All the powers and functions of a metropolitan municipal corporation shall be vested in the metropolitan council unless expressly vested in specific officers, boards, or commissions by this chapter, or vested in the county legislative authority of a county that has assumed the rights, powers, functions, and obligations of a metropolitan municipal corporation as provided in chapter 36.56 RCW. Without limitation of the foregoing authority, or of other powers given it by this chapter, the metropolitan council shall have the following powers:

(1) To establish offices, departments, boards and commissions in addition to those provided by this chapter which are necessary to carry out the purposes of the metropolitan municipal corporation, and to prescribe the functions, powers and duties thereof.

(2) To appoint or provide for the appointment of, and to remove or to provide for the removal of, all officers and employees of the metropolitan municipal corporation except those whose appointment or removal is otherwise provided by this chapter.

(3) To fix the salaries, wages and other compensation of all officers and employees of the metropolitan municipal corporation unless the same shall be otherwise fixed in this chapter.

(4) To employ such engineering, legal, financial, or other specialized personnel as may be necessary to accomplish the purposes of the metropolitan municipal corporation.