Chap. 42.—A4n ACT to ameud and re-enact sections 4. 8 17 and 3¢
of an act ertitled an act to atnend the charter of the citv of Alexan-
dria, approved February 20th, 1871, as amended by an act approved
March 22d, 1871, and by an act approved March 17th, 1876, and hy

an act approved March 20th, 1877.

Approved January 25, 1879.

1. Be it enacted by the general assembly, That sections four,
eight, eleven and thirty-four of an act entitled an act to amend
the charter of the city of Alexandria, approved February twen-
tieth, eighteen hundred and seventy-one, as amended by an act
approved March twenty-second, eighteen hundred and seventy.
one, and by an act approved March seventeenth, eighteen bhun-
dred and seventy-six, and by an act approved March twentieth,
eighteen hundred and seventy-seven, be amended and re-en-
acted so as to read as follows:
ny
_f

.

§ 4. The city council of Alexandria shall be formed of two

' distinct branches; ‘one of these shall be called “The Common

Council,” and shall be composed of four members from each
ward, to be elected every two years; the other shall be called
. the Board of Aldermen,” and consist of two members from
each ward, to be elected for four years. The members of the
board of aldermen, whose terms expire in the year eighteen
huntred and eighty, shall hold over until the first day of July, in
the year eighteen hundred and eighty-one, and the members to be
elected inthe year eighteen hundred and seventy-nine, shall hold
office for the space of four years, so that one-half of the mem-
bers of the board of aldermen—one from each ward—shall be
elected with the members of the -common council every two
years hereatter.

§ 8. The city conneil shall order an election every two years
by the people on the fourth Thursday of May, beginning with
the year eizhtven bundved and seventy-nine, for the following
named officers: auditor of public accounts, superintendent of
gas, clerk of the cas, vollector or collectors of taxes, clerk of
the market, attorney for the corporation, saperintendent of
police, gauger of ceshs and inspector of domestie liqnors, in-
spector and moasurer of wood and bark, and imspectors of
lumber. Fach branch odthe city council shall elect the oMicers
necessary for the tranonetian or its legitimate business; all
other officers shall be olectod Ly the city counen in joint con-
vention. ‘The eify soancil may take from any of the officers
elected, bonds with -ureti>. in -nch penalties as to the city
council may seein ftmovaid> to the city by its corporate name,
with condition for the fiutihful performance of their duties;
and if any officer fram whom a bond is required fails to give
such bond. within the tine presertbed-by law, his office shall be
vacant. Whenever avacaney shall occur in any office under
this charter—except meinbers of the city council—whether by re-
moval from office, death. resignation, failure to qualify, or
otherwise, the city council shall fill the vacancy at the nexf or
any succeeding mectting in joint convention.

§ 11. The members of the common council, elected as afore-
said, or a majority of them, shall on the first day of July next
succeeding their election, assemble at the council chamber, or
any other place which may be hereafter fixed for their meeting,
and shall choose a member of their own body, to be president
of the said common council, to whom shall be administered by
any justice of the peace for the city of Alexandria, an oath or
affirmation for the faithful performance of the duties of his
office ; whereupon the said president shall administer the oath
of office to the other members of the council, and shall have—
while they are in session—the same power which is exercised
by the president of the present common council upon like occa.
sions, and shali convene the common council whenever in the
opinion of four of the members, expressed to him in writing,
or whenever in his opinion th. good of the city may require it:
and the authority of said common council shall continue two
years, or until others are chosen and qualified in their stead.

And all the members of the board of aldermen holding over
and elected as aforesaid, or any five of them, shall,'on the first
day of July next succeeding the election of one-half of their
number, assemble in the chamber of the board of aldermen,
or any other place which may be agreed upon for their meet-
ing, and shall organize in like manner with the members of the
common council, and the president of the said board of alder-
men shall have like power, while the said board is in session,
with the president of the common council, and he shall con-
vene the city council whenever in the opinion of two members
of each branch, expressed to him in writing, or whenever in
his opinion the’ good of the city may require it, and the au-
thority of said board of aldermen shall continue until others
are qualified in their stead and no Jongcr.

§ 34. The mayor of the city of Alexandria shall be elected
by the qualified voters at the times and places and in the man-
ner that the members of the city council are elected. He shall
hold his office for two years, and until a successor is chosen
and qualified in his stead. He shall, before he enters upon the
duties of his office, take an oath or affirmation, in the presence
of the city council, faithfully to execute his said office, which
shall be recorded in its book of proceedings. He shall see
that the laws of the corporation be duly executed, and in the
event of the removal of any officer by his order, he shall com-
municate the fact, with his reasons therefor, to the city council
without delay, that the vacancy may be filled. Ile shall have
power to convene the city council whenever, in his opinion, the
good of the community may require it; and he shall lay before
the city council from time to time, in writing, such alterations
in the laws of the corporation as he shall deem necessary or
proper. Te shall have and exercise all the powers of a justice
of the peace within the said city, and shall receive for his sér-
vices, annually, a just and reasonable compensation, to be
allowed and fixed by the city council, which shall not be in-
creased or diminished during the period for which he shall
have been elected. The election of mayor and members of the
common council, and one-half of the members of the board of
aldermen, one from each ward, shall be held on the fourth
Thursday in May, eighteen hundred and seventy-nine, and
every two years thereafter, at such places and by such persons
as the city council shali select.
| 2, This act shall be in force from its passage.