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Charters

Charters
12/4/2024

Ashland, Town of

County of Hanover

History of incorporation

Incorporated 1858.

Charter, 1858, c. 304; repealed 1893-94, c. 278.

Charter, 1893-94, c. 278; repealed 1952, c. 556.

Charter, 1952, c. 556; repealed, 1980, c. 579.

Current charter

Charter, 1980, c. 579

Amendments to current charter

1996, c. 565 (§§ 1.2, 4.5 [repealed])

Chapter 1. Incorporation and Boundaries.

§ 1.1. Incorporation.

The inhabitants of the territory embraced within the present limits of the town of Ashland, Hanover County, Virginia, as hereinafter defined, or as the same hereafter may be altered or established by law, shall constitute and continue a body politic and corporate, to be known and designated as the town of Ashland, and as such shall have perpetual succession, may sue and be sued, plead and be impleaded, contract and be contracted with, and may have a corporate seal which it may alter, renew, or amend at its pleasure. (1980, c. 579)

§ 1.2. Boundaries.

The boundaries of the town shall be as established by the General Assembly, Acts of Assembly, 1893-1894, and by order of the Circuit Court of Hanover County, Virginia, entered at the May 1932 term in Chancery Order Book No. 20, page 8 and described in such court order and as enlarged by an annexation order entered July 26, 1976, and filed in Chancery Order Book No. 47, page 462 in the clerk's office of the Circuit Court of Hanover County, Virginia, and further shown in Plat Book 31, page 40 in such clerk's office, and as enlarged by an annexation order entered November 30, 1995, and filed in Deed Book 1157, page 191 in the clerk's office of the Circuit Court of Hanover County, Virginia, which are made a part hereof and are incorporated herein by reference. (1980, c. 579; 1996, c. 565)

Chapter 2. Powers.

§ 2.1. The town of Ashland shall have all powers that are conferred upon towns under the Constitution of Virginia and other laws of the Commonwealth. All powers set forth in Chapter 18 of Title 15.1 of the Code of Virginia (§ 15.1-837 et seq.), as may be amended from time to time, are hereby specifically conferred upon the town of Ashland. (1980, c. 579)

Chapter 3. Governing Body.

§ 3.1. Council.

A. The town of Ashland shall be governed by a town council, composed of five members, elected at large.

B. The members of council in office at the time of the passage of this act shall continue until the expiration of the terms for which they were elected, or until their successors are duly elected and qualified.

C. In each even-numbered year, on the date specified by general law for municipal elections, a number of councilmen equal to the number of terms expiring during that year—that is, three in years divisible by four and two in other even-numbered years—shall be elected for terms of four years each. Persons so elected shall qualify and take office on the first day of July following their election. They shall continue to serve until their successors are duly elected, qualify and assume office.

D. Any person qualified to vote in the town shall be eligible for the office of councilman.

E. Vacancies on the council shall be filled for the unexpired term by a majority vote of the remaining members of the council from the electors of the town. (1980, c. 579)

§ 3.2. Mayor and vice-mayor.

A. At its first meeting in July, the council shall elect from among its membership a mayor and a vice-mayor, each for terms of two years.

B. The mayor shall preside at the meeting of the council and shall be recognized as head of the town government for ceremonial purposes and by the Governor for purposes of military law. He shall have a vote as a member of council but shall have no veto power. He shall perform such other duties as may be given him by council not inconsistent with the Constitution of Virginia, general laws of the Commonwealth, or this charter.

C. The vice-mayor shall perform the duties of the mayor whenever the mayor is absent or unable to perform such duties.

D. The positions of mayor and vice-mayor shall be treated as additional duties of members of council and shall not be considered a separate office for purposes of Section 6 of Article VII of the Constitution of Virginia or for any other purpose. (1980, c. 579)

§ 3.3. Powers of council.

In addition to exercising the powers of the town specified in Chapter 2 of this charter, the council shall have the power to make such rules as are necessary for the orderly conduct of its business and for the administration of the town government not inconsistent with the laws of Virginia. (1980, c. 579)

Chapter 4. Miscellaneous.

§ 4.1. Fiscal year.

The fiscal year of the town shall begin on July one of each year and end on June thirty of the following year. (1980, c. 579)

§ 4.2. Ordinances continuing.

All ordinances now in force in the town of Ashland, not inconsistent with this charter, shall remain in force until altered, amended or repealed by the council. (1980, c. 579)

§ 4.3. Legislative procedure.

Except in dealing with parliamentary procedure, the council shall act only by ordinance or resolution, and with the exception of ordinances making appropriations, or authorizing the contracting of indebtedness, shall be confined to one general subject. (1980, c. 579)

§ 4.4. Town officers.

A. At its organizational meetings held in each even-numbered year, as referred to in § 3.2 A. of this charter, the council shall appoint a town manager who shall serve as the chief administrative officer of the town.

B. The council may, in its discretion, provide for a town attorney, town clerk, town treasurer, chief of police and such other town officers as it deems appropriate. It shall specify which officers shall be appointed by the council and which ones shall be appointed by the town manager. The council shall further provide the terms of each office or whether the officers shall serve at the pleasure of the appointing authority.

C. Each officer shall have such duties not inconsistent with the Constitution, general laws of the Commonwealth or this charter, and shall be paid such compensation as the council may determine.

D. Except for the members of the council, the same person may be appointed to more than one office.

E. In accordance with the provisions of § 15.1-796 of the Code of Virginia, there shall not be created in the town the office of town sergeant. (1980, c. 579)

§ 4.5. (1980, c. 579; repealed 1996, c. 565)