These collected ordinances shall be known and referred to as the "Code of the City of Manawa, Wisconsin." References to the Code of the City of Manawa, Wisconsin, shall be cited as follows: "§
1-16 of the Code of the City of Manawa, Wisconsin."
The following rules or meanings shall be applied in the construction
and interpretation of ordinances codified in this Code, unless such application
would be clearly inconsistent with the plain meaning or intent of the ordinances:
A. Acts by agents. When an ordinance requires an act to
be done by a person which may be legally performed by an authorized agent
of that principal person, the requirement shall be construed to include all
acts performed by such agents.
B. City. "City" shall refer to the City of Manawa.
C. Code and Code of Ordinances. The words "Code," "Municipal
Code" and "Code of Ordinances," when used in any section of this Code, shall
refer to this Code of the City of Manawa, unless the context of the section
clearly indicates otherwise.
D. Computation of time. In computing any period of time
prescribed or allowed by these ordinances, the day of the act or event from
which the period of time begins to run shall not be included, but the last
day of the period shall be included, unless it is a Saturday, a Sunday or
a legal holiday. If the period of time prescribed or allowed is less than
seven days, Saturdays, Sundays and legal holidays shall be excluded in the
computation. As used in this section, "legal holiday" means any statewide
legal holiday specified by state law and any other city holiday designated
by the Common Council. (State law reference: legal holidays, W.S.A. s. 256.17)
E. Fine. The term "fine" shall be the equivalent of the
word "forfeiture," and vice versa.
F. Gender. Every word in these ordinances referring to the
masculine gender shall also be construed to apply to females, and vice versa.
G. General rule. All words and phrases shall be construed
according to their plain meanings in common usage. However, words or phrases
with a technical or special meaning shall be understood and construed according
to that technical or special meaning if such is the intent of the ordinances.
H. Joint authority. All words purporting to give a joint
authority to three or more city officers or employees shall be construed as
giving such authority to a majority of such officers or other persons.
I. Person. The word "person" shall mean any of the following
entities: natural persons, corporations, partnerships, associations, bodies
politic or any other entity of any kind which is capable of being sued.
J. Repeal. When any ordinance having the effect of repealing
a prior ordinance is itself repealed, such repeal shall not be construed to
revive the prior ordinance or any part thereof, unless expressly so provided.
K. Singular and plural. Every word in these ordinances referring
to the singular number only shall also be construed to apply to several persons
or things, and every word in these ordinances referring to a plural number
shall also be construed to apply to one person or thing.
L. Tense. The use of any verb in the present tense shall
not preclude the interpretation of the verb in the future tense where appropriate.
M. Wisconsin statutes. The term "Wisconsin statutes" and
its abbreviation as "W.S.A." shall mean, in these ordinances, the Wisconsin
statutes for the year 1985-1986, as amended.
N. Wisconsin Administrative Code. The term "Wisconsin Administrative
Code" and its abbreviation as "Wis. Adm. Code" shall mean the Wisconsin Administrative
Code as of the adoption of this Code, as amended or renumbered from time to
time.
Whenever any standard code, rule, regulation, statute or other written
or printed matter is adopted by reference, it shall be deemed incorporated
in this Code as if fully set forth herein, and the City Clerk-Treasurer shall
maintain in his or her office a copy of any such material as adopted and as
amended from time to time. Materials on file at the City Clerk-Treasurer's
office shall be considered public records open to reasonable examination by
any person during the office hours of the City Clerk-Treasurer, subject to
such restrictions on examination as the Clerk-Treasurer imposes for the preservation
of the material.