Chap. 611.—An ACT amending and re-enacting sections 4, 5, 8,9, 10,12 and 15
of act approved May 2, 1887, entitled an act to provide a charter for the town
of West Point.

Approved March 3, 1894.

1. Be it enacted by the general assembly of Virginia, That sec-
tions four, five, eight, nine, ten, twelve and fifteen of an act approved
May second, eighteen hundred and eighty-seven, entitled an act to
provide a charter for the town of West Point, amending and re-
enacting chapter two hundred of the acts of assembly of eighteen
hundred and eighty-three, be amended and re-enacted so as to read
as follows:

4. Elections.—An election for mayor and councilmen shall be
held on the fourth Thursday in May, eighteen hundred and ninety-
six, and every two years thereafter. The terms of mayor and coun-
cilmen shall commence on the first day of July succeeding their
election. The mayor and council now in office shal! hold their re-
spective offices until their successors, who shall be elected at such
general election so to be held in May, eighteen hundred and ninety-
six, shall qualify. Said election shall be conducted under the pro-
visions of the general election laws of the state, as provided in chap-
ter ten, code of Virginia.

§ 5. It shall be the duty of the judge of the county court of King
William county, in term or vacation, not less than fifteen days
before the election for town officers in said town, to appoint three
judges of election, who shall also act as commissioners of election.
The registrar appointed under chapter eight, code of Virginia of
eighteen hundred and eighty-seven, for the town of West Point, ten
days previous to the regular May election for town officers under
this charter, shall sit one day for purpose of registering the names
of all qualified voters within said town, not previously registered in
the said town, in accordance with the provisions of chapter eight,
code of Virginia of eighteen hundred and eighty-seven, who shall
apply to be registered, commencing at sunrise and closing at sunset.
He shall give notice of the time and place of said registration for at
least ten days by posting printed or written notices thereof at three
or more places in said town. It shall be the duty of the registrar,
within five days after each sitting, to have posted at three or more
places in said town written or printed lists of the names of all per-
eons so admitted to registration, and also have like lists posted on
the day of election at the place of voting in said town. The said
registrar shall, not later than sunrise on the morning of each elec-
tion held in accordance with this charter, deliver to the judges of
the election his registration books, and after such election the judges
of election shal] turn over the registration books to the registrar.
Such registrar shall be entitled to two dollars per day for each day
he shall sit, under this charter, to be paid by the town. The per
diem of the judges and clerks of the election shall] also be paid by
the town.

8. The qualified voters of said town shall consist of all the male
inhabitants of, said town qualified to vote for members of the gene-
ral assembly, who are duly registered, and have been actual resi-
dents of said town for three months next preceding the election at
which they offer to vote. But no person shall be registered for town
elections from sunset of the tenth day preceding an election to sun-
rise following such election, and if so registered shall not be per-
mitted to vote at said election.

§ 9. The judges of election for said town shall, at the time and in
the manner prescribed by law, open a poll at the place designated
by the council; and the manner of receiving the ballots and can-
vassing the votes shall conform to the general law. The election
shall close at sunset of the day thereof, and the judges shall count
the ballots and make duplicate returns of the results. One of said
returns, with the ballots sealed up, shall be returned to the clerk’s
office of the county court of King William county; the other shall
be returned to the council and recorded in the record-book of said
council.

§ 10. It shall be the duty of the town clerk, immediately upon re-
ceipt of said returns, to open the same and record the result of the
election as certified by the judges and clerks in the record-book of
the council. Within ten days after any election the mayor of said
town shall examine said record and give to the persons who, accord-
ing to the face of the records as recorded, havea majority of the votes
cast, certificates of their election.

§ 12. Mayor.—The mayor of said town shall be ex officio a justice
of the peace for King William county; shall preside at all meetings
of the council, and it shall be his duty to see that the ordinances of
the council are enforced, and that good order is preserved. He shall
have charge of and command the police force of the town; shall ap-
point such policemen as the council may deem necessary, and may
remove any police officer for misfeasance, malfeasance or gross ne-
glect of public duty; but in all cases he shall report to the next
meeting of the town council the reasons for the removal. He shall
have authority to hear and determine all charges against any person
or persons for a violation of town ordinances, and if he shall find
any such person guilty, may prescribe the punishment of the offence
within the limits named by the council. In cases in which a fine
is imposed he shall have authority to issue fieri facias executions for
the recovery of the fine; and when, in his judgment, it is necessary,
he may issue a capias pro fine, and may imprison the person found
guilty until the fine is paid; but in all cases in which the person is
found guilty and imprisoned, or a fine exceeding twenty dollars, or
both, is imposed, the party shall have a right of appeal to the county
court of King William county, on application within ten days, and
on security being given, in cases of fines to the satisfaction ef the
mayor, to pay the fine and cost should the judgment be affirmed. The
verbal acknowledgment of a surety in such cases shall be sufficient:
provided the mayor shall endorse on the warrant the name of the
surety and the amount of the penalty; and if the judgment be
affirmed, the clerk of the said court shall have authority to issue
Ea igae for the fine and costs against the defendant and his
surety.
§ 15. Assessors.—It shall be the duty of said council, at its regular
meeting in July, eighteen hundred and ninety-four, and its first reg-
ular meeting in July of every fifth year thereafter, to appoint three
freeholders, who shall be electors in said town, whose duty it shall
be to assess all the real estate of said town for corporation purposes.
But the said assessment made for town purposes of the said real es.
tate shall not exceed the assessment thereof made for state taxation.
Any person who feels himself aggrieved by such assessment may ap-
ply to the council at any time prior to the December meeting after
such assessment to have the same corrected; and said council may
correct such assessment if they deem it erroneous.

2. This act shall be in force from its passage.