Chap. 248.—An ACT to amend and re-enact sections 6, 7, 15, 16, 17, 21, and 29,
and to repeal sections 9, 11, 19, and 24 of an act entitled an act to amend the
charter of the town of Big Stone Gap, and to legalize certain acts of the town
council, approved February 28, 1890, as amended by an act entitled an act to
amend and re-enact sections 4, 11, 15, and 17, and to repeal sections 12 and 13
of said original act, approved February 24, 1898.

Approved May 15, 1903.

1. Be it enacted by the general assembly of Virginia, That sections
six, seven, fifteen, sixteen, seventeen, twenty-one, and twenty-nine of
an act entitled “an act to amend the charter of the town of Big Stone
Gap, and to legalize certain acts of the town council,” approved Febru-
ary twenty-eighth, eighteen hundred and ninety, as amended by an act
entitled an act to amend and re-enact sections four, eleven, fifteen, and
seventeen, and to repeal sections twelve and thirteen of said original
act, approved February twenty-fourth, eighteen hundred and ninety-
eight, be amended and re-enacted as follows:

§ 6. The mayor and trustees, composing the council, shall be elected
on the second Tuesday in June, of the year nineteen hundred and three,
and every second year thereafter, to go into office on the first day of
September succeeding, to hold office for two years thereafter.

§ 7. When, from any cause, a vacancy shall occur in the office of
mayor, trustee, sergeant, or treasurer, it shall be filled by the council at
its next regular meeting from the qualified electors of said town: such
appointee to hold office until the end of the term for which his prede-
cessor was elected, and an entry of any such appointment shall be made
on the town minute book.

§ 15. A town sergeant shall be elected on the second Tuesday in June,
nineteen hundred and three, and every second vear thereafter, to go into
office on the first day of September succeeding. to hold office for two
years thereafter. He shall execute bond in such amount as the coun-
cil may prescribe and approve.

As many assistant sergeants as the council mav authorize may be ap-
pointed by the mavor. The mavor shall have power to remove the ser-
geant or any assistant sergeant for cause, but he shall certify the re-
moval, with the cause therefor, to the council at its next regular meeting.

§ 16. The council may appoint such other town officials as it sees fit,
prescribe their duties, and fix their compensation, as well as the com-
pensation of the sergeant, assistant sergeants, treasurer. and mayor.
§17. A town treasurer shall be elected on the second Tuesday in
June, in the year nineteen hundred and three, and every second year
thereafter, to go into office on the first day of the succeeding Septem-
ber, and to hold office for two years. He shall give bond, to be ap-
proved by the council, before entering on his duties. He shall collect
all taxes, levies, licenses, and assessments due the town, and receive all
funds collected by the mayor or other members of the council as fines
and penalties. He shall pay out town moneys only on warrants signed
by the recorder and countersigned by the mayor. He shall keep pro-
per books, and shall make monthly and annual statements to the coun-
cil. showing all moneys received and paid out. He may be removed for
cause by the council, by a majority vote of the whole council, such vote,
and the reason therefor being spread upon the minutes of ‘the council.

§ 21. The council may, in addition to the powers given by general
law. pass ordinances imposing punishment for all offenses against the
ordinances of said town, except felonies committed within said town;
and the town authorities shall have exclusive jurisdiction of the trial
thereof; and all by-laws and ordinances and resolutions or acts under
authority thereof, heretofore passed or done, are hereby declared legal
and binding.

§ 29. If such an election be held, and a majority of the votes legally
east be found in favor of an issue of bonds, it shall be the duty of the
town council to elect four competent and suitable residents of said
town, who, together with the mayor of the town, shall compose a board
to be known as the hoard of sinking fund commissioners. The mavor
of the town (ex-officio a member) shall be the president of the said
board. All. the members of the said hoard shall give bond before en-
tering on their dutics in such sum and with such security as the coun-
cil may prescribe, and no trustee of the town shall be a member of said
board. Of the members of said hoard first elected, one shall be elected
to hold office for one vear, one for two years, one for three vears, and
one for four years, and until their respective suecessors are duly clected
and qualified, unless removed by the council: and annually thereafter
one member shall he elected to hold for four years from the date of his
qualification, and until his successor is duly elected and qualified. unless
sooner removed by the council: provided. that the mavor (member ex-
officio) shall be succeeded in the office of president of said board by his
successor in the office of mayor. When any member of said hoard shall
die, resign or become incapacitated. the council shall forthwith clect a
sucecssor in office. Jt shall be the duty of the board of sinking ae
commissioners, when any issue of honds is ordered by the council,
have the same prepared, signed by the president of said hoard and the
recorder of said town, and to sell the same on the best terms and for the
best price that can, by all reasonable effort. be obtained.

Whenever an issue of bonds shall have been made, it shall he the
duty of the town council to levy and have collected a sufficient sum
each vear after such issue to pay the interest on said bonds which will
have accrued up to the time such collection can be made and dis-

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bursed, and also equal to such proportion of the principal of all of such
bonds as one year bears to the number of years to elapse from the date
of issue of such bonds until the time the same became due and payable.

The sums thus collected shall be turned over to the board of sinking
fund commissioners, who shall, when it is due, pay the accrued in-
terest on all of said bonds, and the balance of the money thus placed
in their hands shall be by said board invested in interest-bearing or
dividend-paying securities which, in their judgment, are safe and not
liable to fluctuate in value. And the fund thus collected shall, until
the discharge of the bonds of the issue to secure which it is collected,
be applied to no other purpose whatever.

The council shall make and pass all necessary by-laws and ordinances
to carry out the provisions above as to the creation, investment, preser-
vation, and application of such sinking fund.

2. Be it further enacted, That sections nine, eleven, nineteen, and
twenty-four of an act entitled “an act to amend the charter of the town
of Big Stone Gap and to legalize certain acts of the council, approved
February twenty-eighth, eighteen hundred and ninety, as amended by
an act entitled an act to amend and re-enact sections four, eleven, fif-
teen, and seventeen, and to repeal sections twelve and thirteen of said
original act, approved February twenty-fourth, cighteen hundred and
ninety-eight, be, and the same are hereby, repealed.

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