Virginia Law

Article 3. Commission.

In and for each district heretofore or hereafter created pursuant to this chapter or pursuant to a special act of the General Assembly, a commission is hereby created as a body corporate, invested with the rights, powers and authority and charged with the duties set forth in this chapter. The commission shall be known by the name of the district, except that the word "commission" shall be substituted for the word "district." Except as a special act creating the district shall otherwise provide, the commission shall consist of seven members, residents of the district, appointed by the State Health Commissioner, in the manner hereinafter provided, who shall notify each governing body immediately after such appointments. Representation on the commission shall be apportioned among the political segments of the district on a population basis so far as it may be practical to do so; but each political segment, however, shall be entitled to at least one representative on the commission; and all appointments thereto shall be made by the State Health Commissioner from a list of not less than one nor more than five names furnished to him by the respective governing bodies of each political segment of the district. Except as a special act creating the district shall otherwise provide, in making the original appointments, one of the members shall be appointed for a term of one year, two for a term of two years, two for a term of three years, and two for terms of four years each; subsequent appointments shall be made for a term of four years, except appointments to fill vacancies which shall be for the unexpired terms. Members of the commission shall hold office until their successors have been duly appointed and qualified.

1946, p. 350; Michie Suppl. 1946, § 1560iii4.

The commission, at its organization meeting and thereafter at its first meeting in each calendar year, shall elect one of the members of the commission, chairman thereof. The commission under such rules as it may adopt, may elect one of its members vice-chairman, and may appoint a secretary, or secretary-treasurer, who shall not be a member of the commission; in the event that the commission appoints a secretary-treasurer, his compensation shall be fixed by the commission.

1946, p. 350; Michie Suppl. 1946, § 1560iii4.

The members of the commission, including the chairman, shall receive no salary, but shall be paid their necessary traveling and other expenses incurred in attendance upon meetings of the commission or while otherwise engaged in the discharge of their duties under this chapter, and the sum of $10 per diem for each day or portion thereof in which they are engaged in the performance of such duties, but the total of such per diem compensation so received by any member during any one year shall not exceed $300.

1946, p. 350; Michie Suppl. 1946, § 1560iii4.

Regular meetings of the commission shall be held at least once every month at such time and place as the commission shall from time to time prescribe. Special meetings of the commission shall be held upon one day's mailed notice, or actual notice otherwise given, to each member of the commission upon call of the chairman or of any two members of the commission, at such time and at such place within the district as such notice may specify, or at such other time and place with or without notice as all of the members of the commission may expressly approve.

1946, p. 350; Michie Suppl. 1946, § 1560iii4.

Four members of the commission shall constitute a quorum, and the vote of four members of the commission shall be necessary to take any action.

1946, p. 351; Michie Suppl. 1946, § 1560iii4.

Members of the commission may be suspended or removed by the State Health Commissioner at his pleasure.

1946, p. 352; Michie Suppl. 1946, § 1560iii4.

Each member of the commission shall, before entering upon the discharge of his duties under this chapter, take and subscribe the oath of office required by Article II, Section 7 of the Constitution of Virginia, and give bond payable to the Commonwealth of Virginia in form approved by the Attorney General, in such penalty as shall be fixed from time to time by the State Health Commissioner, with some surety or guaranty company duly authorized to do business in Virginia and approved by the State Health Commissioner, as security, conditioned upon the faithful discharge of his duties. The premium of such bonds shall be paid by the commission and the bonds shall be filed with and preserved by the Comptroller.

1946, p. 351; Michie Suppl. 1946, § 1560iii4; 1971, Ex. Sess., c. 1.

Repealed by Acts 1970, c. 463.

All contracts, except in cases of emergency, over $5,000 that the commission may let for construction or materials shall be let after public advertising. The commission shall advertise for bids for the work or materials at least ten days prior to the letting of any contracts therefor. The advertisement shall state the place where bidders may examine the plans and specifications and the time and place where bids for the work or materials will be opened. Each bidder shall accompany his bid with a certified check payable to the commission, for a reasonable sum to be fixed by the commission, as a guarantee that if the contract is awarded to him, he will enter into a contract with the commission for doing the work or furnishing the materials. The contract shall be let to the lowest responsible bidder, and the successful bidder shall give bond or other security for the faithful performance of the contract, in such form and amount as the chairman may require. The commission is authorized to reject any and all bids. In the event that all bids are rejected, the commission shall advertise for new bids as in the first instance. All such bids and contracts shall be public records. The commission is authorized, in its discretion, to do any and all such work by force account.

1946, p. 351; Michie Suppl. 1946, § 1560iii4.

The powers of condemnation or eminent domain conferred on the commission by this chapter shall be exercised by the commission under the same conditions and provisions and in accordance with the same procedure as in the case of the exercise of similar powers by the boards of supervisors of counties or the councils of cities or towns so far as they can be applied to the same.

1946, p. 351; Michie Suppl. 1946, § 1560iii4.

No pecuniary liability of any kind shall be imposed upon any county, city or town constituting any part of any district because of any act, agreement, contract, tort, malfeasance, misfeasance, or nonfeasance, by or on the part of the commission of such district, or any member of such commission, or its agents, servants and employees, except as otherwise provided in this chapter with reference to contracts and agreements between the commission and any such county, city or town.

1946, p. 352; Michie Suppl. 1946, § 1560iii4.

Every commission shall have the following powers:

1. To adopt and have a common seal and to alter the same at pleasure;

2. To sue and to be sued;

3. In the name of the commission and on its behalf, to acquire, hold and dispose of its fees, rents and charges and other revenues;

4. In the name of the commission but for the cities, counties and towns in whole or in part embraced within the district, to acquire, hold, and dispose of other personal property for the purposes of the commission;

5. In the name of the commission but for the cities, counties and towns in whole or in part embraced within the district, to acquire by purchase, gift, condemnation or otherwise, real property or rights or easements therein, necessary or convenient for the purposes of the commission, subject to mortgages, deeds of trust, or other liens or otherwise, and to hold and to use the same, and to dispose of property so acquired no longer necessary for the purposes of the commission; provided that the right of condemnation granted herein shall be subject to the same provisions as are provided in § 25.1-102 concerning the condemnation of any property belonging to a corporation possessing the power of eminent domain by another public service corporation;

6. To borrow money for the purposes of the commission and to issue therefor its bonds, and to provide for and secure the payment of its bonds and the rights of the holders thereof, and to fund or refund its bonds by the issuance of bonds hereunder;

7. To accept gifts or grants or real or personal property, money, material, labor or supplies for the purposes of the commission and to make and perform such agreements and contracts as may be necessary or convenient in connection with the procuring or acceptance of such gifts or grants;

8. To enter on any lands, waters and premises for purpose of making surveys, borings, soundings and examinations for the purposes of the commission;

9. To make and enforce rules and regulations for the management and regulation of its business and affairs and for the use, maintenance and operation of its facilities and properties, and to amend the same;

10. To do and perform any acts and things authorized by this chapter under, through or by means of its own officers, agents and employees, or by contracts with any person; and

11. To execute any and all instruments and do and perform any and all acts or things necessary, convenient or desirable for the purposes of the commission or to carry out the powers expressly given in this chapter.

1946, p. 352; Michie Suppl. 1946, § 1560iii5; 2003, c. 940.

The purposes of every commission shall be the relief of the waters of the district from pollution and the consequent improvement of conditions affecting the public health.

1946, p. 353; Michie Suppl. 1946, § 1560iii6.

Every commission is authorized and directed to acquire, in the name of the commission but for the cities, counties and towns in whole or in part embraced within the district, by purchase, gift, condemnation or otherwise, and, notwithstanding the provisions of any charter, ordinance or resolution of any county, city or town to the contrary, to construct, maintain, operate and use such trunk, intercepting and outlet sewers, conduits, pipelines, pumping and ventilating stations, treatment plants or works at such places, and such other plants, structures, boats and conveyances, as in the judgment of the commission will provide an effective and satisfactory method for promoting the purposes of the commission.

1946, p. 353; Michie Suppl. 1946, § 1560iii6.

The commission is authorized and directed when in the judgment of the commission its sewage disposal system, or part thereof, will permit, to collect from any and all public sewage systems within the district all sewage and treat and dispose of the same in such manner as to promote the purposes of the commission.

1946, p. 353; Michie Suppl. 1946, § 1560iii6.

In order to carry out and effectuate the purposes of the commission, every commission is authorized to enter upon and use and connect with any existing public drains, sewers, conduits, pipelines, pumping and ventilating stations and treatment plants or works or any other public property of a similar nature within the district, deemed proper by the commission in the exercise of the powers and performance of the duties set forth in this chapter, and, if deemed necessary by the commission, close off and seal outlets and outfalls therefrom. The commission shall not, however, take possession of any such treatment plant unless it acquires the same by purchase, condemnation or otherwise.

1946, p. 360; Michie Suppl. 1946, § 1560iii12.

In order to carry out and effectuate the purposes of the commission, every commission is authorized to construct and operate its trunk, intercepting and outlet sewers, conduits and pipelines, along, over, under and in any streets, alleys, highways and other public places within the district. In so constructing its facilities, it shall see that the public use of such streets, alleys, highways and other public places is not unnecessarily interrupted or interfered with and that such streets, alleys, highways and other public places are restored to their former usefulness and condition within a reasonable time; to this end the commission shall cooperate with the Commonwealth Transportation Board and the appropriate officers of the respective counties, cities and towns having an interest in such matters.

1946, p. 360; Michie Suppl. 1946, § 1560iii13.

(a) Every commission is authorized to enter into contracts with the United States of America, or with any department, institution or agency thereof, on such terms and conditions as the commission may approve, providing for or relating to the treatment and disposal of sewage or industrial wastes of or originating in or on any reservation, property, institution, building or structure within the district owned or under the control of the United States of America, or any department, institution or agency thereof, by means of the sewage disposal system or such other facilities as the commission may determine to provide for such purpose, or in such other manner as such contract may provide.

(b) Every commission is authorized to provide, contract, operate and maintain facilities for the treatment and disposal of industrial wastes originating in the district, and to enter into contracts with any person, on such terms and conditions as the commission may approve, providing for or relating to the treatment and disposal of any such industrial wastes.

(c) Every commission is authorized to enter into contracts with any person owning or operating any sewer system within the district or engaged in treatment or disposing of sewage or industrial wastes originating in the district, on such terms and conditions as the commission may approve, providing for or relating to the treatment and disposal of any sewage or industrial wastes collected in such sewer system or by such person.

(d) Every commission is authorized to enter into contracts with the owner of property adjoining its district on such terms and conditions as such commission may approve, providing for or relating to the treatment and disposal of sewage or industrial wastes of or originating in or on such adjoining property by means of the sewage disposal system or such other facilities as such commission may determine to provide for such purpose, or in such other manner as such contract may provide.

1946, p. 361; Michie Suppl. 1946, § 1560iii18; 1968, c. 194.

The method proposed to be used by a commission for treating and disposing of sewage and industrial wastes so as to prevent the pollution of the waters of the district, and any substantial change in such methods, shall, before being finally adopted or used by the commission, be approved by the State Health Commissioner as effective and satisfactory for the purpose intended.

1946, p. 360; Michie Suppl. 1946, § 1560iii14.

Neither the commission nor any of the counties, cities or towns in whole or in part embraced within the district shall have power to mortgage, pledge, encumber or otherwise dispose of any part of the sewage disposal system of a commission, except such part or parts thereof as may be no longer necessary for the purposes of the commission, whether the same shall originally have been acquired by such commission or by one of the counties, cities or towns. The provisions of this section shall be deemed to constitute a contract with the holders of bonds of the commission. The sewage disposal system of a commission shall be exempt from any and all liability which may be incurred by, or imposed upon, the commission, or any county, city or town, which, in whole or in part, constitutes any part of any district.

1946, p. 360; Michie Suppl. 1946, § 1560iii15.

The commission is authorized to appoint a general manager for the district, prescribe his duties and fix his salary, such general manager to be responsible to the commission and to serve at its pleasure. The general manager shall appoint all other agents and employees of the commission, except as otherwise provided in § 21-238, dismiss them, fix their salaries or remuneration within the limits authorized by the commission, assign their positions and titles, define their respective powers and duties, and require them, or any of them, to give bond payable to the Commonwealth of Virginia in such penalty as shall be fixed by the commission, conditioned upon the faithful discharge of their duties.

1946, p. 359; Michie Suppl. 1946, § 1560iii11.

(a) All moneys of a commission, whether derived from the sale of bonds or other obligations or from the collection of fees, rents and other charges by the commission or from any contract of the commission or from any other source shall be collected, received, held, secured and disbursed in accordance with any contract of the commission relating thereto. The following provisions of this section shall be applicable to any such moneys only if and to the extent that they are consistent with such contract or contracts of the commission.

(b) Such moneys shall not be required to be paid into the state treasury or into the treasury or to any officer of any county, city or town.

(c) All such moneys shall be deposited by the commission in a separate bank account or accounts, appropriately designated, in such banks or trust companies as may be designated by the commission.

(d) All deposits of such moneys shall be secured by bonds or other direct unlimited obligations of the United States or of the Commonwealth of Virginia or of any county, city or town of the Commonwealth or of the commission of a market value at least equal at all times to the amount of such deposits, and all banks and trust companies are authorized to give such security for such deposits.

1946, p. 360; Michie Suppl. 1946, § 1560iii16.

Every commission shall keep and preserve complete and accurate accounts and records of all moneys received and disbursed by it and of all of its business and operations and of all property and funds owned or managed by it or under its control, and shall prepare and transmit to the State Health Commissioner and to the governing body of each city, county and town which is in whole or in part embraced within the district, annually and at such other times as the State Health Commissioner shall require, complete and accurate reports as to the state and content of such accounts and records, together with such information with respect thereto as the State Health Commissioner may require.

1946, p. 361; Michie Suppl. 1946, § 1560iii17.