Sec. 1. - Generally. There shall be a dock commission, whose number, qualifications, period of service, compensation and duties shall be such as the said council may prescribe.
Sec. 2. - Composition; residence requirement for and appointment of members. The said dock commission shall consist of five members, who shall be residents of the City of Hopewell, and who shall be appointed by a majority vote of the whole membership of the city council as hereinbefore provided.
Sec. 3. - Duties. It shall be the duty of the said dock commission to develop, govern and maintain a port and harbor for the said city, and to that end:
(a) To delimit and fix the harbor and port lines, having regard to the acts of [the] Congress of the United States pertaining thereto, and in so doing to have regard for the depths and widths of the James and Appomattox Rivers, to the probable future growth of commerce, the location of terminals, piers, wharves and docks.
(b) To fix and determine head and bulkhead lines, having regard to federal regulations governing the same.
(c) To acquire all necessary land or property for the purpose of developing port facilities.
(d) To improve, maintain and operate municipal wharves, docks, terminals, slips, warehouse elevators, tracks and railroad and steamship facilities.
(e) To fix the rates of, to charge and collect reasonable wharfage fees, tolls or dues for the use of municipal terminals, warehouses or facilities.
(f) To appoint a harbor master for the port or harbor of the City of Hopewell, whose qualifications, tenure of office and compensation shall be such as the council may ordain, and whose duties, powers and responsibilities shall be such as is provided by the general law of the commonwealth.