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1.05   PERSONAL INJURIES.
When action is brought against the City for personal injuries alleged to have been caused by its negligence, the City may notify in writing any person by whose negligence it claims the injury was caused. The notice shall state the pendency of the action, the name of the plaintiff, the name and location of the court where the action is pending, a brief statement of the alleged facts from which the cause arose, that the City believes that the person notified is liable to it for any judgment rendered against the City, and asking the person to appear and defend. A judgment obtained in the suit is conclusive in any action by the City against any person so notified, as to the existence of the defect or other cause of the injury or damage, as to the liability of the City to the plaintiff in the first named action, and as to the amount of the damage or injury. The City may maintain an action against the person notified to recover the amount of the judgment together with all the expenses incurred by the City in the suit.
(Code of Iowa, Sec. 364.14)
1.06   RULES OF CONSTRUCTION.
In the construction of the Code of Ordinances the following rules shall be observed, unless such construction would be inconsistent with the manifest intent of the Council or repugnant to the context of the provisions.
1.   Verb Tense and Plurals. Words used in the present tense include the future, the singular number includes the plural and the plural number includes the singular.
2.   May. The word “may” confers a power.
3.   Must. The word “must” states a requirement.
4.   Shall. The word “shall” imposes a duty.
5.   Gender. The masculine gender includes the feminine and neuter genders.
6.   Interpretation. All general provisions, terms, phrases, and expressions contained in the Code of Ordinances shall be liberally construed in order that the true intent and meaning of the Council may be fully carried out.
7.   Extension of Authority. Whenever an officer or employee is required or authorized to do an act by a provision of the Code of Ordinances, the provision shall be construed as authorizing performance by a regular assistant, subordinate or a duly authorized designee of said officer or employee.
1.07   AMENDMENTS.
All ordinances which amend, repeal or in any manner affect this Code of Ordinances shall include proper reference to chapter, section, subsection or paragraph to maintain an orderly codification of ordinances of the City.
(Code of Iowa, Sec. 380.2)
1.08   CATCHLINES AND NOTES.
The catchlines of the several sections of the Code of Ordinances, titles, headings (chapter, section and subsection), editor’s notes, cross references and State law references, unless set out in the body of the section itself, contained in the Code of Ordinances, do not constitute any part of the law, and are intended merely to indicate, explain, supplement or clarify the contents of a section.
1.09   ALTERING CODE.
It is unlawful for any unauthorized person to change or amend by additions or deletions, any part or portion of the Code of Ordinances, or to insert or delete pages, or portions thereof, or to alter or tamper with the Code of Ordinances in any manner whatsoever which will cause the law of the City to be misrepresented thereby.
(Code of Iowa, Sec. 718.5)
1.10   STANDARD PENALTY.
Unless another penalty is expressly provided by this Code of Ordinances for violation of any particular provision, section, or chapter, any person failing to perform a duty required by this Code of Ordinances or otherwise violating any provision of this Code of Ordinances or any rule or regulation adopted herein by reference shall, upon conviction, be subject to a fine of at least sixty-five dollars ($65.00) but not to exceed six hundred twenty-five dollars ($625.00). The court may order imprisonment not to exceed thirty (30) days in lieu of a fine or in addition to a fine.
(Code of Iowa, Sec. 364.3[2] and 903.1[1a])
1.11   SEVERABILITY.
If any section, provision or part of the Code of Ordinances is adjudged invalid or unconstitutional, such adjudication will not affect the validity of the Code of Ordinances as a whole or any section, provision or part thereof not adjudged invalid or unconstitutional.