CHAPTER 524

An Act to amend and reenact § 15-891.8 of the Code of Virginia, relating
to regional planning and economic development commissions, and

funds and personnel in connection therewith.
[H 514]

Approved March 31, 1960

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1. That § 15-891.8 of the Code of Virginia be amended and reenacted
as follows:

§ 15-891.8. The proportion of the expenditures of the regional plan-
ning and economic development commission to be borne respectively by
the municipalities and counties cooperating shall be such as determined
and agreed upon by the cooperating governing bodies who are authorized
to appropriate to the regional planning and economic development com-
mission their respective shares of the expenditures * for meeting the
expenditures. In addition to such appropriations to it, any such commis-
sion shall be authorized to accept funds for such purposes directly from
the government of the United States, or agencies thereof, or other public
or semipublic agencies, or other agencies or private individuals. Within
the amounts thus agreed upon and duly appropriated, or accepted, any
such regional planning and economic development commission is empow-
ered to expend the money so appropriated or accepted and to appoint such
employees and staff as it deems necessary for its work. In order to encour-
age the employment of a suitable and properly qualified staff to assist
regional planning and economic development commissions, the Governor,
in his discretion, is hereby authorized to make available to each regional
planning and economic development commission from monies not other-
wise appropriated or from funds available to the Governor a sum not to
exceed one-half the cost of salaries and operation of such staff and in
no case to exceed five thousand dollars to any one commission annually;
such funds may be made available by the Governor upon formal applica-
tion from a duly constituted regional planning and economic development
commission provided the composition of the region and the program of
activities to be undertaken are approved by the Commissioner, Division of
Planning and Economic Development, Department of Conservation and
Development and the personnel they propose to appoint have capabilities
and experience acceptable to the Commissioner, Division of Planning and
Economic Development.