The following definitions and rules of construction shall apply to this code and to all ordinances and resolutions unless the context requires otherwise:
CITY. The term CITY shall be construed as if the words “of Alva, Oklahoma,” followed them.
CODE. The Code of Ordinances, City of Alva, Oklahoma, as designated in § 1-1.
COUNCIL or CITY COUNCIL. The City Council of Alva, Oklahoma.
COMPUTATION OF TIME. Whenever a notice is required to be given or an act to be done a certain length of time before any proceeding shall be had, the day on which the notice is given or the act is done shall be counted in COMPUTING THE TIME, but the day on which the proceeding is to be had shall not be counted.
COUNTY. The County of Woods, Oklahoma.
GENDER. A word importing one gender only shall extend and be applied to other genders and to firms, partnerships, and corporations as well.
JOINT AUTHORITY. All words giving JOINT AUTHORITY to three or more persons or officers shall be construed as giving such authority to a majority of such persons or officers.
LAW. Includes applicable federal law, provisions of the constitution and statutes of the state, the ordinances of the city, and, when appropriate, any and all rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.
MAYOR. The Mayor of the city.
MONTH. A calendar month.
NONTECHNICAL AND TECHNICAL WORDS. Words and phrases which are not specifically defined shall be construed according to the common and accepted usage of the language; but TECHNICAL WORDS AND PHRASES and such others as may have acquired a peculiar and appropriate meaning in law shall be construed and understood according to such meaning.
NUMBER. A word importing the singular number only may extend and be applied to several persons and things as well as to one person and thing. Words used in the plural number may also include the singular unless a contrary intention plainly appears.
OATH. An affirmation in all cases in which, by law, an affirmation may be substituted for an OATH, and in such cases, the terms SWEAR and SWORN shall be equivalent to the terms AFFIRM and AFFIRMED.
OR, AND. The term OR may be read as the term AND, and the term AND may be read as the term OR, if the sense requires it.
OFFICIALS, OFFICERS, DEPARTMENTS, BOARDS, COMMITTEES, COMMISSIONS, AND THE LIKE. The officials, officers, agencies, departments, boards, committees, commissions of the city.
PERSON. An actual person, any persons, and to associations, clubs, societies, firms, partnerships, and bodies politic and corporate, or the manager, lessee, agent, servant, officer, or employee of any of them, unless a contrary intention plainly appears.
PRECEDING and FOLLOWING. Next before and next after, respectively.
PROPERTY. Includes real and personal property.
SIGNATURE or SUBSCRIPTION. Includes a mark when a person cannot write.
STATE. The State of Oklahoma.
STATUTORY REFERENCES. References to statutes of the state of Oklahoma as they now are or as they may be amended.
STREET. Streets, avenues, boulevards, roads, alleys, lanes, viaducts, highways, courts, places, squares, curbs, and all other public ways in the city which are dedicated and open to public use.
TENSE. Words used in the past or present tense include the future as well as the past and present.
WEEK. Seven days.
YEAR. A calendar year.
(Prior Code, § 1-2)
Statutory reference:
Affirmation generally, see 12 O.S. § 72
Computation of time, see 12 O.S. § 2006
Legal holiday, see 25 O.S. § 82.1
Similar provisions, see 25 O.S. §§ 23, 25, 31