CHAPTER 374

An Act to provide a new Charter for the town of Saltville, Virginia, and
to repeal Chapter 254 of the Acts of Assembly of 1895-96, approved
February 7, 1896, as amended, which provided a Charter for the town
of Saltville, Virginia.

[(S 232]

Approved April 2, 1968

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:
1 § 1. INCORPORATION—The inhabitants of the territory com-
prised within the limits of the Town of Saltville, in the Counties of Smyth
and Washington, as the same now are or may hereafter be established by
law, shall continue to be a body politic and corporate under the name of
the Town of Saltville, and as such shall have perpetual succession, may sue
and be sued, contract and be contracted with, and may have a corporate
seal which it may alter, renew and amend at its pleasure.

§ 2. BOUNDARIES—The boundaries of the Town of Saltville
shall be and remain as now established, unless hereafter changed as pro-
vided by law, and shall remain as set out in paragraph 1 of Chap. 254
of the Acts of Assembly of 1895-96, approved February 7,1896. =

§ 3. SEPARATE SCHOOL DISTRICT—The territory within the
corporate limits of the Town of Saltville, as hereinabove designated, shall
constitute a separate and distinct school district, apart from either
Smyth County, Washington County, or any other school district.

(a) The county school taxes of Washington County and Smyth
County levied and collected from persons and properties situate within said
town school district shall be turned over and paid by the said counties to
the Town Treasurer to be used for school purposes within said district.

(b) The Board of School Trustees for the school district of Saltville
shall be constituted and shall act and possess the powers as provided by
§ 22-89 to § 22-100, inclusive, of the Code of Virginia of 1950 as amended.

§ 4. AUTHORITY AND PROCEDURE FOR DISSOLUTION
OF SPECIAL SCHOOL DISTRICT—The special town school district of
Saltville in Smyth County and Washington County may, by ordinance
of the town council and by and with the approval of the state board of
education, be dissolved as a separate school district and upon such
dissolution, said separate school district shall be and become a part of the
respective county school units, and shall be managed, operated and con-
trolled by the respective county school boards of such units. Such ordi-
nance shall state what disposition is to be made of any balance in the
school funds of the special town school district of Saltville of Smyth
County and Washington County, at the time of its dissolution, and shall
provide for disposition of any outstanding bonded indebtedness of such
school district. Such ordinance shall also provide for the disposition of all
school property, real and personal, the title to which shall remain in and
be held by the school board of the special town school district of Saltville
of Smyth County and Washington County until agreement has been
reached on the disposition of such property and the ordinance has been
approved by the state board of education.

Such ordinance shall provide: (1) That the town school property
shall become the property of the school] board of Smyth County; (2) that the
County of Washington shall continue payments heretofore made to the
town school district, to the County of Smyth for children from Washing-
ton County attending school in Smyth County; (3) that any funds dis-
tributable to the special school district for school buildings shall be paid
to the County of Smyth and any attendance or enrollment figures for such
special school district shall be credited to the County of Smyth.

§ 5. POWERS—tThe Town of Saltville shall have and may exercise
all powers which are now, or may hereafter be, conferred upon or dele-
gated to towns under the Constitution and laws of the Commonwealth of
Virginia as fully and completely as though all such powers were specifi-
cally enumerated herein. In addition, the powers set forth in § 15.1-841
through 15.1-907, inclusive, of the Code of Virginia are hereby expressly
conferred on and vested in the Town of Saltville.

§ 6. MAYOR—The mayor shall be elected for a term of two years
on the second Tuesday in June, nineteen hundred sixty-eight and every two
years thereafter. His term of office shall begin on the first day of July,
succeeding his election. His compensation shall be fixed by the council.

(a) The mayor shall be the presiding officer of the council but shall
not vote therein except in case of a tie.

The mayor shall be the chief ceremonial officer of the town, and
the head of the town government for purposes of military law, and for the
service of civil process.

(c) The mayor, acting as police justice as provided by § 16.1-70 of
the Code of Virginia of 1950, as amended, shall conduct a police court.
Such court shall have original and exclusive jurisdiction over, including
the power to issue process for, criminal matters involving the violation
of any ordinance of the Town of Saltville which violation occurs within
the corporate limits of the town, or within one mile thereof, except such
police justice shall not exercise the jurisdiction conferred by § 63-259 to
63-266, inclusive, or § 20-61 of the Code of Virginia of 1950, as amended.

(d) The mayor shall see that all ordinances and resolutions of the
counsel are faithfully performed and executed. ;

(e) Upon the mayor’s absence or disability to act the council may
designate one of its members as acting mayor and he shall, during the
mayor’s absence or disability to act, perform all the duties and exercise all
the powers and authority of the mayor.

§ 7. COUNCIL—Six residents and qualified voters of the Town of
Saltville shall be elected as councilmen of the town on the second Tuesday
in June nineteen hundred sixty-eight. In this election, three councilmen
shall be elected to terms of two years’ duration and three councilmen to
terms of four years’ duration, the three councilmen receiving the greatest
number of votes in said election to fill the four year terms. Thereafter,
as their terms expire, three councilmen shall be elected each two years
for terms of four years each, such elections to be held on the second of June,
nineteen hundred seventy and each two years thereafter. Councilmen’s
terms of office shall begin on the first day of July succeeding their election.

(a) If any vacancy occurs on the council by reason of death, resigna-
tion or otherwise, the same shall be filled by the council for the unexpired
portion of the term.

(b) The administration and the government of the town shall be
vested in the council which, except in dealing with questions of parlia-
mentary procedure, shall act only by ordinance or resolution. All ordi-
nances, unless making appropriations or authorizing the contracting of
indebtedness or issuance of bond or other evidences of debt, shall be con-
fined to one subject, which shall be clearly expressed in the title.

(c) Each councilman may receive a salary for his services as such,
the amount thereof to be fixed by the council, provided that no act to
increase the salary of councilmen shall become effective until after the
next regular biennial council election.

(d) The council shall by ordinance fix the time for its regular meet-
ings. Special meetings shall be called by the Clerk of the council upon
written request by the mayor or any three councilmen. At least twelve
hours written notice shall be given to the other members of the council of
the purpose, place and time of any such special meeting. Special meetings
may also be held at any time without notice, provided all members of the
council are present. No business shall be transacted at any such special
meeting which is not stated in the notice calling the same, unless all mem-
bers of the council attend the meeting or waive notice thereof in writing.

(e) The council shall appoint a clerk, a treasurer and a sergeant,
and may appoint a town attorney and such other officers and create such
boards and departments as it deems necessary and proper, and define their
duties and functions. Such officers so appointed shall hold office during
the pleasure of the council, shall give such bonds as the council requires,
and shall receive such compensation as the council prescribes. The same
person may hold two or more such offices, in the discretion of the council.

(f) Council shall, by ordinance, provide for the registration of voters
and the conduct of elections within the said town. Any resident of the town
who is otherwise qualified to vote in elections for members of the General
Assembly shall be eligible to register to vote in town elections.

(g) Council shall appoint the members of the Board of School
Trustees for the special school district of Saltville annually as the respective
terms “a expire, pursuant to § 22-89 of the Code of Virginia of 1950,
as amended.
§ 8. OFFICERS AND EMPLOYEES RETAINED—AI]l town offi-
cers and employees heretofore elected or appointed shall remain in office
and continue in their employment and be vested with the powers and
duties heretofore imposed upon them by the council or by operation of law
or hereafter imposed upon them under the provisions of this act until their
successors are duly elected or appointed as provided by law.

§ 9. ORDINANCES CONTINUED—AIl ordinances and resolutions
heretofore made and adopted by the town, not in conflict with this Charter,
shall be in and remain in full force and effect until altered, amended or
repealed by the council of the town.

2. Chapter 254 of the Acts of Assembly of 1895-96, approved February 7,
1896, as amended, is repealed.
3. Anemergency exists and this act is in force from its passage.