper to be served originates in or is issued under the authority of the department or branch of municipal government employing such officer, agent, or employee.

Where any such paper names one or more persons who reside outside the territorial jurisdiction of the municipal corporation, the several sheriffs, marshals, and constables of the several counties of this state are authorized and directed to serve any such paper and make appropriate return of such service by them, as other process is served and returned, on such named persons residing in their respective jurisdictions, upon receipt of a written request to make such service, for the fees allowed for service of process issued by the superior courts of this state;

(4) The power to establish merit systems, retirement systems, and insurance plans for all municipal employees and to establish insurance plans for school employees of independent municipal systems and to provide the method or methods of financing such systems and plans;

(5) The power to contract with any state department or agency or any other political subdivision for joint services or the exchange of services; to contract with such agencies or subdivisions for the joint use of facilities or equipment; and to contract with any state agency or political subdivision to perform any service or execute any project for such agency or subdivision in which the municipal corporation has an interest;

(6) The power to legislate, regulate, and administer all matters pertaining to absentee voting in municipal elections; and

(7) The power to grant franchises to or make contracts with railroads, street railways, or urban transportation companies, electric light or power companies, gas companies, steam-heat companies, telephone and telegraph companies, water companies, and other public utilities for the use and occupancy of the streets of the city, for the purpose of rendering utility services, upon such conditions and for such time as the governing authority of the municipal corporation may deem wise and subject to the Constitution and the general laws of this state.