Chap. 299.—An ACT to provide for the working and keeping in repair of the
public roads and bridges in the county of Fluvanna.

Approved May 20, 1903.

1. Be it enacted by the general assembly of Virginia, That on and
after the passage of this act it shall be lawful for the county of Flu-
vanna to work and keep in repair the public roads and highways of this
county in the following manner, to-wit:

2. The board of supervisors of the county shall, as soon as practi-
cable after the passage of this act, but not later than the first day of
April, proceed to lay off and divide (if not already done) all the pub-
lic roads of the county into sections of from three to six miles, or there-
abouts in length, according as their location and the difficulties of keep-
ing in proper repair may, in their judgment, suggest.

3. Immediately upon the completion of this work of dividing the
roads into sections, they shall meet at the courthouse and proceed to
appoint three road commissioners for each township, whose term shall
be for one vear, who shall constitute the township board of road com-
missioners for their respective townships.

4. The said board of road commissioners shall annually, in the month
of Mav, Ict to contract to the lowest suitable bidder, the work of keep-
ing in repair the roads in their respective districts, notices of which
letting shall be posted at each voting precinct and postoffices in the dis-
trict, ‘and otherwise published, as said board may deem advisable. The
said lettines may be for one or more sections, and shall be for the term
of one vear, ending on the first day of May of each year. Thev shall
require the bids to be in writing and signed by the party, and delivered
under seal to the said board of road commissioners for their examina-
tion, approval, or rejection, at their meeting for that purpose.
Each contractor shall be required to give bond, with good security,
in a penalty of at least double the amount of his bid, for the faithful
performance of his contract, which bond shall be subject to the ap-
proval of the board of supervisors, and filed with the clerk of the board
of supervisors, and the condition and width in which each section of
road is to be kept, is to be incorporated in each bond. and contract, and
a recovery may be had for the breach of said contract, in the name of
the county for the benefit of the road fund in the county court, by mo-
tion, after ten days’ notice to the contractor and his security or securi-
te. .
The board of road commissioners shall have the right at any time,
for ‘good cause, and with the consent of the board of supervisors, to re-
ject | any bid or revoke anv contract and re-let the same; and no mem-
ber of the board of road commissioners shall be directly or indirectly
interested in any contract made under this act, and any participation
shall render the contract null and void.

7. At the first meeting of the board of road commissioners they shall
elect one of their number chairman, who shall be required to give his
personal supervision to all the roads and bridges within their respective
districts; to see that the contractor is faithfully performing his con-
tract, and for any failure in carrving it out shall at once, through the
prosecuting attorney, institute proceedings for the recovery of damages
for breach of said contract. It shall be his duty to cause the roads
in his district to be cleared of all obstructions, secure from all the fall-
ing of dead timber, and a sufficient bridge, bench, or log for the accom-
modation of foot passengers across each stream when necessary; and
he shall report to the board of supervisors twice annually the condition
of the roads when each account is presented, which shall be in Novem-
ber and April, and for the performance of his duty he shall receive
compensation at the rate of one dollar and fifty cents per day: pro-
vided, that in no case shall his compensation exceed twenty dollars
per annum, to be paid ont of the road levy.

8. In case the commissioners in any district are unable to let to con-
tract any section, sections, or anv of the roads in their respective dis-
tricts, the commissioner in that district shall appoint some person or
persons to put in repair such places as need putting in order, either at
lowest bidder, or bv hire of labor, and an itemized account to be fur-
nished for said work, and endorsed by the commissioner.

9. The board of commissioners shall make to the regular May meet-
ing of the board of supervisors a full and itemized statement and report
of all the expenditures and collections in their respective districts, with
estimates of what amount will be needed for the succeeding year.

10. The members of the board of commissioners shall receive each
for their services annually the sum of two dollars per day: provided,
that it shall in no case exceed ten dollars per annum.

11. For the proper performance and execution of these duties, and
the payment of contractors, the board of supervisors is hereby authorized
to levy a tax, not to exceed twenty-five cents on the one hundred dol-
lars’ worth of personal property and real estate, railroad, and telegraph
lines, and all other property available for county taxes, and it shall be
collected and accounted for by the county treasurer as a special road
fund, and shall be paid out on the order of the board of supervisors.

12. Be it further enacted, That the board: of supervisors be, and it is
hereby: vested with such further powers as In its Judgment may be
necessary to put the provisions of this act into complete and effective
operation.

13. Be it further enacted, That in no ease shall the board of road
commissioners, in their lettings of the roads, contract to incur in their
respective townships a greater “indebtedness than one-fifth of the amount
levied in the whole county for road purposes.

14. All acts or parts of acts inconsistent with this act are hereby re-
pealed. |

This act shall be in force from its passage.