Chap. 194.—An ACT to provide a new charter for the town of Lawrenceville,
Virginia; to repeal all acts or parts of acts in conflict therewith; and to
validate all contracts heretofore or hereafter made by the present council and
government while in office not inconsistent with this charter or the Constitu-
tion and general laws of this State. [H B 242]

Approved March 27, 1934

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia, as follows:

1. The town corporate——The inhabitants of the town of Lawrence-
ville, as its limitations are now or may hereafter be established, shall
-onstitute a body, politic and corporate, to be known and designated as
the town of Lawrenceville, and as such, shall have and may exercise
all powers which are now and hereafter may be conferred upon or
delegated to towns under the Constitution and laws of the Common-
wealth of Virginia, as fully and completely as though such powers were
specifically enumerated herein, and no enumeration of particular powers
by this charter shall be held to be exclusive.

2. The town boundaries—The corporate limits of the town of
Lawrenceville, Virginia, as heretofore established, are hereby reestab-
lished as follows:

The land extending one-quarter of a mile north and east, one-half
a mile south, and three-quarters of a mile west, from the courthouse
of the county of Brunswick, together with all that territory adjacent
to the territory within the limits above set forth, which is embraced
in the following lines, metes, and bounds, that is to say: Beginning at
a point upon the present corporate boundary line of said town to-wit:
where the west side of Union street touches the right of way of the
Southern Railway Company, thence north three degrees west eight hun-
dred feet, thence north eighty-seven degrees east fifty-two hundred
and eighty feet, thence north three degrees west ten hundred and forty
feet, thence south eighty-seven degrees west thirty-seven hundred and
thirty feet, thence south three degrees east one hundred and eighty feet,
thence south fifty-five and one-quarter degrees west two hundred and
ninety-two feet, thence north thirty-three and one-half degrees west
Sve hundred and ten feet, thence south sixty-two degrees west three
hundred and forty-three feet, thence north sixty-nine and three-quartet
degrees west one hundred and seventy-nine feet, thence south fifty-
four degrees west three hundred and twenty-three feet, thence north
seventy-nine and three-quarter degrees west four hundred and four feet
thence south four and one-half degrees west sixteen hundred feet, thence
south sixty-six degrees east four hundred and five feet, to the afore
said point of beginning.
3. Powers of the town of Lawrenceville—In addition to the powers
mentioned in section one hereof, the town of Lawrenceville shall have
the following powers:

First. To raise annually, by taxes and assessments in said town, on
all such property, real and personal, as is now or may be subject to
taxation by towns by the revenue laws of this Commonwealth, such
sums of money as the council thereof shall deem necessary for the
purposes of said town, in such manner as said council shall deem ex-
pedient in accordance with the Constitution of this State and of the
United States; provided that the tax on said real and personal estate
shall not exceed in any one year seventy-five cents ($.75) on every
hundred dollars value thereof.

Second. To impose special or local assessments for local improve-
ments and to enforce payment thereof, subject to such limitations
prescribed by the Constitution and laws of Virginia as may be in force
at the time of the imposition of such special or local assessments.

Third. To contract debts, borrow money and make and issue evi-
dences of indebtedness.

Fourth. To expend the money of the town for all lawful purposes.

Fifth. To acquire by purchase, gift, devise, condemnation or other-
wise property, real or personal, or any estate therein, within or without
the town, for any of the purposes thereof; and to hold, improve, sell,
lease, mortgage, the same or any part thereof, including any property
now owned by the town.

Sixth. To construct, maintain, regulate and operate public improve-
ments of all kinds, including municipal and other buildings, grounds and
structures necessary or appropriate for the use and proper operation
of the various departments of the town.

Seventh. To own, operate and maintain water works and to acquire
in any lawful manner, in any county of the State, such water, lands,
property rights, and riparian rights as the council of said town may
deem necessary for the purpose of providing an adequate water sup-
ply to said town and of piping or conducting the same; to lay all nec-
essary mains and service lines within and without the corporate limits of
said town; to erect and maintain all necessary mains and service lines
within and without the corporate limits of said town; to erect and
maintain all necessary dams, pumping stations and other works in
connection therewith; to make reasonable rules and regulations for
promoting the purity of its said water supply and for protecting the
same from pollution, and for this purpose to exercise full police powers
and sanitary patrol over all lands comprised within the limits of the
water shed tributary to any such water supply wherever such lands
may be located in this State; to impose and enforce adequate penalties
for the violation of any such rules and regulations and to prevent by
injunction any pollution or threatened pollution of such water supply,
and any and all acts likely to impair the purity thereof; and to carry
out the powers herein granted, the said town may exercise within the
State all powers of eminent domain provided by the laws of this State.

Eighth. To own, operate and maintain electric light and gas works,
either within or without the corporate limits of said town and to supply
gas and electricity whether the same be generated or purchased by said
town, to its customers and consumers both within and without the
corporate limits of the said town, at such price and upon such terms
as it may prescribe, and to that end it may contract to purchase elec-
tricity and gas from the owners thereof upon such terms as it may deem
expedient.

Ninth. To establish, impose and enforce the collection of water,
light and sewerage rates and rates and charges for other services,
products, or conveniences operated or furnished by the town; and the
said council may prescribe a different rate to be paid for such services
and conveniences rendered to users or consumers without the cor-
porate limits from the charges made to those within the corporate
limits of said town.

Tenth. To establish, enter, open, widen, extend, grade, improve,
construct, maintain, light, sprinkle and clean public highways, streets,
alleys, parkways and parks, and to alter or close the same; to regulate
the use of all such highways, parks and public grounds; to prevent the
obstruction of such streets and highways; to require any railroad com-
pany operating a railroad at the place where any highway or street
is crossed within the town limits to erect and maintain at such crossing
any style of gate deemed proper, and keep a man in charge thereof
or keep a flagman at such crossing during such hours as the council
may require in accordance with the general law of the State, and to
regulate the length of time such crossings may be closed due to any
operations of the railroad; to regulate the operation and speed of all
cars and vehicles upon said streets and highways, as well as the speed
of all engines, cars and trains or railroads within the town; to permit
or prohibit poles and wires for electric, telephone and telegraph pur-
poses to be erected and gas lines to be laid in the streets and alleys, and
to prescribe and collect an annual charge for such privileges hereafter
granted; to require the owner or lessee of any electric light, telephone
or telegraph pole or poles or wires now in use or hereafter erected to
change the location or move the same.

Eleventh. To acquire by gift, purchase or by the exercise of the
power of eminent domain within this State, land or any interest or
estate in lands, rock quarries, gravel pits, sand pits, water and water
rights and the necessary roadways thereto, either within or without
the town, and acquire and install machinery and equipment and build
the necessary roads or tramways thereto and operate the same for the
purpose of producing materials required for any and all purposes of the
said town.
Twelfth. To establish, construct, and maintain sanitary sewers,
sewer lines and cisterns and to require the abutting property owners to
connect therewith and to establish, construct, maintain and operate
sewerage disposal plants and to acquire by condemnation or otherwise,
within or without the town, all lands, rights of way and other rights
and easements necessary for the purposes aforesaid, and to charge
and collect reasonable fees or assessments or costs of service for con-
necting with and using the same.

Thirteenth. Subject to the provisions of the Constitution of Vir-
ginia and of this charter to grant franchises for public utilities.

Fourteenth. To collect and dispose of sewerage, offal, ashes, gar-
bage, carcasses of dead animals and other refuse and to make reason-
able charges therefor; to acquire and operate reduction or other plants
for the utilization or destruction of such materials or any of them, and
to contract for and regulate and collect for the disposal thereof and to
require and regulate the disposal thereof. |

Fifteenth. To compel the abatement and removal of all nuisances
within the town or upon property owned by the town beyond its limits
at the expense of the person or persons causing the same, or of the
owner or occupant on the ground or premises whereon the same may
be, and to collect said expense by suit or by distress and sale; to re-
quire all lands, lots and other premises within the town to be kept
clean and sanitary and free from stagnant water, weeds, filth, and
unsightly deposits, or to make them so at the expense of the owners
or occupants thereof, and to collect said expense by suit or motion, or
by distress and sale; to regulate or prevent slaughter houses or other
noisome or offensive business within the said town, the keeping of hogs
or other animals, poultry or other fowl therein, or the exercise of any
dangerous or unwholesome business, trade or employment therein; to
regulate the transportation of all articles through the streets of the town;
to compel the abatement of smoke and dust, and prevent unnecessary
noise, to regulate the location of stables and the manner in which they
shall be kept and constructed; to regulate the location, construcion, and
operation and maintenance of bill boards and generally to define, pro-
hibit, abate, suppress, and prevent all things detrimental to the health,
morals, aesthetics, safety, convenience and welfare of the inhabitants of
the town; and to require all owners or occupants of property having
sidewalks in front thereof to keep the same clean and sanitary, and
free from all weeds, filth, unsightly deposits, ice or snow.

Sixteenth. The council may, in its discretion, appoint a board of
health for the town and invest it with authority for the prompt and
efficient performance of its duties.

Seventeenth. To inspect, test, measure, and weigh any commodity
or article of consumption for use within the town, and to establish,
regulate, license, and inspect weights, meters, measures and scales.

Eighteenth. To extinguish and prevent fires, and to establish, regu-
late and control a fire department or division; to regulate the size,

heights, materials and construction of buildings, fences, walls, retain-
ing walls and other structures hereafter erected in such manner as the
public safety and conveniences may require; to remove or require to
be removed or reconstructed any building, structure or addition thereto,
which by reason of dilapidation, defect of structure, or other causes,
may have become dangerous to life or property, or which may be
erected contrary to law; to establish and designate from time to time
fire limits, within which limits wooden buildings shall not be constructed,
removed, added to, enlarged, or repaired, and to direct any or all future
buildings within such limits shall be constructed of stone, natural or
artificial, concrete, brick, iron or other fireproof material; and may
enact stringent and efficient laws for securing the safety of persons
from fires in halls and buildings used for public assemblies, entertain-
ments or amusements.

Nineteenth. To charge and to collect fees for permits to use public
facilities and for public service and privileges. The said town shall
have the power and right to charge a different rate for any service
rendered or convenience furnished to citizens without the corporate
limits from the rates charged for similar service to citizens within the
corporate limits.

Twentieth. To prevent any person having no visible means of sup-
port, paupers, and persons who may be dangerous to the peace and
safety of the town, from coming to said town from without the same;
and also to expel therefrom any such person who has been in said
town less than twelve months.

Twenty-one. To provide in or near the town, lands to be used as
burial places for the dead; to improve and care for the same and the
approaches thereto and to charge for and regulate the use of ground
therein; and to provide for the perpetual upkeep and care of any plot
or burial lot therein, the town is authorized to take and receive sums of
money by gift, bequest, or otherwise to be kept invested, and the income
thereof used in and about the perpetual upkeep and care of the said lot or
plot, for which the said donation, gift, or bequest shall have been made.

Twenty-two. To exercise full police powers and establish and main-
tain a department or division of police.

Twenty-three. To restrain and punish drunkards, vagrants and
street beggars; to prevent and quell riots, disturbances and disorderly
assemblages; to suppress houses of ill-fame and gambling houses; to
prevent and punish lewd, indecent and disorderly exhibitions in said
town; and to expel therefrom persons guilty of such conduct who have
not resided therein as much as one year.

Twenty-four. To license and regulate the holding and location of
shows, circuses, public exhibitions, carnivals and similar shows or
fairs, or prohibit the holding of the same or any of them within the
town or within one mile thereof; to require every owner of a motor
vehicle residing in the said town, on a date to be designated by the coun-
cil, to annually register such motor vehicle and obtain a license to operate
the same by making application to the treasurer of said town, or such
other person as may be designated by the council of the town to issue
said license, and to require said owner to pay an annual fee therefor,
to be fixed by the council, but said license shall not exceed the amount
charged by the State on said machine.

Twenty-five. To make and enforce ordinances, not in conflict with
the laws of this State, to regulate, control license and/or tax the manu-
facture, bottling, sale, distribution, transportation, handling, advertis-
ing, possession, dispensing, drinking and use of alcohol, brandy, rum,
whiskey, gin, wine, beer, lager beer, ale, porter, stout, and all liquids,
beverages and articles containing alcohol obtained by distillation, fer-
mentation or otherwise.

Twenty-six. To do all things whatsoever necessary or expedient
and lawful to be done, for promoting or maintaining the general wel-
fare, comfort, education, morals, peace, government, health, trade, com-
merce, or industries of the town; or its inhabitants.

Twenty-seven. To prescribe any penalty for the violation of any
town ordinance, rule, or regulation or of any provision of this charter,
not exceeding five hundred dollars or twelve months’ imprisonment in
jail, or both.

Twenty-eight. To prohibit and punish mischievous, wanton, or
malicious damage to school and public property as well as private prop-
erty.

Twenty-nine. To prohibit and punish minors from frequenting, play-
ing in, or loitering in any public poolroom, billiard parlor, or tenpin
alley, and to punish any proprietor or agent thereof for permitting same.

Thirty. To pass and enforce all by-laws, rules, regulations and
ordinances which it may deem necessary for the good order and govern-
ment of the town, the management of its property, the conduct of its
affairs, the peace, comfort, convenience, order, morals, health and pro-
tection of its citizens or their property, and to do such other things and
pass such other laws as may be necessary or proper to carry into full
effect, all power, authority, capacity, or jurisdiction, which is or shall
be granted to or vested in said town, or in the council or officers thereof,
or which may be necessarily incident to a municipal corporation.

The town of Lawrenceville may maintain a suit to restrain by
injunction the violation of any ordinance, notwithstanding punishment
may be provided for the violation of such ordinance.

4. Administration and government.—The administration and gov-
ernment of the town shall be vested in one principal officer styled the
mayor, and seven councilmen, and a town treasurer. The mayor, treas-
urer, and councilmen shall be electors of said town to be chosen as here-
inafter provided, from the residents and electors of the town, and whose
qualifications to hold offices, respectively, shall be the same as required
of persons to vote and hold office under the Constitution and laws of

he State of Virginia. The mayor and councilmen shall constitute the
ouncil of said town. A vacancy in the office of mayor or treasurer
hall be filled within thirty days by the council, either from their own
ody, or, from the electors of the town, for the unexpired term, by
majority vote of the remaining members thereof.

5. The mayor, treasurer, and councilmen in office at the time of
he passage of this act shall continue in office until the first day of
September, nineteen hundred and thirty-four, or until their successors
re elected and qualified. The election for mayor and councilmen shall
ye held on the second Tuesday in June, nineteen hundred and thirty-
‘our, and every second year thereafter and the mayor, treasurer, and
councilmen elected under this act shall enter upon the duties of their
-espective offices the first day of September succeeding their election.

6. Town officers.—The officers of the said town, in addition to
the mayor, treasurer, and councilmen, shall be a clerk, a sergeant, a
Jeputy sergeant, who shall be electors of the town; the council may
by ordinance, provide for such other officers, agents, and employees
1s may be deemed appropriate by it, prescribe their duties, fix their
compensation, and provide for official bonds with surety thereon in
proper amounts. The clerk, sergeant, and deputy sergeant shall be
elected by the council for a term of two years coincident with that of the
council. The office of treasurer and clerk may be filled by the same
person. ,

7. Salaries.—The council shall fix the salary of the mayor, treas-
urer, clerk, sergeant, deputy sergeant, and such other officers, agents
and employees as it may deem appropriate at its first meeting in Septem.
ber, which salary shall be for a period of one year, and shall not be
increased or diminished during that period of time.

8. Meetings of council—The council shall by ordinance adop
such rules as it may deem proper for the regulation of its proceed.
ings and by a three-fourths vote of the whole council may expel <
member for good cause. A majority of the council shall constitute
quorum for the transaction of business, but no ordinance or resolutiot
shall be adopted having for its object the levying of taxes or con
tracting a debt except by a vote of two-thirds of the council. Th
mayor shall preside at all meetings of the council, and in the absence o
inability of the mayor, the president of the council shall preside ove
said meeting, which officer shall be the oldest member of the counc!
in point of service. The mayor or presiding officer shall be entitle
to vote on all questions coming before the council, but shall have n
power of veto.

9, All meetings of the council shall be public, unless the counc
by a recorded affirmative vote of two-thirds of its members sha
declare that the public welfare demands an executive session of tk
council; any citizen may have access to the minutes and records of th
council at any reasonable times.

10. The mayor.—The mayor shall preside at the meetings of the
council and perform such other duties consistent with his office as
may be imposed by the council; he shall have and exercise all powet
and authority conferred by general law on mayors of towns not in-
consistent with this charter; he shall be the official head of the town.
In times of public danger or emergency, he may take command of the
police and maintain order and enforce the laws and for this purpose
may deputize such assistant policemen as may be necessary. During
his absence or disability his duties shall be performed by another mem-
ber elected by the council. He shall authenticate by his signature such
documents and instruments as the council, this charter, or the laws of
this State require.

11. The treasurer—The town treasurer shall be the disbursing
agent of the town and have the custody of all monies and all evidences
of value belonging to the town or held in trust by the town. He shall
receive all money belonging to and received by the town and keep a
correct account of all receipts from all sources and expenditures of all
departments. He shall collect all taxes and assessments, water rents
and other charges belonging to, and payable to, the town and for that
purpose he is hereby vested with powers similar to those which are
now or may hereafter be vested in county and State treasurers for the
collection of county, city and State taxes under the general law; he
shall keep and disburse all monies or funds in such manner and in such
places as may be determined by ordinance or the provisions of law
applicable thereto. He shall pay no money out of the treasury except
in the manner prescribed by ordinance or the general law; he shall
perform such duties as are usually incident to the office of commissioner
of revenue in relation to the assessment of property for town taxation
and the town license taxes and shall have power to administer oaths
in the performance of his official duties; and shall make such reports
and perform such other duties not inconsistent with the office as may
be required by the mayor or by ordinance or resolution of the council.
The treasurer shall not be entitled to any commission for handling the
funds of the town but shall be paid such salary as may be provided
by the council, and before entering upon the duties of his office shall
execute a bond in such amount and with such security as the council
by ordinance may prescribe. The town council may, in its discretion,
and if it deems it necessary or convenient, appoint some person or
persons from the electors of the town to assist the town treasurer in
the collection of all taxes and assessments, water rents, and other
charges belonging to and payable to the town, which person may be
the town sergeant, or superintendent of water works, but before enter-
ing upon the discharge of duties, such person shall execute a bond in
such amount and with such security as the council, by ordinance, may
prescribe.

12. The town clerk—The town clerk shall be the clerk of the
council, shall attend all meetings thereof and shall keep a record of its
proceedings. He shall keep all papers, documents and records pertain-
ing to the town, the custody of which is not otherwise provided for.
He shall be custodian of the town seal and shall affix it to all docu-
ments and instruments requiring the seal and shall attest the same,
and shall perform such other duties as are required by general law or
by the council by ordinance or resolution.

13. The town sergeant.—The town sergeant shall have the same
powers and discharge the same duties as a constable within the cor-
porate limits of the town and to a distance of one mile beyond the
same; he shall perform such duties as may be required of town ser-
geants by the general law, and such other duties not inconsistent there-
with as may be required of him by ordinance or resolution of the
council.

14. Police justice—The council may by ordinance create the office
of police justice for the town and such police justice may be granted
jurisdiction and powers similar to the jurisdiction and powers of police
justices in cities of this State. The term of office of such police justice
shall not be for a term extending beyond that of the council by which
he may be appointed.

15. License taxes——License taxes may be imposed by ordinance on
business, trades, professions and callings and upon the persons, firms,
associations and corporations engaged therein, except in cases where
taxation by the localities is now or may hereafter be prohibited by the
general law of the State.

For every town license issued under this charter, there shall be
charged a fee to be prescribed by ordinance, not in excess of seventy-
five cents, and for transferring a license the fee shall be fifty cents,
such fees to be paid by the person obtaining the license or transfer,
and the license or transfer may be withheld until the fees are paid
into the town treasury for town purposes.

16. Fees——The council may by ordinance provide that all fees col-
lected by the officers of the town shall be paid into the general fund
of the town treasury, and that such officers receiving such fees shall
be paid a salary, which salary is to be in lieu and stead of all fees.

17. Capitation tax.—In addition to the general power of taxation
herein granted, the council may impose a tax of not exceeding one
dollar per annum upon all residents of the town who have attained the
age of twenty-one years, except such persons as may be exempt by law.

18. Tax lien on real estate——A lien shall exist on all real estate
within the corporate limits for taxes, levies and assessments in favor
of the town assessed thereon from the commencement of the year for
which the same were assessed and the procedure for collecting said
taxes, for selling real estate for town taxes and for the redemption of
real estate sold for town taxes shall be the same as provided in the

general law of the State to the same extent as if the provisions of said
general law were herein set out at length. The said town and its
treasurer shall have the benefit of all other and additional remedies for
the collection of town taxes which are now or hereafter may be granted
or permitted under the general law.

19, Ordinances to continue in force.—All ordinances now in force
in the town of Lawrenceville, not inconsistent with this charter, shall
be and remain in force until altered, amended or repealed by the council
of said town.

20. Partial invalidity—lI{ any clause, sentence, paragraph, or part
of this act, shall for any reason be adjudged by any court of competent
jurisdiction to be invalid, such judgment shall not affect, impair or in-
validate the remainder of said act, but shall be confined in its operations
to the clause, sentence, paragraph, or part thereof directly involved in
the controversy in which said judgment shall have been rendered.

21. Repealing clause—AII acts and parts of acts in conflict with this
charter, in so far as they affect the provisions of this charter, and all
former charters and amendments thereto for the town of Lawrence-
ville, are hereby repealed.

22. Validation of contracts.—All contracts and obligations hereto-
fore or hereafter made by the present council and government of the
town of Lawrenceville while in office, not inconsistent with this char-
ter or the Constitution and general laws of this State, shall be, and are
hereby declared to be valid and legal.

2. An emergency existing, this act shall be in force from its passage.