CHAPTER 462

An Act to amend and reenact §§ 5 and 6 of Chapter 698 of the Acts of
Assembly of 1954, known as the “Chesapeake Bay Ferry Revenue
Bond Act”, by enlarging the boundaries of the Chesapeake Bay Ferry
District and by increasing the membership of the Chesapeake Bay
Ferry Commission, and redefining the incidental powers of the Com-

mission.
(S 164]
Approved March 30, 1956

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1. That is 5 and 6 of Chapter 693 of the Acts of Assembly of 1954,
known as the “Chesapeake Bay Ferry Revenue Bond Act”, be amended and
reenacted as follows:

§ 5. Chesapeake Bay Ferry District—A political subdivision of the
State of Virginia to be known as the “Chesapeake Bay Ferry District” is
hereby created. The district shall comprise the area now included in the
boundaries of Accomack *, Princess Anne and Norfolk Counties, North-
hampton County, including the town of Cape Charles, and within the
corporate limits of the cities of Virginia Beach, Hampton, Newport News,
South Norfolk, Warwick *, Norfolk and Portsmouth, Virginia, and the
area of Chesapeake Bay between these political subdivisions, and by the
name Chesapeake Bay Ferry District may sue and be sued, and by and
through the Chesapeake Bay Ferry Commission hereinafter created as
the governing board thereof, the district may plead and be impleaded,
and contract with, individuals, partnerships, associations, private corpora-
tions, municipal corporations, political subdivisions of the State of Vir-
ginia, and the federal government or any agency thereof having any interest
or title in and to property, rights, easements or franchises authorized to
be acquired by this act.

§ 6. Chesapeake Bay Ferry Commission.—A Commission, to be
known as the “Chesapeake Bay Ferry Commission’, is hereby created as
the governing board of the Chesapeake Bay Ferry District created by this
act. The Commission shall consist of * eleven members, * including a
member of the State Highway Commission appointed by the Governor
for a term of five years and ten members who shall be appointed as
follows: One member from each of the counties of Accomack and North-
hampton and one additional member from either the county of Accomack
or the county of Northampton, who shall be appointed by the Judge of
the Circuit Courts for the aforesaid counties; one member from the county
of Princess Anne or the city of Virginia Beach, who shall be appointed by
the Judge of the Circuit Court of the county of Princess Anne; one member
from the county of Norfolk or the city of South Norfolk who shall be
appointed by the Judge of the Circuit Court of the county of Norfolk; one
member from each the city of Hampton and the city of Warwick, to
be appointed by the Judges of the respective Circuit Courts of the said
cities of Hampton and Warwick; one member from the city of Newport
News, who shall be appointed by the Judge of the Corporation Court of
the said city of Newport News; * one member from the city of Norfolk
who shall be appointed by the Judge of the Corporation Court of the city
of Norfolk; and one member from the city of Portsmouth who shall be
appointed by the Judge of The Court of Hustings for the City of Ports-
mouth. The members of said Commission appointed under the provisions
of this section shall be residents of the counties or cities from which they
are appointed and may be appointed by the respective judges in term time
or vacation.
* The seven members of the Commission from the counties of Acco-
mack, Northampton and Princess Anne and the cities of Hampton, War-
wick, Newport News and Norfolk shall determine by lot the duration of
their respective initial terms of office which shall be for one, two, three,
four, five, six, and seven years, respectively, from May 14, 1954. * The
additional member appointed from either the county of Accomack or the
county of Northampton, the member appointed from the county of Nor-
folk or the city of South Norfolk and the member appointed from the city
of Portsmouth shall serve for terms expiring on May 14, 1957, May 14, 1958
and May 14, 1959, respectively. Thereafter the appointments shall be for
a period of five years, and in the event of a vacancy occurring the court
involved shall fill such vacancy for the unexpired term. Any member of
the Commission shall be eligible for reappointment. The Commission shall
select a chairman annually from its membership. Within thirty days after
the appointment of the original members of the Commission the Com-
mission shall meet on the call of any member and elect one of its members
as chairman and another as vice-chairman, and the Commission shall em-
ploy a secretary and treasurer (who may or may not be a member of the
Commission) and if not a member of the Commission, fix his compensation
and duties. Any member of the Commission may be removed from office
for cause by the court appointing him. Each member of the Commission,
immediately following his appointment, shall take an oath of office, pre-
scribed by § 34 of the Constitution of Virginia, before any judge of any
court of record in this State. No member of the Commission shall receive
any salary but shall be entitled to expenses and the per diem pay allowed
members of the Highway Commission. Six members of the Commission
shall constitute a quorum. The records of the Commission shall be public
records. The Commission is authorized to do all things necessary or inci-
dental to the performance of its duties and the execution of its powers
under this act. The route for any bridge or tunnel or combination thereof,
built by the Commission, shall be selected, subject to the approval of the
State Highway Commission.

Notwithstanding any provisions of this Chapter, the present member-
ship of the Commission, as of March 6, 1956, shall not be enlarged before
and until July 1, 1957.