CHAPTER 239

An Act to amend and reenact §§ 12 and 129 of Chapter 84 of the Acts
of Assembly of 1918, approved February 7, 1918, as amended, which
chapter provided a charter and special form of government for the
city of Norfolk, and which sections relate to the meetings of the
council and to the high constable, and to further amend the chapter
by adding thereto a section to be numbered 66(a), which section
relates to the city auditor.

[H 239]

Approved March 8, 1952

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:
1. That §§ 12 and 129 of chapter 34 of the Acts of Assembly of 1918,
approved February 7, 1918, as amended, which chapter provided a charter
and special form of government for the city of Norfolk, be amended and
reenacted, and that the chapter be further amended by adding thereto
a section numbered 66(a), as follows:

§ 12. MEETINGS OF COUNCIL. At eight o’clock P. M. on the
first day of September next following the regular municipal election, or
if such day be Sunday, then on the day following, the council shall meet
at the usual place for holding meetings of the legislative body of the city,
at which time the newly elected councilmen shall assume the duties of
their office. Thereafter the council shall meet at such times as may be
prescribed by ordinance or resolution. * Jt shall hold at least one regular
meeting each week, provided that it may, by the affirmative vote of a
majority of its members, dispense with any of such regular meetings in
the months of July and August of any year. The president of the council,
any member thereof, or the city manager, may call special meetings of
the council at any time upon at least twelve hours’ written notice to each
member, served personally or left at his usual place of business or
residence; or such meeting may be held at any time without notice,
provided all members of the council attend. All meetings of the council
shall be public, and any citizen may have access to the minutes and records
thereof at all reasonable times.

§ 129. HIGH CONSTABLE. The high constable for said city shall
be elected at the time, in the manner and for the term provided in § 11
of this charter. He shall qualify in the corporation court of the city of
Norfolk and shall give bond with surety to be approved by said court in
the penalty of five thousand dollars, payable to the Commonwealth of
Virginia, and conditioned for the faithful performance of his duties, said
bond to be filed in the office of the clerk of said court. * He shall execute
all civil processes, warrants, summonses and notices emanating from or
returnable before the civil justice of the city or emanating from any
justice of the peace of the city or as may otherwise lawfully be directed
to him, and shall have the same powers, duties and authority with respect
to the execution of such civil processes, warrants, summonses and notices
as are now or may hereafter be prescribed by law for the city sergeant
of the city. He shall further have such other powers, duties and authority
as may otherwise be prescribed by law or by the council by ordinance.
He shall charge and collect for services rendered by him and his deputies
the fees and sums now or hereafter prescribed by law for the city sergeant
of the city for like services. The authority hereby conferred shall in no
way limit or prevent the execution or service of any such civil process,
warrant, notice or summons returnable before the civil justice of the city
by the city sergeant, or by any other lawful means. Said high constable
may, with the approval of the council, appoint one or more deputies to
execute the duties of his office; but the surety on the bond of said high
constable shall be equally liable for the acts of the said deputy or deputies
as for those of the principal. The council shall have power to remove the
high constable or any of his deputies for cause and appoint others in
their places. * He shall keep a full, accurate and detailed account of all
such fees and sums and shall pay over to the city treasurer on the first
day of each month all fees and sums collected and received during the
preceding month, accompanied by an itemized statement of such fees and
sums verified by his oath. For his services he shall receive such com-
pensation as the council may by ordinance provide, and the council shall
make provision by ordinance for the necessary and reasonable expense
of conducting his office, including compensation to his deputy or deputies,
which compensation shall be fixed by the council.

§ 66(a). DEPUTIES OF THE CITY AUDITOR. The city auditor
may, by and with the consent of the council, appoint one or more deputies
and such number of assistants as may be provided by ordinance. Any of
a official duties of the city auditor may be performed by any of his

eputies.