Chap. 16.—An ACT to amend the sixth sub-section of seetion twenty of the

charter of the city of Norfolk, as amended by au vet approved) Matreh

17, 1916, [HBL]
Approved February 5, 191%.

1. Be it enacted by the general assembly of Virginia, That the
sixth sub-section of section twenty of the charter of the city of
Norfolk, as amended by an act approved March seventeenth, nine-
teen hundred and sixteen, be re-enacted and amended so as to reacl
us follows:

Sixth. To establish, construct and keep in order, alter or remove
landings, wharves. and docks on land belonging to or which shall
hereafter belong to the city, and to lay and collect a reasonable
duty on vessels coming to and using the same, and to regulate the
manner of using other wharves and landings within the corporate
limits, and prescribe the rates of wharfage to be paid by vessels using
the same, to prevent or remove all obstructions in and upon any
landings, wharves or docks; to deepen, dredge, and clean the harbor
and river, either within or without the city limits; and to construct
and maintain water approaches to public wharves or docks anc:
warehouses located either within or without the city limits. It may
buy or build and maintain such reads and bridges within and out-
side of the limits of the said city as may be needful and convenient
to reach any suburb, town or village, or any property of said city
lying outside the city limits, and may condemn such lands as may
be necessary for the building and maintaining of such roads and
bridges, and may establish and collect tolls on any such bridge.

he council of the city of Norfolk is hereby empowered to ap-
point a board of dock commissioners, to which shall be committed
the management, subject to the control of said council, of any public
wharves, docks or public warehouses which the said council shal]
deem expedient to provide under the powers conferred by the char-
ter of the city of Norfolk. :

Said board of dock commissioners shall consist of eleven mem-
bers, two of whom shall be the president of the common council and
the president of the board of aldermen, and nine of whom shall be
qualified voters of the city of Norfolk, nominated to the said council
by the mayor and selected by him as follows:

Two members of the chamber of commerce of Norfolk;

One member of the board of trade and business men’s association :

One member of the Norfolk and Portsmouth cotton exchange:
One member of the Norfolk real estate and stock exchange ;
One member of the Tidewater wholesale grocers’ association ;
One member of the retail merchants’ association 5

One member of the builders’ exchange of Norfolk;

One member whom he shall select from the citizens of Norfolk
at large.

The members of each of the above commercial bodies selected
by the mayor shall be recommended to him by the board of di-
rectors of each respective commercial body.

Should any of the foregoing organizations cease to exist or be
without a legal successor, the members appointed therefrom shall
serve out their alloted terms, and their successors shall thereafter
he nominated by the mayor and appointed by the city council.

The term of office of the first appointees shall be as follows: three
for two years; three for four years; three for six years; and the
term of each shall be specified by the mayor in nominating them.
The term of the said members shall date from their respective ap-
pointments, and they shall serve until their respective successors are
duly appointed and qualified.

The successors of the first appointees shall be recommended from
the commercial organizations, nominated by the mayor and _ ap-
pointed by the council, as hereinbefore provided for the term of six
(6) years from the dates of their respective appointments. Vacancies
in said board shall be filled in the same manner as the original ap-
pointments are made; the appointments being made from the or-
ganizations of which the persons whose positions have been vacated
were representatives. :

The officers of said board shall consist of a president, a vice-
president, a secretary and a treasurer, who shall be elected annually.
The duties of said officers shall be such as may be prescribed by the
board, and the board shall require them to give satisfactory bond,
payable to the city of Norfolk, for the faithful performance of the
duties of their respective offices in such amount and allow them such
compensation, as said board may consider commensurate with .the
responsibilities and duties of their respective offices, subject to the
approval of said council.

_ The appointees of said board of dock commissioners shall qualify
within ten (10) days after their appointments have been made by
the said council, and as soon as practicable, thereafter they shall
eet and organize by the election of a president, a vice-president, a
secretary and a treasurer, for the ensuing year, and shall file notice
of their organization with the city clerk. |

Subject to the authority of said council, the board of dock com-
nussioners may select and purchase or otherwise acquire for the
city of Norfolk such land and river front property as may be re-
quired for the construction of public wharves, docks and warehouses;
shall have necessary plans prepared for all buildings and structures
thereon, and shall construct, control, maintain and operate the same:
shall employ all persons necessary for the prosecution of all business
connected therewith and shall fix their compensation; and shall fix
such tariffs for wharfage, storage, handling merchandise and for all
other services which may be rendered to those who avail themselves
of the use of public wharves, docks or warehouses, and do all such
acts as may properly be required in the conduct of the operations
of said public wharves, docks or warehouses, and do all such acts
as may properly be required in the conduct of the operations of said
public wharves, docks and warehouses.

Said board of dock commissioners shall have the power to adopt
rules and regulations for the government of the board and of its
officers and employees, as it shall deem expedient.

All contracts made by said board of dock commissioners and all
obligations incurred by it shall be subject to the authorization or
approval of the said council.

2. An emergency existing by reason of the necessity for the
immediate use of the public wharves and docks of the city of Nor-
folk for war purposes, this act is declared an emergency act within
the provision of section fifty-three of the Constitution, and shall
be in force from its passage.