Chap. 73.—An ACT to amend and re-enact Section 655, as heretofore amended, of
the Code of Virginia, relating to organization and meetings of county and city
school boards, and procedure in case of tie votes. [fH B 131]

Approved February 26, 1942

I. Beit enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia, That section
six hundred and fifty-five of the Code of Virginia, as heretofore
amended, be amended and re-enacted, as follows:

Section 655. Meetings of school boards; selection of chairman
and clerk; tie vote—The school board shall meet annually in July at
which time the board shall fix the time for holding regular meetings
for the ensuing year, and may adjourn from day to day, or time to time,
before the time fixed for the next regular meeting, until the business
before it is completed. It may also hold special meetings when neces-
sary, at such time and places as they may find convenient, and shall have
power to adjourn from time to time, as they may deem necessary ; and
at any meeting a majority of the school board shall constitute a quorum.

Special meetings of the school board shall be held when called by
the chairman or requested by two or more members thereof. Each school
board shall fix its own procedure for calling and holding of any special
meeting. Complete and accurate minutes of all meetings shall be kept
and signed by the chairman and clerk.

The business relating to school matters shall be transacted by the
school board at its meetings held as provided by law. At the first annual
meeting of the school board of any county, city or town, as hereinbefore
provided for, it shall elect one of its members chairman and on recom-
mendation of the division superintendent, elect or appoint a competent
person as clerk of the school board, and shall fix his compensation. The
chairman and clerk shall be selected annually. The division superinten-
dent shall be present at all meetings of the school board, except on
affirmative vote of a majority of members of the board, his attendance
may be dispensed with at a special meeting of the board, except when
matters pertaining to the division superintendent personally are ‘under
discussion, at which time he shall remain subject to the call of the board.
In any case in which there shall be a tie vote of the board upon any ques-
tion, or if such tie vote occur at a meeting when all the members are not
present, the proceedings thereon shall be in conformity with the pro-
ceedings prescribed by section twenty-seven hundred and seventeen in
case of a tie vote of the board of supervisors, and the commissioner in
chancery appointed under the provisions of section twenty-seven hun-
dred and eighteen to cast the deciding vote in case of a tie vote of the
board of supervisors, shall be deemed to have been also appointed for the
purpose of casting the deciding vote in case of a tie vote of the school
board and shall be called in by the school board for that purpose.

Nothing in this section shall apply to the election of the division
superintendent of schools of any division in said county or counties, city
or town.