2026 SESSION

ENROLLED

VIRGINIA ACTS OF ASSEMBLY -- CHAPTER

An Act to amend and reenact §§ 3.01, as amended, 3.08, 7.02, and 7.03 of Chapter 367 of the Acts of Assembly of 1973, which provided a charter for the City of Suffolk, relating to council composition; city clerk; department oversight.

[H 940]

Approved

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1. That §§ 3.01, as amended, 3.08, 7.02, and 7.03 of Chapter 367 of the Acts of Assembly of 1973 is amended and reenacted as follows:

§ 3.01. Composition.

The council of the consolidated city shall consist of seven eight members, as established in §§ 3.02 and 3.03 of this charter.

§ 3.08. Clerk.

The initial council shall appoint a city clerk who shall serve until July 1, 1974. Thereafter the council shall appoint a city clerk for a four-year term. He shall be clerk of the council and custodian of the corporate seal of the city, and shall be the officer authorized to use and authenticate it. All records in his office shall be public records and open to inspection at any time during regular business hours. He shall receive compensation, to be fixed by the council. All receipts by him shall be paid into the city treasury. He shall keep all papers, documents and records pertaining to the consolidated city, the custody of which is not otherwise provided for. He shall perform such other duties as are required by this charter or by the council by ordinance or resolution.

§ 7.02. Department heads.

There shall be a director at the head of each department, and the same person may be the director of several departments. The director of each department, except the (i) departments of law and education, (ii) city clerk, and (iii) city assessor, shall be appointed by the city manager and may be removed by him at any time provided, however, that the council may designate the city manager, deputy city manager, or assistant city manager to be director of one or more departments. The director of each department shall be chosen on the basis of his general executive and administrative ability and experience and his education, training and experience in the class of work which he is to administer.

§ 7.03. Responsible to city manager.

The directors of each department, except the (i) departments of law and education, (ii) city clerk, and (iii) city assessor, shall be immediately responsible to the city manager, deputy city manager, or assistant city manager for the administration of their respective departments, and their advice may be required by him on all matters affecting their departments. They shall make reports and recommendations concerning their departments to the city manager under such rules and regulations as he may prescribe.