Gordonsville, Town of
County of Orange
History of incorporation
Incorporated by an 1870 Act of Assembly.
Charter, 1870, c. 250; repealed 1932, c. 226.
Charter, 1932, c. 226, repealed 1975, c. 346.
Current charter
Charter, 1975, c. 346.
Amendments to current charter
2012, c. 410 (§§ 2, 3, 5)
§ 1. Corporate status and powers.
The inhabitants of the territory comprised within the present limits of the town of Gordonsville or as such limits may be hereafter altered by law shall constitute and continue a body politic and corporate known as the town of Gordonsville and as such shall have and may exercise all powers which are now or hereafter may be conferred upon or delegated to towns under the Constitution and general laws of the Commonwealth of Virginia as fully and completely as though such powers were specifically enumerated herein including, but not limited to, the powers set forth in §§ 15.1-837 through 15.1-907, both inclusive, of the Code of Virginia, as amended, and as in force on January one, nineteen hundred seventy-five are hereby conferred on and vested in the town of Gordonsville. The town shall have, exercise and enjoy all the rights, immunities, powers and privileges and be subject to all the duties and obligations now pertaining to and incumbent on it as a municipal corporation and shall have perpetual succession, may sue and be sued, implead and be impleaded, contract and be contracted with and may have a corporate seal which it may alter at its pleasure by proper ordinance. (1975, c. 346)
§ 2. Corporate limits.
The present corporate limits of the town of Gordonsville are hereby reestablished in accordance with a survey and plat on file in the Clerk's Office of the County of Orange, Virginia, in Law Order Book 463, pages 0201, 0202, 0203, and 0204, the courses and distances of which are set forth in an order styled "in re: Petition of the County of Orange, Virginia and the Town of Gordonsville, Virginia to relocate the boundary between them" dated June 20, 1991, on file in the office of the Circuit Court of Orange County, Virginia. (1975, c. 346; 2012, c. 410)
§ 3. Form of government; election of mayor and council members.
The town shall be governed in accordance with this charter and the applicable general law. Following the transition outlined in this section, the administration and government of the town shall be vested in one principal officer styled mayor and four council members who, together with the mayor, shall constitute the council of said town and shall be elected at large. The mayor and the council members shall be electors of said town. The council shall elect one of its members to serve as vice-mayor. Vacancies in the office of mayor or council members shall be filled for the unexpired term by a majority vote of the remaining members of the council.
The present mayor and six members of the town council shall continue in office until their current terms expire or until their successors are legally elected and qualify.
Subject to the general election to be held in November of 2012, and each four years thereafter, instead of electing three town council members and the mayor, the town citizens shall elect two town council members and the mayor, who shall hold office for four-year terms beginning January 1, 2013. Subject to the general election to be held in November of 2014, and each four years thereafter, instead of electing three town council members, the town citizens shall elect two town council members who shall hold office for four-year terms beginning January 1, 2015.
The term of the mayor and each member of council shall be four years. The date for the election for mayor and council members and the date such officers shall enter upon the duties of their respective offices shall be in accordance with this charter.
The council may appoint a town manager who shall, under the control of council, have general charge and management of the administrative affairs and work of the town with the powers and duties specified in § 15.2-1541 of the Code of Virginia, as amended, and such other powers and duties as may be delegated to him by council. (1975, c. 346; 2012, c. 410)
§ 4. Taxation.
The town is empowered to levy and collect taxes on all subjects of taxation except as restrained by the constitution or by general laws heretofore or hereafter adopted provided that the town shall impose no tax on bonds of the town and provided further that the levy of ad valorem taxes without limitation of rate or amount for payment of general obligation bonds of the town is authorized upon all taxable property within the town as now and hereafter constituted. (1975, c. 346)
§ 5. Citation of charter.
This Charter may be referred to or cited as the Town of Gordonsville Charter of 1975, as amended. (1975, c. 346; 2012, c. 410)