West Virginia Code 8-12-3 – Creation by charter provision of certain independent city boards
In selecting or changing to a form of government based on any of the four plans set forth in section two, article three of this chapter, a city may by charter provision withdraw from the governing body and administrative authority of the city the municipal powers and authority and duties pertaining to a city gas system, city electric system, any municipal public works in accordance with the provisions of article sixteen of this chapter, a city waterworks system in accordance with the provisions of article nineteen of this chapter, a city sewage treatment and disposal works, or a combined city waterworks and sewerage system in accordance with the provisions of article twenty of this chapter, or any combination of the foregoing, and confer such powers and authority and duties upon one or more independent boards created by charter provision, whose members shall be elected by the qualified voters of the city, or appointed, in the manner provided by charter provision. Unless and until abolished by other charter provision, such board or boards so created shall have complete and exclusive jurisdiction of the exercise and discharge of the municipal powers and authority and duties so conferred upon it or them, independent of control by the governing body and administrative authority of the city. Such boards shall have the powers and authority and perform the duties conferred and required by general law.
Terms Used In West Virginia Code 8-12-3
- Administrative authority: shall mean the officer, commission, or person responsible for the conduct and management of the affairs of the municipality in accordance with the charter, general law, and the ordinances, resolutions, and orders of the governing body thereof. See West Virginia Code 8-1-2
- Charter: shall mean , except where specific reference is made to a particular type of charter, either a special legislative charter (whether or not amended under the provisions of former §. See West Virginia Code 8-1-2
- City: is a word of art and shall mean, include, and be limited to any Class I, Class II, and Class III city, as classified in section three of this article (except in those instances where the context in which used clearly indicates that a particular class of city is intended), heretofore or hereafter incorporated as a municipal corporation under the laws of this state, however created and whether operating under: (i) A special legislative charter. See West Virginia Code 8-1-2
- Governing body: shall mean the mayor and council together, the council, the board of directors, the commission, or other board or body of any municipality, by whatever name called, as the case may be, charged with the responsibility of enacting ordinances and determining the public policy of such municipality. See West Virginia Code 8-1-2
- Jurisdiction: (1) The legal authority of a court to hear and decide a case. Concurrent jurisdiction exists when two courts have simultaneous responsibility for the same case. (2) The geographic area over which the court has authority to decide cases.
The provisions of this section shall be construed as conferring additional powers and authority upon cities, and shall not be construed as affecting any powers and authority heretofore conferred upon any city by general, special or local law or by special legislative charter, or parts thereof; however, whenever a board is established by charter provision in accordance with the provisions of this section in connection with a municipal public works, a city waterworks system, or combined city waterworks and sewerage system, as aforesaid, such board shall act in lieu of the governing body of the city with respect thereto, and the provisions of said articles sixteen, nineteen and twenty of this chapter authorizing the establishment of a board with respect to any such public works, waterworks system or combined waterworks and sewerage system shall not be applicable.