Whenever the council shall have declared a public improvement to be necessary in the municipality and shall have declared that they deem it necessary to take private property, describing it, for such public improvement, designating it, and that the improvement is for the use or benefit of the public, they shall, by resolution, direct the city attorney to institute the necessary proceedings in behalf of the municipality, before the probate court as they may designate, to carry out the object of the resolution in regard to taking private property by the city for such public use.