CHAP. 362.--An ACT to provide a new charter for the town of Parksley, in the county of Accomac, and to repeal an act entitled an act to incorporate and provide a charter for the town of Parksley, Virginia, Approved March 12, 1904.
1. Be it enacted by the general assembly of Virginia, That the territory in Accomac county contained within the following boundaries: commencing at the intersection of Willis street, if produced or extended westwardly, with the line between the land of the Parksley Land and Improvement Company
and the Stran farm, thence, northwardly at a right angle with said street on a straight line running to the stream of Katy Young's Branch; thence eastwardly, following said stream running to the county road leading from the town of Parksley to Rue post-office; thence southwardly following said road running to the county road leading from Parksley to the county almshouse; and thence southwardly in the same course running to Willis street, if produced or extended eastwardly; and thence westwardly following said Willis street, if produced or extended, as aforesaid running to the point of beginning, shall constitute an incorporated community and town by the name of the town of Parksley, and that the same shall have and exercise the powers con-ferred on towns of less than five thousand inhabitants, by law, and be subjected to all the provisions of all laws now in force, or which may hereafter be enacted with reference to the government of towns of less than five thousand inhabitants.
2. The officers of said town shall consist of a mayor, six councilmen, a town clerk, a sergeant, who shall be ex-officio treasurer, all of whose compensation shall be fixed by the council; the mayor shall by virtue of his office possess all the powers and authority and jurisdiction of a justice of the peace of Accomac county.
3. Until an election is held as hereinafter provided for, John D. Johnson shall be mayor; George W. Gillespie, Oscar L. Ewell, Doctor Ira Hurst, Roy D. White, L. C. Gordy and Sylvanus W. Parks shall be councilmen. The said council shall have power to appoint annually a sergeant and a town clerk and such other officers as may be necessary to conduct the business of the town, and fix their compensation and prescribe their duties, and require such bond as may be deemed proper and sufficient; all of whom shall hold office until a successor is appointed or elected and qualified as such.
4. Should any of the officers herein appointed fail or refuse to accept or refuse to qualify in thirty days after their term of office under this act shall begin, then it shall be the duty of the council to fill all vacancies by appointment.
5. The said council shall have the power to pass all by-laws and ordinances for the proper government of said town, and not in conflict with the Constitution and laws of the State of Virginia or the Constitution and laws of the United States, and shall have all of the powers and privileges and be subjected to all restrictions provided by the general laws of this Commonwealth for the government of towns and the powers of officers of towns.
6. The first election under the charter for election of mayor and councilmen of said town shall be held on the second Tuesday in June, nineteen hundred and sixteen, and every two years thereafter, and their term of office shall commence on the first day of September after their election, and the said election shall be held in accordance with the general laws of the State of Virginia, and any vacancy occurring in said offices shall be filled by the said council.
7. In addition to the powers conferred specifically upon said town, the council shall have power to lay off streets, walks or alleys; alter, improve and light the same, and have them kept in good order; to provide all buildings proper for the use of said town; to provide a prison house; to prevent injury or annoyance from anything dangerous, offensive or unhealthy, and cause any nuisance to be abated; to provide in or near the town water works and places for the interment of the dead, and to make regulations governing the building of houses in said town.
8. The said council shall also have power to impose a specific license tax on all shows, performances and exhibitions which may be given in said town. It shall also have power to impose a specific license tax on all business for which a State license tax is required, provided the same shall not exceed that now imposed by law payable into the State treasury, and to levy annually such taxes as may be deemed necessary on all real and personal property within said town for the purposes of said corporation, provided that said levy shall not exceed fifty cents on the one hundred dollars valuation of property as per State assessment.
9. The sergeant of said town, who shall be ex-officio treasurer as aforesaid, shall collect the licenses and taxes due said town and shall receive therefor in addition to such compensation as may be allowed by said council, a commission of five per centum of all amounts collected by him.
10. That for the purpose of carrying into effect the police regulations of the said town, they shall be allowed the use of the jail of Accomac county for the safe-keeping and confinement of all prisoners who shall be sentenced to imprisonment under the ordinances of said town, and where any judgment shall be rendered against a prisoner for any penalty under any laws of the State of Virginia, or any ordinance of the said town and the same is not immediately paid, the person or persons so in default may be required by order of the mayor or councilmen, who may try such case in the absence of the mayor, so passing sentence, to work out such fines or penalties and costs of prosecutions on the public roads or streets of said town or any other public improvements within said town, at fifty cents per day, under the direction of the sergeant and such other rules and regulations as may be deemed proper by the mayor or council of said town.
11. At the first regular election to be held in said town, to-wit: on the second Tuesday in June, nineteen hundred and sixteen, a vote shall be ordered and taken to determine the sense of the qualified voters in said town as to the final adoption of this act, said election shall be held in accordance with the provisions of the general election laws of this State, except that the tickets provided shall be separate from those provided for the election of the officers and shall have written or printed thereon, "For Incorporation" "Against Incorporation." And if it shall appear from the abstract and returns of such election that a majority of the votes so cast are in favor of incorporation of said town, then this act shall continue in full force and effect, but in the event a majority of such votes shall be cast against incorporation, then the provision of this act shall not be in force on and after the first day of August, nineteen hundred and sixteen; and the recorder of said town shall in such case certify the same to the judge of the circuit court of Accomac county, and the force and effect of this act shall thereafter cease and determine.
12. That an act entitled an act to incorporate and provide a charter for the town of Parksley, Virginia, approved March twelfth, nineteen hundred and four, be and the same hereby is repealed.
13. To improve the sanitary conditions and secure police protection at once, an emergency is declared to exist and this act shall take effect and be in force from its passage.