Chap. 428.—An ACT to amend and re-enact sections 4, 5, 8, and 12 of an act
of the general assembly of Virginia, passed by both houses and became a
law on the 21st day of January, 1900, entitled an act to provide a new
charter for the town of Abingdon, Virginia, and to repeal all other acts
with reference thereto.

Approved February 20, 1900.

1. Be it enacted by the general assembly of Virginia, That sections
four, five, eight, and twelve of the charter of the town of Abingdon,
Virginia, be amended and re-enacted so as to read as follows:

§ “4. The municipal officers of said town shall consist of a mayor, ten
councilmen, a treasurer, recorder, and a sergeant, who shall be elected
by the qualified voters of said town, and all persons qualified to vote
in said election shall be eligible to any of said offices.

§ 5. The election for mayor, councilmen, treasurer, recorder, and
sergeunt shall be held on the fourth Thursday in May, nineteen hun-
dred, and every second year thereafter.

The sergeant shall select his assistant, subject, however, to the ap-
proval of the council. Said sergeant shall have the same powers and
discharge the same duties as constables of Washington county within
the corporate limits of said town, and to the distance of one mile he-
yond the same, and shall be entitled and charge and receive fees for
services rendered as such constable as if he were not paid any salary as
sergeant of said town.

§ 8. The council shall at its first meeting after election, or as soon
thereafter as practicable, elect one of its members to act as president
of the council, who shall, in the absence of the mayor, preside at all
meetings of the council, and have and exercise all the powers, authority,
and duties of the mayor. It shall appoint such officers as it may decm
necessary, and may, in its discretion, appoint or employ an attorney
to represent the said town in all suits or legal matters concerning the
same, and fix his fees for any and all services he may be called upon
to perform, define their powers and describe their duties, and fix their
compensation, and may take from any officer or officers so appointed
or elected a bond with surety, to be approved by it in such penalty as it
may deem proper, payable to the said town in its corporate name for
the faithful performance and discharge of such duties. It mav suspend
or remove all officers so elected or appointed, for good cause shown,
at its pleasure. In case of a vacaney or vacancies oceurring in munici-
pal offices, where it is not herein provided for, the council shall elect
a qualified person to fill such vacancy during the unexpired term.

$12. The mayor shall, by virtue of his office, possess all the power,
authority, and jurisdiction of justice of the peace of Washington
county, and shall be entitled to charge and receive fees for services as
such justice of the peace as if he were not paid any salary as mavor of
said town. Le shall preside at all meetings of the council, and shall
see that all ordinances of the town are faithfully enforced.

He shall have the power to veto any act of the council, and the same
shall not become an ordinance without his approval in writing, or until
it has received two-thirds of the vote of the entire council upon and
after his disapproval. He shall have supervision over the conduct of all
subordinate oflicers; have power and authority to investigate their acts:
have access to all books and documents in their offices, and may suspend
and remove such officers for misconduct or neglect of duty, subject,
however, to the approval of a majority of the council.

In case a vacancy shall occur in the office of mayor from any cause,
the president of the council shall perform all the duties of the office
until such vacancy is filled by an election of a majority of the entire
council for the unexpired term of such mayor.

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