(A) General rule. Words and phrases shall be taken in their plain, or ordinary and usual sense. However, technical words and phrases having a peculiar and appropriate meaning in law shall be understood according to their technical import.
(B) Definitions. For the purpose of this code, the following definitions shall apply unless the context clearly indicates or requires a different meaning.
CITY, THIS CITY, or MUNICIPALITY. Shall be construed as if the words “of Claremore, Oklahoma,” followed them.
CODE, THIS CODE, or THIS CODE OF ORDINANCES. This municipal code as modified by amendment, revision, and adoption of new titles, chapters, or sections.
COMPUTATION OF TIME. Where a notice is required to be given or where an act is required to be done a specified numbers of days before an event, the required numbers of days is to be computed by excluding the day on which the notice is given or the act is done and including the day on which the event is to occur.
COUNCIL or CITY COUNCIL. The City Council of Claremore.
COUNTY. Rogers County, Oklahoma.
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. Applicable federal law, provisions of the Constitution and state statutes, the ordinances of the city, and, when appropriate, any and all rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.
LOW-POINT BEER. See § 110.35.
MAY. The act referred to is permissive.
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.
OATH. An affirmation in all cases in which, by law, an affirmation may be substituted for an oath, and in such cases the words SWEAR and SWORN shall be equivalent to the words AFFIRM and AFFIRMED.
OTHER OFFICIALS or OFFICERS, AND THE LIKE. Whenever reference is made to officers, agencies, or departments by title only, such as “Clerk,” “City Clerk,” “City Attorney,” “Fire Chief,” “Chief of Police,” and the like, they shall mean the officers, agencies, or departments 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; FOLLOWING. Next before and next after, respectively.
PROPERTY. Real and personal property.
SHALL. The act referred to is mandatory.
SIGNATURE or SUBSCRIPTION. Includes a mark when the person cannot write.
STATE or THIS 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 to be.
STREET. To embrace 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.
SUBCHAPTER. A division of a chapter, designated in this code by a heading in the chapter analysis and a capitalized heading in the body of the chapter, setting apart a group of sections related by the subject matter of the heading. Not all chapters have subchapters.
WEEK. Seven days.
WRITTEN. Any representation of words, letters, or figures, whether by printing or otherwise.
YEAR. A calendar year, unless otherwise expressed.
(Ord. 98-43, passed 12-21-98)