West Virginia Code 8-26A-4 – Municipality or county may establish historic landmarks commission; appointments; detailed provisions to be provided by ordinance or order; appropriation of funds
Any municipality by ordinance and any county by order of the county commission entered of record may, if it so desires, establish a municipal historic landmarks commission or county historic landmarks commission, hereinafter in this article referred to as the commission, to consist of five members, appointed by the mayor or county commission, as the case may be.
Terms Used In West Virginia Code 8-26A-4
- County commission: shall mean the governmental body created by section 22, article eight of the Constitution of this state, or any existing tribunal created in lieu of a county commission. 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
- Mayor: shall mean the individual called mayor unless as to a particular municipality a commissioner (in a commission form of government) or the city manager (in a manager form of government) is designated or constituted by charter provision as the principal or chief executive officer or chief administrator thereof, in which event the term "mayor" shall mean as to such municipality such commissioner or city manager unless as to any particular power, authority, duty or function specified in this chapter to be exercised, discharged or fulfilled by the mayor it is provided by charter provision or ordinance that such particular power, authority, duty, or function shall be exercised, discharged, or fulfilled by the individual called mayor and not by a commissioner or city manager, in which event such particular power, authority, duty, or function shall in fact be exercised, discharged, or fulfilled in and for such municipality by the individual called mayor: Provided, That in the exercise and discharge of the ex officio justice of the peace, conservator of the peace, and mayor's court functions specified in this chapter, the term "mayor" shall always mean the individual called mayor. See West Virginia Code 8-1-2
- Ordinance: shall mean the ordinances and laws enacted by the governing body of a municipality in the exercise of its legislative power, and in one or more articles of this chapter, ordinances enacted by a county commission. See West Virginia Code 8-1-2
- Quorum: The number of legislators that must be present to do business.
- State: when applied to a part of the United States and not restricted by the context, includes the District of Columbia and the several territories, and the words "United States" also include the said district and territories. See West Virginia Code 2-2-10
In any such ordinance or order, the governing body shall include provisions specifying (a) the terms of the members of such commission; (b) a method of filling vacancies; (c) whether the members of the commission are to be reimbursed for all reasonable and necessary expenses actually incurred in the performance of their duties; (d) the officers of the commission to be elected from the membership thereof; (e) requirements as to meetings of the commission; (f) requirements as to a quorum of the commission; (g) requirements as to voting by members of the commission; and (h) such other matters as may be deemed necessary or desirable for the proper functioning of the commission. In the event the ordinance or order establishing such commission shall authorize the commission to issue certificates of appropriateness, the ordinance or order shall require a majority of the members to have demonstrated special interest, experience or education in history, architecture, planning, real estate or law, to the extent such persons are available in the community. In establishing such a commission and making appointments to it, a local governing body may seek the advice of any national, state or local historical agency, society or organization.
Any such commission may also be authorized and empowered by any such ordinance or order to employ, within the limits of funds available therefor, such employees, assistants, technical personnel and consultants as are necessary to discharge the duties and responsibilities of the commission.
Any municipality or county establishing any such commission shall have plenary power and authority to appropriate funds to such commission for expenditure by the commission for the purposes of this article.