Except as otherwise specifically provided or indicated by the context or is further extended and defined:
(a) All words used in this charter indicating the present tense shall not be limited to the time of the adoption of this charter, but shall extend to and include the time of the happening of any event or requirement for which provision is made herein.
(b) The singular number shall include the plural, the plural number shall include the singular and masculine gender shall extend to and include the feminine gender and the neuter.
(c) The word “person” may extend and be applied to bodies politic and corporate, and to partnerships as well as to individuals.
(d) The word “printed” and “printing” shall include reproductions by printing, engraving, stencil, duplicating, lithographing or any similar reproduction method.
(e) Except in reference to signatures, the words “written” and “in writing” shall include printing and typewriting and any other currently-acceptable similar method.
(f) The word “officer” shall include the mayor and other members of the council, the administrative officers, members of the city boards and commissions created by or pursuant to this charter.
(g) The word “employee” shall mean those persons not holding elective or appointive office, one who is generally subordinate to the officer and performs only those duties specifically assigned by a contract, department head or other governmental body.
(h) The word “freeholder” shall include any person who is purchasing property or land.
(i) The word “default” shall include being delinquent in taxes.
(j) The word “statute” shall denote the Public Acts of the State of Michigan in effect at the time the provision of the charter containing the word “statute” is to be applied.
(k) All references to specific Public Acts of the State of Michigan shall be to such acts as are in effect at the time the reference to such act is to be applied.
(l) The word “law” denotes applicable federal law, the constitution and statutes of the State of Michigan, and the applicable common law.
(m) All reference to section numbers shall refer to section numbers of this charter.
(n) The word “city” shall mean the City of the Village of Douglas.
(o) The word “council” shall mean the council of the City of the Village of Douglas.
(p) The words “public utility” shall include all common carriers in the public streets; water, sewage, disposal; electric light and power; gas; telephone and telegraph lines and systems; cable television; garbage and refuse collection and disposal and reduction plants; transportation; and such other and different enterprises as the council may determine or designate.
(q) For the purpose of this charter, the offense of “misconduct” in office includes doing a wrongful act, doing a lawful act in a wrongful manner, failure to perform an act required by the duties of the office or by rule established by the council.
(r) “Public record” means a writing prepared, owned, used, in the possession of, or retained by a public body in the performance of an official function, from the time it is created. Public record is subject to the Freedom of Information Act, 1976 PA 442, 15.231 to 15.246.
(s) The word “family” shall include: spouse, child, grandchild, father, mother, grandmother, grandfather, sister, half-sister, brother, half-brother and spouse of any of them, and all relationships including those arising from adoption.
(t) The term “member of the council” shall mean all elected or appointed members of the council.