§ 1-1-1. Construction of Ordinances.

In the construction of the ordinances of the City of Concord, the following rules shall be observed unless such construction would be inconsistent with the manifest intent of the ordinances.

(a)

General Rule. All words and phrases shall be construed and understood according to the common and approved usage of the language, but technical words and phrases and such others as may have acquired a peculiar and appropriate meaning in the law shall be construed and understood according to such peculiar and appropriate meaning.

(b)

Gender—Singular and Plural. Every word in any ordinance importing the masculine gender shall extend to and be applied to females as well as males; and, every word importing the singular number only shall extend and be applied to several persons or things as well as to one person or thing; and every word importing the plural number only shall extend and be applied to one person or thing as well as to several persons or things.

(c)

Tenses. The use of any verb in the present time shall include the future when applicable.

(d)

Heretofore and Hereafter. Whenever the word "heretofore" occurs in any ordinance it shall be construed to mean any time previous to the day when such ordinance shall take effect; and whenever the word "hereafter" occurs it shall be construed to mean the time after the ordinance containing such word shall take effect.

(e)

Joint Authority. All words purporting to give a joint authority to three (3) or more City officers or other persons shall be construed as giving such authority to a majority of such officers or other persons unless it shall be otherwise expressly declared in the law giving the authority.

(f)

Acts by Agents. When an ordinance requires an act to be done which may by law as well be done by an agent as by the principal, such requisition shall be construed to include all such acts when done by the authorized agent.

(g)

Time—How Computed. The time within which an act is to be done as provided in any ordinance or in any order issued pursuant to any ordinance, when expressed in days, shall be computed by excluding the first day and including the last, except that if the last day is Sunday it shall be excluded; and when any such time is expressed in hours the whole of Sunday, from midnight shall be included.

(h)

Week. The word "week" shall be construed to mean seven (7) days; but publication in a newspaper of any notice or other matter indicated to be for a stated number of weeks shall be construed to mean one insertion in each week, unless specifically stated to be for each day of the week or for more than one day in each week; and all publications heretofore made in accordance with the terms of this subsection are hereby validated.