The proposed amendments to Lexington’s city charter that were requested by City Council late last year have passed both the House of Delegates and Virginia State Senate in unanimous votes, Lexington City Attorney Jeremy Carroll reported to Council during its meeting on Thursday.
The amendments will now go to the governor for signing.
The proposed amendments include updating the charter to reflect the fact that the city’s school board has changed from an appointed school board to an elected school board; amending language that the city manager be required to reside within the city to allow the city council to set terms on the manager’s residency during his or her tenure; and changing the appointment of the city attorney from a four-year term to an “indefinite term” and editing language requiring the appointed attorney to represent the city in “all civil proceedings” and prosecute violations of city ordinances to simply state that the attorney “may be” required to do those things.
Del. Terry Austin introduced House Bill 792 on Jan. 13. It passed the House of Delegates with a 97-0 vote on Feb. 17 and was sent to the Senate, where it passed with a 40-0 vote on March 2.
