A. Liberal Construction: All general provisions, terms, phrases and expressions contained in this code shall be liberally construed in order that the true intent and meaning of the mayor and city council may be fully carried out.
B. Minimum Requirements: In the interpretation and application of any provision of this code, it shall be held to be the minimum requirements adopted for the promotion of the public health, safety and general welfare.
C. Delegation Of Authority: Whenever a provision appears requiring the head of a department or some other city officer to do some act or perform some duty, it is to be construed to authorize the head of the department or other officer to designate, delegate and authorize subordinates to perform the required act or perform the duty unless the terms of the provision or section specify otherwise.
D. Gender: The use of any gender based pronoun should not be construed to be gender biased, but is only used for grammatical simplicity.
E. Law: Includes applicable federal law, provisions of the constitution and statutes of the state of Oklahoma, the ordinances of the city, and, when appropriate, any and all rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.
F. May/Shall: The word "may" is permissive; the word "shall" is mandatory.
G. Or/And: "Or" may be read "and", and "and" may be read "or", if the sense requires it.
H. Preceding, Following: The next before and next after, respectively.
I. 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.
J. 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.
K. Officers, Employees, Agencies Generally: Whenever any officer, employee, agency or department is referred to by title only, such reference shall be construed as if followed by the words "of the city of Jay".
L. Tense: Words used in the past or present tense include the future as well as the past and present.
M. Statutory References: Reference to the statutes of the state of Oklahoma means the statutes as they now are or as they may be amended to be.
N. Ordinance: The word "ordinance" contained in the ordinances of the city has been changed in the content of this code to "title", "chapter", "section" and/or "subsection" or words of like import for organizational and clarification purposes only. Such change to the city's ordinances is not meant to amend passage and effective dates of such original ordinances. (1985 Code § 1-102; amd. 2016 Code)
Whenever the following words or terms are used in this code, they shall have such meanings herein ascribed to them, unless the context makes such meaning repugnant thereto:
CITY: The city of Jay, county of Delaware, state of Oklahoma. The word "city" shall be construed as if the words "of Jay, Oklahoma", followed.
CODE: This code of the city of Jay.
COUNCIL OR CITY COUNCIL: The city council of Jay.
COUNTY: The county of Delaware, Oklahoma.
OS: Oklahoma Statutes.
PERSON: Shall extend and be applied to 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.
STATE OR THE STATE: The state of Oklahoma. (1985 Code § 1-102; amd. 2016 Code)
The catchlines of the several sections of this code are intended as mere catchwords to indicate the content of the section and shall not be deemed or taken to be titles of such sections, nor be deemed to govern, limit, modify or in any manner affect the scope, meaning or intent of the provisions of any section hereof, nor unless expressly so provided, shall they be so deemed when any of such sections, including the catchlines, are amended or reenacted. (2016 Code)