University of Virginia Library

CHAPTER I.

THE COUNCIL—ITS POWERS, DUTIES AND PROCEDURE.

Sec. 1. The council—term and compensation.

(a) The Council of the City of Charlottesville shall be composed
of twelve members, three from each of the four Wards of the
city, who shall be residents of their respective Wards and qualified
voters therein, and shall be elected by the qualified voters
of such Wards, and their term of office shall be for four years;
except that all elections to fill vacancies shall be for the unexpired
term. (Code, Sec. 1015a.)

(b) Each member recorded in the minutes as present at the
roll call shall receive $2.50 for each session; payment to be made
by a warrant drawn quarterly on the treasurer of the city by
the auditor, upon a certificate by the clerk of the Council.[1] The
clerk shall note all cases in which a member absents himself
before adjournment and no payment for attendance shall be
made in such cases unless the member has been duly excused
as provided in § 29, clause 5. And provided, further, that in
no case shall a member be allowed pay for more than two meetings
in any one month.

Sec. 2. Oath of office—when taken.

Every Councilman shall, within thirty days after his election,
qualify before the corporation court or the judge thereof in
vacation, by taking the oath as prescribed for all other officers

by the laws of Virginia, a certificate of which shall be filed with
the clerk of the Council; and the clerk shall not enter the name
of any person so elected on the rolls of the Council unless the
provisions of this be complied with.

Sec. 3. Punishment of members.

The Council may, by a majority vote of its whole number,
punish one of its own members for disorderly behavior by
a fine not exceeding $300; and, by a two-thirds vote of its
whole number, expel a member of its own body for malfeasance
or misfeasance in office. Fines imposed under this section shall
be collected in such manner as fines imposed by the Police Justice.
(Code, Sec. 1015g.)

Sec. 4. Vacancies—how filled.

When any vacancy shall occur in the Council by death, resignation,
expulsion, removal from the Ward from which a member
was elected, failure to qualify, or from any other cause, the
Council shall elect a qualified person to supply the vacancy, but
such election shall be for the unexpired term only. (Code,
Sec. 1015e.)

Sec. 5. Disqualification of members for certain offices.

No member of the Council shall be eligible during his tenure
of office, or for one year thereafter, to any office to be filled by
the Council either by election or appointment. (Code, Sec.
1015d.)

Sec. 6. Time of meeting for organization.

The Council shall meet for organization on the first day of
September after their election (unless that day be Sunday, in
in which case they shall meet on the following day) at 8 o'clock
p. m. But in case of unavoidable absence from such meeting
of any member elect, it shall be competent to adjourn said meeting
from time to time, as they shall deem proper.

Sec. 7. Monthly Meetings—how special meetings may be
called.

The Council shall hold its regular meeting in the Council
chamber on the second Thursday of each month, at such hour

as may be agreed upon, provided said day shall not be a legal
holiday, in which event said meeting shall be held on the day
following. Special meetings may be called by the president at
any time, and in the case of his absence, sickness, disability or
refusal to do so, the Council may be convened by the order in
writing of the vice-president; and in case of his absence, disability
or refusal, the Council may be convened by the order
in writing of any three members thereof addressed to the clerk.

Sec. 8. Business at special meetings.

Every summons for a special meeting of the Council shall
contain an explicit notice of the object of such meeting and no
other business shall be transacted at said special meeting.
(Charter, Sec. 33.)

Sec. 9. Quorum—reconsideration of votes.

A majority of the Council shall constitute a quorum for the
transaction of ordinary business, but no vote of a former meeting
shall be reconsidered or rescinded at a special meeting unless
there be then present as many members as were present when
such vote was taken, and two-thirds of all members present vote
in favor thereof. (Code, Sec. 1015h.)

Sec. 10. Absence of quorum—how quorum secured.

If a quorum fail to attend a meeting of the Council within a
half hour after the appointed time for such meeting, those present
may adjourn to such time as they deem proper, after the
names of those present shall have been entered on the journal.

At such meeting, five or more members shall have authority
to compel the attendance of absent members by a process in
writing signed by them and addressed to any policeman, directing
him to summons such absent members to such time and place
to which the meeting shall have been adjourned. Any member
refusing to obey such summons may be fined by a two-thirds
vote of the Council in a sum not less than five dollars nor more
than ten dollars. (Code, Sec. 1015g.)

Sec. 11. Election of president—vice-president—duties of.

The Council shall, at its first meeting in September after the
regular biennial election of Councilmen, or as soon thereafter

as practicable, elect one of its members president—also one as
vice-president—whose terms of office shall be for two years,
except when elected to fill a vacancy, when it shall be for the
unexpired time.

The president shall preside at the meeting of the Council,
and when from any cause he shall be absent, the vice-president
shall preside—and in the absence of both, a president pro tempore
may be elected.

The president, vice-president or president pro tempore who
shall preside when the proceedings of the previous meeting are
read shall sign the same.

He may call any member to the chair, who shall exercise its
functions for the time; and during such substitution he may
participate in the debates.

The vice-president in the absence of the president and while
acting as president, shall be vested with all the rights and duties
of the president. (Code, Sec. 1015f.)

Sec. 12. Standing committees—how appointed—expenditures
of.[2]

The president of the Council shall, within ten days after the
organization of the Council, appoint the following standing committees,
each to consist of three members and to continue for a
term of two years. The president of the Council shall, however,
have authority to change the composition of said committees
during said term in filling vacancies or otherwise as the necessity
arises.

1. A Committee on Finance and Claims—To whom shall be
referred all matters relating to the finances, debts, revenues and
assets of the city and all claims and unsettled demands against
the city.

2. A Committee on Streets and Sanitation—To whom shall
be referred all matters concerning the streets and bridges, and
improvements and expenditures connected therewith, and the
laws and regulations effecting the same, and all matters relating
to the sanitary affairs and condition of the city.

3. A Committee on Water and Sewerage—To whom shall be
referred all matters pertaining to the control and proper management
of the City Water Works and Sewerage System,
pumps, fire plugs, reservoirs, water supply and water rates, and
all rules and regulations, revenues and expenditures connected
therewith.

4. A Committee on Gas and Lights—To whom shall be referred
all matters concerning the Gas Works, and lights of the
city and all rules, regulations, revenues and expenditures connected
therewith.

5. A Committee on Fire Department and Public Safety—To
whom shall be referred all matters relating to the Fire Department
of the city and the public safety.

6. A Committee on Building and Grounds—To whom shall be
referred all matters pertaining to the public grounds and buildings
of the city, and the erection of private buildings within the fire
limits of the city.

7. A Committee on the Poor—To whom shall be referred all
matters concerning the poor of the city.

8. A Committee on Public Schools—To whom shall be referred
all matters concerning the public free schools of the city.

9. A Committee on Ordinances and Rules—To whom all general
ordinances, or amendments thereof, shall be referred for examination
and report before the passage thereof.

10. A Committee on Cemeteries—To whom shall be referred
all matters pertaining to the cemeteries of the city, and the rules
and regulations for the burial of the dead, and all revenues and
expenditures connected therewith.

11. A Committee on Police—To whom shall be referred all
matters pertaining to the police department of the city.

12. A Committee on Health—To whom shall be referred all
matters relating to the health of the city.

The said respective committees, acting together, are hereby authorized
to expend from time to time, out of the appropriations
made to them, sums of money not exceeding one hundred dollars
for work to be done in their respective departments, without special
authority from the Council for such expenditures; but such
expenditures shall be reported to the Council at its next meeting.

The vouchers for expenditures made hereunder, or for expenditures
made by special authority of the Council, shall be approved
by the chairman of the committee in whose department the expenditure
is made.

Sec. 13. Record of proceedings.

The Council shall keep a full and correct journal of the proceedings,
and the meetings shall be in open session, except when,
by a recorded vote of two-thirds of the members present at such
meeting, it shall be declared that the public welfare requires
secrecy, and parliamentary rules shall be enforced, so far as applicable
and when they do not conflict with the rules adopted.

Sec. 14. Rules and procedure.

The Council shall determine the rules of its proceedings, except
so far as the same are determined by the constitution and
laws of the State and charter of the city. (Code, Sec. 1015g.)

Sec. 15. Ordinances and resolutions—how adopted.

Every proposed ordinance or resolution having the effect of an
ordinance, shall be in writing, and after such readings as may be
provided for in the rules of the Council shall be voted on, and if
adopted the clerk shall certify the same to the Mayor for his approval
or disapproval.

Sec. 16. Ordinances—their reference and passage.

No ordinance shall be amended, suspended or repealed, except
by ordinance regularly introduced and passed, unless the whole
section be re-ordained.

Sec. 17. Ordinances appropriating money, imposing taxes,
etc.

(a) Every ordinance or resolution appropriating money exceeding
one hundred dollars, imposing or releasing taxes, or authorizing
the borrowing of money, or creating a debt, or donating
any property of the city, where the value of such property is one
hundred dollars or more, a vote of a majority of all members
elected to the Council shall be necessary, and the yeas and nays
shall be entered on the journal of the Council. (Code, Sec.
1033c.)

(b) No ordinance or resolution appropriating money exceeding
the sum of one thousand dollars, imposing taxes, or authorizing
the borrowing of money, shall be passed by the Council on
the same day of its introduction; nor shall any such ordinance
or resolution be valid unless at least three days intervene between
its introduction and passage. (Code, Sec. 1015h.)

Sec. 18. Ordinances appropriating money for outside
highways.

No ordinance or resolution appropriating money for the purpose
of improving highways and bridges located outside of the
city, shall be passed by the Council except by a recorded affirmative
vote of two-thirds of all members elected to the Council.

Sec. 19. Ordinances creating debts for longer period than
four months.

No debts are to be created by the Council for a longer period
than four months, unless the ordinance creating the same shall
be introduced at a meeting of the Council at least thirty days
before the same is passed; but an amendment to such ordinance
need not lie over for an additional thirty days.

Sec. 20. Additional expenditures beyond annual appropriations.

No money shall be expended on any department of the city
government beyond the amount dedicated to such department in
the general appropriation ordinance for the fiscal year, unless
such expenditure be authorized by the recorded vote of two-thirds
of the entire Council, said expenditure shall be treated as
an additional appropriation to such department.

Sec. 21. Ordinances granting aid to various associations
or objects.

No ordinance or resolution granting aid to military companies
maintained within the city, to associations for the advancement of
agricultural and mechanical arts, to scientific, literary, educational
or benevolent organizations, to public libraries located in or near
the city by appropriations for such purposes, or by exemptions
from municipal taxation, or from charge for use of water or
light furnished by the city, or by the extension of light or water

facilities, either with or without charge, beyond the city limits,
shall be passed except by the vote of two-thirds of all the members
elected to the Council.

Sec. 22. Ordinances increasing indebtedness, etc.—motion
to reconsider.

Upon the announcement by the president of the adoption of
resolutions, or ordinances having for their object the increase of
the indebtedness of the city, or the expenditure of its revenue,
except in the payment of its salaried officers, any two Councilmen
may give notice of a motion to reconsider, which notice shall delay
the question until said reconsideration can be acted upon at the
next regular meeting.

Sec. 23. Disposition of public property and franchises.

a. No ordinance or resolution granting, leasing, selling, or
otherwise disposing of any public property or franchise (except
the rights of the city in its gas, water, electric works and
sewer system, now owned or hereafter acquired, as provided
in clause "b" of this section), shall be valid unless passed by
a recorded affirmative vote of three-fourths of all the members
elected to the council. In case of the veto by the Mayor of
such an ordinance or resolution, it shall require a recorded affirmative
vote of three-fourths of all the members elected to the
council to pass such ordinance or resolution over the veto. (Code,
Sec. 1033e.)

b. The rights of the city in its gas, water, electric works and
sewer system, now owned or hereafter acquired, shall not be
sold even after such action of the Council as is prescribed in
clause "a" of this section, until and except such sale shall have
been approved by a majority of the qualified voters of the city,
voting on the question at a special election ordered by the Council,
and subject in other respects to the provisions of section 25
of the Charter applicable to a special election. (Charter, Sec. 26.)

Sec. 24. Ordinances or resolutions—action by mayor.

Every ordinance or resolution having the effect of an ordinance,
passed by the Council, shall be presented to the Mayor
for his approval or disapproval. If he approve the same, he
shall sign it; and such ordinance or resolution shall become operative

from the time of such approval, unless it shall be otherwise
provided in the ordinance or resolution.

If the Mayor do not approve and sign any ordinance or resolution,
and shall not return the same to the Council, with his
objections thereto, within five days (Sundays excepted) after it
shall have been presented to him, it shall become operative in
like manner as if he had signed it, unless his term of office, or
that of the Council, shall expire within the said five days. (Code,
Sec. 1033c.)

Sec. 25. Ordinances—proceedings upon veto by mayor.

If the Mayor shall disapprove any ordinance or resolution, or
any item or items of an appropriation, ordinance or resolution,
presented to him for his approval or disapproval, he may return
it, with his objections in writing to the clerk of the Council.
The Council shall have the objections entered at length on
the journal, and proceed to reconsider such ordinance or resolution
or such item or items. If two-thirds of all the members
elected to the Council shall agree to pass such ordinance or resolution,
such item or items, the same shall become operative,
notwithstanding the objections of the Mayor. Otherwise, such
ordinance or resolution, or such item or items, shall be of no
effect. The vote of the Council shall be determined by yeas and
nays; and the names of all the members voting for or against
the ordinance or resolution, or the item or items objected to,
shall be entered on the journal. (Code, Sec. 1033c.)

Any ordinance, resolution or appropriation passed by the
Council and vetoed by the Mayor, shall be sent to the clerk of
the Council who shall immediately notify the president of the
Council, and in case of veto of an appropriation shall also notify
the chairman of the committee for whose department the
appropriation was made.

Sec 26. Members failing to vote—disqualifications for
voting.

A member who is present and fails to vote when the yeas and
nays are taken, shall be entered on the journal as present and
not announcing his vote; but no member who has an immediate,
personal or pecuniary interest in the result of the question shall
either vote or be counted upon it.

Sec. 27. Elections by council.

At all elections by the Council the voting shall be viva voce,
and each member shall be entitled to one vote, and only one
person shall be elected at a time. If, on any vote, no one receives
a majority of all the votes, the name of the person receiving
the smallest number of votes shall be dropped, and shall
not again be put in nomination until a vote intervenes. (Constitution,
Sec. 27.)

At each election the roll shall be called by the clerk in alphabetical
order, and each member shall vote when his name is
called, unless excused.

Sec. 28. Witness before council and committee—how attendance
secured.

The Council or any committee thereof when specially authorized
thereto, the Board of Police Commissioners and the
Board of Fire Commissioners, if there be such boards, shall have
the power to require the attendance of any person as a witness,
and the production by any person of all proper books and
papers when, in the investigation by such a body, such attendance
and evidence is necessary and proper.

Summons to attend as a witness or to produce books or
papers shall be in writing, signed by the presiding officer of
the body issuing the same, and shall be served by the Chief of
Police or a member of the force, in the same manner as a process
to commence an action at law is served; such witnesses shall
be sworn by the officer presiding at such investigation, and shall
be liable to the penalties for perjury or false testimony given
at such investigation. Any person failing or refusing to obey
such summons, or refusing to testify or to produce such books
or papers, may be summoned before the Mayor (or Police Justice)
of the city, and, upon failure to give a satisfactory excuse,
shall be fined in a sum not less than ten dollars nor more than
one hundred dollars, or imprisoned for a period of time not
exceeding thirty days. A person found guilty under this section
shall have the right of appeal, as in case of misdemeanor, to
the Corporation Court of the city. (Code, Sec. 1015g.)

Sec. 29. Rules of order by the council.

The rules of order and procedure of the Council, subject to

the right of the body to suspend the same by a two-thirds vote,
shall be as follows:

(1) Parliamentary Rules.—The proceedings of the Council,
except as its own rules may otherwise provide, shall be governed
by Reed's Manual of Parliamentary Rules; and no rule
adopted by the Council shall be suspended without the concurrence
of two-thirds of all the members elected thereto.

(2) The President or Presiding Officer to Enforce Rules,
etc.—The presiding officer shall enforce the rules of the Council,
preserve order and decorum, appoint all committees, not
otherwise provided for, and discharge such other duties as appertain
to his office.

(3) President to Decide Questions of Order.—The president
shall decide questions of order and may, without vacating
his chair, give his reasons for his decisions.

From any decision of the Chair, an appeal may be made to
the Council, the question being, "Shall the decision of the Chair
be sustained as the decision of the Council?"

Upon such appeal, no debate shall be allowed, if it refers
to a question of decorum, but, if it relates to the priority of
business, or to the relevancy, or applicability of propositions,
the appeal may be debated.

(4) President to State Questions of Order and Declare Result
of Votes.—The president shall rise to put a question, but,
may state it sitting. Questions shall be distinctly put in the following
form, namely: "As many as agree that, etc., etc., (as
the case may be) say `aye' " and after the affirmative vote is
given, "Those opposed say `no.' " The president shall declare
all votes and in doubtful cases may direct, or any member may
demand, a division which shall be taken by a rising vote or poll.

(5) Members Not to Withdraw without Leave.—After a
member, at any meeting, has been recorded as present, he
shall not, without unanimous permission of the Council, absent
himself from such meeting until its adjournment.

(6) Members—Conduct in Addressing the Body.—Every
member, before speaking to a question, offering a resolution,
petition, or other communication, shall first rise from his seat
and respectfully address the presiding officer as, "Mr. President,"

who shall pronounce his name. He shall confine himself
to the question before the Council, avoid all personal, or indecorous
language, and resume his seat when he has finished. No
discussion of a sectarian, or political nature shall be allowed.
No member shall interrupt another while speaking, except to
rise to a point of order, the point to be briefly stated to the presiding
officer.

(7) Members—Order of Recognition by the President.—
When two or more members rise at the same time, the president
shall name the one to speak; but in all cases, the member first
rising and addressing the Chair shall speak first.

(8) Members—Number and Length of Speeches.—No member
shall speak more than once on the same question until every
member choosing to speak shall have done so, nor more than
twice, nor for a longer time than fifteen minutes on any question
without the permission of the Council.

(9) Members—How Called to Order.—If in speaking any
member transgress the rules of the Council, the President shall,
and any member may, call him to order, in which case he shall
immediately take his seat, unless permitted to explain. If there
be no appeal, the decision of the Chair shall be submitted to.
If the decision be in favor of the member called to order, he
may proceed; if otherwise, he shall not proceed except by leave
of the Council.

(10) Members—Conduct While Sitting.—No member shall,
while the Council is sitting, interrupt or hinder its business by
standing up, moving about, smoking, talking, expressing approval
or disapproval of any of the proceedings, or by any other
conduct tending to disorder or confusion.

(11) Non-Members to Address Council Only by Permission.
—No person who is not a member of the Council shall orally
address it, until leave to do so has been applied for through a
member of the Council and granted by it.

(12) Communications to Be in Writing.—No communication
to the Council shall be entertained unless the same be in writing.

(13) Motions or Propositions to Be in Writing; to Be Stated
before Discussion; When They May Be Withdrawn.—Every
motion or proposition, except such as are subsidiary or incidental,

shall be in writing. When a motion is made and seconded,
it shall be stated by the president before it is debated. A
motion or proposition may be withdrawn by the mover, with
consent of second, at any time before it is decided, amended or
otherwise acted upon by the Council.

(14) Motions—Amendments Must Be Relevant.—No motion,
proposition, or subject different from that under consideration,
shall be admitted under color of amendment.

(15) General Ordinances to Be Read Twice before Passage
—Reading May Be Dispensed with by Majority Vote.—Every
general ordinance shall be read twice before its final passage.
The first reading shall be for information. If objection be made
to the ordinance, the question shall be: "Shall the proposition
be rejected?" If there be no objections, or if on a vote the objections
be not sustained, the ordinance shall stand referred
without debate to the Ordinance Committee, who shall report
on the same at the next regular meeting of the Council, unless
otherwise specially ordered. Upon the report of the Ordinance
Committee and the second reading of the ordinance the question
shall be upon final passage, which must be determined by a
majority vote. Any reading may be dispensed with by a majority
vote.

(16) General Ordinances to Be Referred to Committee and
Go Over to Next Meeting, unless Otherwise Ordered by Two-Thirds.—No
general ordinance shall be enacted, amended or
repealed without being referred to the Ordinance Committee,
nor until the next regular meeting after such ordinance, amendment
or repeal is proposed, except by a vote of two-thirds of
the entire Council.

(17) Ordinances to Be Repealed or Amended Only by Ordinance—Ordinance
to Take Effect from Date, unless Otherwise
Provided.—No ordinance shall be amended or repealed except
by an ordinance, provided that the suspension of rules may
be made by a motion. Every ordinance shall take effect from
the date of its passage unless otherwise provided.

(18) Style of Ordinances and Resolutions.—The style in
which ordinances shall be enacted by the Council shall be as
follows: "Be it ordained by the Council of Charlottesville,"

and that in which resolutions shall be passed shall be "Be it resolved
by the Council of Charlottesville."

(19) Motion—Order of Procedure.—When a question is
under debate no motion shall be entertained unless specially
provided for, except the following, which shall take precedence
in the order given:

1. To Adjourn, to be made without preliminary remarks and
decided without debate.

2. To Lay on the Table, to be decided without debate.

3. For the Previous Question, to be decided without debate.

4. To Postpone, either indefinitely, or to a day or hour certain.

5. To Refer, or Recommit.

6. To Substitute, or Amend.

7. To Adopt, or Approve.

(20) Motion to Adjourn—When in Order.—A motion to
adjourn shall always be in order except when a member has
the floor, when the Council is engaged in voting, when the
previous question has been ordered, or when the motion to adjourn
has been put and lost and no other business has intervened.

Any member who obtains the floor during a debate and submits
no other motion or remark, may move for the previous
question, which motion, if seconded, shall forthwith be put to
the Council. Two-thirds of the members present shall be required
to order the main or previous question.

(21) Previous Question—How Put.—The previous question
shall be in this form: "Shall the main question now be put?"
If carried, its effect shall be to end all debates and bring the
Council to a direct vote upon a motion to commit, if pending;
then upon pending amendments, if any; and then upon the main
question. If the motion for the previous question be not carried,
debate may continue as if the motion had not been made.

(22) Filling Blanks in Certain Ordinances.—In filling blanks
in ordinances or resolutions involving money or time, the question
shall be put first upon the largest sum or longest time.

(23) Majority Vote to Govern unless Otherwise Ordered.—
In all matters pending before the Council, a majority shall govern,
except in cases where it is otherwise specially provided.

(24) Members Not to Vote When Personally or Pecuniarily
Interested—In Other Cases to Vote unless Excused.—No member
having an immediate personal or pecuniary interest in the
result of any question before the Council shall vote thereon. In
all other cases, every member present when a question is put,
shall vote unless excused by the Council.

(25) Yea and Nay Vote.—On the call of any member of the
Council, the vote on any question may be taken by ayes and
nayes, and recorded, provided the demand be made before other
business has been taken up.

(26) Dissent May Be Recorded.—Any member shall have
the liberty to dissent from or protest against any ordinance, resolution
or order of the Council and have the reason of his dissent
entered upon the record.

(27) Motion to Reconsider.—In all cases a motion to reconsider
will be entertained only when made by a member
who voted with the prevailing side. A majority of those present
can reconsider any vote, but the motion to do so shall be
made at the same session of the Council during which such vote
was taken. A motion to reconsider shall have precedence of all
other questions, and when it has once been put and lost, it shall
not be renewed. This rule, however, is subject to section 9,
ante.

(28) When Committees Shall Report, and on What Matter.
—Every committee shall, unless otherwise ordered, report at
the next regular meeting upon the subject matter referred to
it, or show good cause why such report is not made.

(29) Meetings of Committees; How Called; Chairman;
Quorum.—The members of a committee shall meet on the call
of the chairman, who shall be the first named person on the
committee. In the absence of the chairman the person named
second on the committee shall be recognized as the chairman, a
majority shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business.
The standing committees of the Council shall meet at
least once in each month, prior to the regular meeting of the

Council, for the purpose of outlining the work in their respective
departments and for the consideration and preparation of
such matters as may be necessary to present to the Council; and
to this end it shall be competent for the Mayor to convene the
several committees at the city hall.

(30) Reports of Committees to Be in Writing.—The reports
of a committee shall be in writing, signed by at least two members;
and the papers referred, as well as all written opinions in
reference thereto from the City Attorney (or solicitor) shall be
returned with the reports. Nothing in this rule shall be construed
to prevent the return of minority reports.

(31) Quarterly and Annual Report.—All standing committees
of the Council shall make written reports of their respective departments
to the Council quarterly, and an annual report at the
regular meeting in September of each year, and the latter report
shall be for the fiscal year. Such reports, when adopted, shall
be annually published with the reports of the officers of the city.

(32) Claims against City—When They May Be Acted on—
Verification of Application for Remission or Repayment of Fine
or Tax.—No claim against the city shall be acted upon at any
meeting of the Council, except by unanimous consent, unless the
same has been considered and reported on by the Committee on
Finance and Claims. Every application for a remission or repayment
of a fine or tax shall be verified by oath of the applicant,
and, without special order, shall stand referred to the
Committee on Finance and Claims.

(33) Rules for the Construction of Statutes.—The rules for
the "Construction of Statutes," as given in the Code of Virginia,
shall, so far as applicable, govern the construction of these ordinances
and of all other ordinances and resolutions of the
Council.

(34) Calendar of Unfinished Business.—A calendar of all
referred and deferred petitions and communications to the City
Council shall be kept for the use of the president of the Council.

(35) Order of Business.—At every regular meeting of the
Council the order of business shall be as follows:

1. Roll call.

2. Reading of minutes. The journal of the preceding meeting

shall be read, and no objection being made, shall be approved
and signed by the person presiding. Such ordinances as
may have been adopted at the preceding meeting and copied in
the ordinance book shall also be read and no objection being
made, shall be approved and signed by the person presiding.

3. Petitions and communications. Every petition or communication
shall be referred without debate to an appropriate
committee, after their purport has been briefly stated by the
member offering same.

4. Reports and communications from city officers, including
financial statements.

5. Reports of standing committees in their order.

• (a) Finance and Claims.

• (b) Streets and Sanitation.

• (c) Water and Sewers.

• (d) Gas and Light.

• (e) Fire Department.

• (f) Grounds and Buildings.

• (g) Poor.

• (h) Public Schools.

• (i) Ordinances.

• (j) Cemeteries.

• (k) Health.

• (l) Police.

6. Reports of special committees.

7. Ordinances for second reading.

8. Offering of original resolutions, orders and ordinances.

9. Miscellaneous and unfinished business.

The order of business shall not be departed from except by
the consent of a majority of the members of the Council.

(36) Special Order of Business.—When any matter is made
the special order for a future meeting, it shall at such meeting
take priority of all other business except the reading of the
minutes of the last meeting.