Town of Hillsville, VA Article III Mayor and Council

§ C3.1 Election, qualification and terms of office.

[Amended 9-13-2021]

A. The Town of Hillsville shall be governed by a Town Council composed of a Mayor and four members, all of whom shall be qualified voters of the Town.

B. The Council and Mayor in office at the time of passage shall continue until the expiration of the terms for which they were elected or until their successors are duly elected and qualified.

C. The Council shall be elected in the manner provided by law, as follows: At the regular municipal election to be held on the day of the general election November 2022, two members shall be elected, said members terms having been originally set to end on July 1, 2022, but now ending January 1, 2023, for terms of four years each. At the regular municipal election to be held on the day of the general election in November 2024, two members shall be elected said members terms having been originally set to end on July 1, 2024 but now ending January 1, 2025. Every two years thereafter, two Councilmen shall be elected each for terms of four years beginning on January 1 following their election. Each Councilman elected as hereinabove provided shall serve for the term stated or until his successor shall have been elected and qualified. The Council by ordinance shall establish the salary of the Mayor and Council in accordance with statute. The Council shall be a continuing body, and no measure pending before such body shall abate or be discontinued by reason of expiration of term of office or removal of any of its members.

D. At the regular municipal election to be held on the day of the general election, November 2022, and every two years thereafter, the qualified voters shall elect a Mayor to serve for a term of two years beginning January 1 following his election or until his successor shall have been elected and qualified. The Mayor shall preside at meetings of the Council and shall be recognized as head of the Town government for ceremonial purposes and by the Governor for purposes of military law. He shall have the same powers and duties as other members of Council; however, the Mayor shall vote only in case of a tie and shall have no veto powers.

E. The Mayor shall be elected by the legally qualified voters of the Town at large, and the four members of the Council shall be elected as follows: one from that part of each of the four magisterial districts, Laurel Fork, Pipers Gap, Sulphur Springs and Pine Creek, which lies within the corporate limits of the Town of Hillsville, by the legally qualified voters of such parts, respectively.

§ C3.2 Vacancies.

Vacancies on the Council and in the office of Mayor shall be filled for the unexpired term by a majority vote of the remaining members of the Council.

§ C3.3 Qualification of members.

Any person qualified to vote in the town shall be eligible for the office of Councilman or Mayor.

§ C3.4 Powers of Council.

The Council, along with the Mayor, shall make such rules as are necessary for the orderly conduct of its business not inconsistent with the laws of Virginia and shall have the powers in their discretion to appoint a Vice Mayor, Town Manager, Clerk, Treasurer, Town Attorney and a Chief of Police, who shall have such duties as are prescribed by statute and ordinance and shall serve at the pleasure of the Council and at such compensation as the Council may determine, consistent with general law.