Chap. 394.—An ACT authorizing and requiring the board of supervisors of
the county of Elizabeth City, under certain conditions to establish and
equip a fire department for Wythe magisterial district therein, and to pro-
vide a water supply for fire fighting purposes. [H B 478]

Approved March 24, 1922.

1. Be it enacted by the general assembly of Virginia, That, sub-
ject to the provisions of this act, the board of supervisors of the
county of Elizabeth City shall establish for Wythe magisterial district
therein, but not including any incorporated town therein which main-
tains its own fire department a volunteer or paid fire department and
to equip the same with suitable, practical and proper fire fighting
equipment and apparatus and to } prowide a sufficient water supply for
fire fighting purposes.

2. Upon the petition of ten per centum of the qualified voters of
said district, excluding any incorporated town therein which maintains
its own fire department, the circuit court of the said county, or the
judge thereof in vacation, shall order an election to be held at the
next succeeding general election, or if he deems it advisable a special
election to take the sense of the qualified voters of said district
excluding those of any incorporated town therein which maintains
its own fire department, on the question whether the said board shall
act under the preceding section of this act. The regular election
officers of said county shall conduct said election and the time and
manner of holding said election and the form of ballot to be used
therein shall be prescribed by the said court, or the judge thereof
in vacation. If a majority of the qualified voters of said district,
voting in such election, shall vote in favor of action by the said board
under the preceding section of this act, the said board, as soon as
practicable shall proceed to carry out the said section. And when the
next annual levy is laid by the said board, it shall lay a special levy
on all property in said district taxable for district purposes, not in
conflict with the general law, excluding property located within any in-
corporated town therein, which maintains its own fire department,
for an amount sufficient for the purposes aforesaid. Such levy shall
be increased or reduced according to the need thereof to carry out
the purposes stated in section one of this act. In such election, if a
majority of the qualified voters of the said district voting therein,
shall vote against action by the said board under the preceding sec-
tion of this act, then this act shall expire by limitation as of the date
of said election is held.

3. The board of supervisors of Elizabeth City county after it
shall have operated for more than five years such fire department
under the provisions of this act, may abandon such organization here-
under by proceeding as follows: Upon the petition of ten per centum
of the qualified voters of said district, excluding any incorporated
town therein, which maintains its own fire department, the circuit
court of said county, or the judge thereof in vacation, shall order an
election to be held at the next succeeding general election, or if he
deems it advisable a special election, to take the sense of the qualified
voters of said district, excluding those of any incorporated town there-
in which maintains its own fire department, on the question whether
said board shall continue to act under the preceding sections of this
act, which said election shall be held in the same manner as the elec-
tion hereinbefore provided for, and if.a majority of the qualified
voters of said district voting in such election shall vote in favor
of the abandonment by the said board of the establishment and main-
tenance of said fire department, then this act shall likewise expire
by limitation as of the date the said election is held.

4. An emergency existing, this act shall be in force from its
passage.

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