CHAPTER 15

An Act to amend and reenact § 46-284 of the Code of Virginia, relating
to certain signals required to be given by persons operating motor
vehicles on starting, stopping or turning.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1. That § 46-234 of the Code of Virginia be amended and reenacted
as follows:

§ 46-234. The signal required in the preceding section shall be
given by means of the hand and arm or by some mechanical or electrical
device approved by the Superintendent, in the manner herein specified.
Whenever the signal is given by means of the hand and arm, the driver
shall indicate his intention to start, stop, turn or partly turn by extending
the hand and arm from and beyond the left side of the vehicle, in the
manner following: :

(1) For left turn or to pull to the left, the arm shall be extended in
a horizontal -position straight from the level with the shoulder;

(2) For right turn or to pull to the right, the arm shall be extended
upward;

a” For slowing down or to stop, the arm shall be extended down-
ward.

Wherever the lawful speed is more than thirty-five miles per hour
such signals shall be given continuously for a distance of at least one
hundred feet, and in all other cases at least fifty feet, before slowing
down, stopping, turning, partly turning or materially altering the course
of the vehicle.

CHAPTER 15
GENERAL PROVISIONS

§ 15.01. Lands Open to Public Use—When Same Become Public
Ways.—Whenever any street, alley, or lane in said city shall be opened
to and used as such by the public for the period of five years; unless notice
of the contrary intention on the part of the land owner be given to the
mayor of the city, the same shall thereby become a street, alley, or lane
for public purposes, and the council shall have the same authority and
jurisdiction over the rights and interests therein as they have by law over
the other streets, alleys, and lanes laid out by them; and any street or
alley reserved in the divisions or subdivisions into lots of any portion of
the territory within the corporate limits of said city by a plat or plan of
record shall be deemed and held to be dedicated to public use and upon
a petition of a majority of the persons interested therein the council
shall have power to open the same for the use of the public.

§ 15.02. Inapplicable Statute.—The provisions of Code 1950, § 15-107
shall not apply to the city of Covington; and nothing contained in said
section shall be held or construed to qualify or limit in any respect the
rights and powers to levy and collect taxes of any kind or on any subject
conferred upon the city by this charter or by the other provisions of the
general law of the Commonwealth.

15.08. Contractual Relationships.—The city of Covington or the
school board thereof may, at the option of the council, or school board
enter into contractual relationships with the Commonwealth and/or its
departments, bureaus, boards and agencies, neighboring political subdivi-
sions, and private agencies for the performance of any part of or all of
the functions, or purposes of the city, or school board, on such terms and
for such periods as the council or school board may determine to be in
the public interest, where such contractual relations are not specifically
prohibited by the Constitution and general laws of the Commonwealth.

§ 15.04. Residence of Employees.—Except as otherwise provided in
this charter, the council shall have the power to provide by ordinance from
time to time whether the regular, permanent officers and employees of
the city, or any of them, shall reside within the city during their continu-
ance in such office or employment.

§ 15.05. Present Ordinances and Rules and Regulations Continued
in Effect.—All ordinances and resolutions of the city and all rules, regula-
tions and orders legally made by any department, board, commission or
officer of the city, in force at the effective date of this charter, insofar as
they or any portion thereof are not inconsistent therewith, shall remain
in force until amended or repealed.

§ 15.06. Continuance of Officials and Officers——Except where this
charter may otherwise provide, all officials and officers of the city holding
office immediately prior to the effective date of this charter, whether such
office be elective or appointive, shall continue in such office until the
expiration of their respective current term of office or until their suc-
cessors shall have been elected or appointed and qualified or until such
office may be lawfully terminated.

§ 15.07. Continuance of Internal Organization of the City.—Except
where this charter may otherwise provide, the several departments, com-
missions, boards and other administrative units of the city functioning
at the effective date of this charter are hereby continued until otherwise
provided by ordinance.

§ 15.08. Continuance of Contracts.—All contracts entered into by
the city or for its benefit prior to the taking effect of this charter shall
continue in full force and effect. All public works begun prior to the
taking effect of this charter shall be continued and completed hereunder.
Public improvements for which legislative steps shall have been taken
under laws in force at the time this charter takes effect may be carried
to completion in accordance with the provisions of such laws.

§ 15.09. Partial Invalidity.—If any clause, sentence, paragraph, or
part of this charter shall for any reason be adjudged by any court of com-
petent jurisdiction to be invalid, such judgment shall not affect, impair or
invalidate the remainder of said charter, but shall be confined in its
operations to the clause, sentence, paragraph, or part thereof directly in-
volved in the controversy in which such judgment shall have been ren-
dered.

§ 15.10.—The provisions of Code §§ 15-83 to 15-89 inclusive, Code
§§ 15-93 to 15-97 inclusive, Code §§ 15-99 to 15-106 inclusive, and Code
§ 15-109 shall apply to and govern so far as applicable, any matters or
questions which have arisen from the transition of the town of Coving-
ton to the city of Covington; and the terms city or city of the second
class as used in said provisions of the Code shall be taken to mean and
include the city of Covington.

2. Chapter 467 of the Acts of Assembly of 1901-2, approved April 2,
1902, and all amendments thereof, is hereby repealed.
3. An emergency exists and this act is in force from its passage.

CHAPTER 15
Treasurer and Commissioner of Revenue

15.01.—Election ; Vacancies.

At the general election to be held on the first Tuesday following the
first Monday in November in the year 1957, and on the said date every four
years thereafter, there shall be elected by the qualified voters of the City
a commissioner of revenue and a city treasurer. Such officers to be nomi-
nated as provided in the general laws of the Commonwealth. In case of
@ vacancy in the office of commissioner of revenue or city treasurer the
council, by a majority vote, shall select a qualified person, who must be an
elector of the City, to fill the office in which such vacancy occurs for the
unexpired term.

15.02.—Duties of Commissioner of Revenue.

The commissioner of revenue shall perform such duties not incon-
sistent with the laws of the Commonwealth in relation to the assessment
of property and licenses as may be required by the council for the purpose
of levying City taxes and licenses. He shall have power to administer such
oaths as may be required by the council in the assessment of licenses taxes
or other taxes for the City. He shall make such reports in regard to the
assessment of both property and licenses, or either, as may be required by
the council or by the director of finance. He shall perform such other
duties as may be required of him by the council.

15.03.—Duties of Treasurer.

The City treasurer shall collect and receive, all money due the City by
the State and all taxes and levies due the state and collected within the City,
and shall disburse same as provided by the general laws of the Common-
wealth relating to City treasurers.