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CITY COUNCIL STRUCTURE PART ONE 1
AND FUNCTIONS
POWERS OF CITY COUNCIL
Local Government powers are conferred on the elected City Council by the Commonwealth of Virginia and the
people of Newport News. Such powers are defined by the Charter of the City of Newport News, the Code of
Virginia, and the Virginia Constitution. As interpreted by the Dillon Rule, localities are “tenants at will” of the state
legislature, and depend on the Virginia General Assembly for their operating authority.
CITY CHARTER
Section 4.02: “The council shall be the policy determining body of the city and shall be
vested with all the rights and powers conferred on councils of cities of the first class…”
In addition to the rights and powers conferred on “councils of cities of the first class” by the Code of Virginia, the
Council has several powers enumerated in its Charter.
These powers include the ability to:
• Pass ordinances and resolutions that appropriate money, levy taxes, and require licenses
• Adopt an annual operating budget
• Pass emergency measures to preserve public peace, property, health and safety
• Choose the Vice Mayor from among Council members
• Fill vacant Council seats
• Appoint/remove the City Clerk, City Manager, and City Attorney
• Adopt Council meeting rules, set times, appoint Council officers and committees, compel member attendance
• Appoint/remove members and chairs of boards and commissions
• Inquire into the official conduct of any City office or officer under its control
• Create, abolish, reassign, transfer, or combine City functions, activities, or departments
• Order an independent audit of accounts, books, records, and other financial transactions of the City
• Fix the schedule of compensation for City officers and employees
• Prescribe the amount and condition of surety bonds required of City officers and employees
• Dedicate new public streets
• Prescribe some of the duties of the Treasurer and Commissioner of the Revenue
• Require the sale of delinquent real estate tax property
• Issue negotiable bonds and notes
• Pass zoning ordinances1
Charter Secs. 2.06, 3.04, 4.02, 4.04, 4.05, 4.06, 4.08, 4.13, 4.14, 6.12, 5.01, 7.01, 7.02, 8.03, 8.14, 8.15, 10.02
1
City Code Secs. 2-6, 2-11.1. 2-21.1, 40-202, 40-202.1
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