Evening star., 1947-04-11

III I'll LIu CAT
The tollouing Is partial tert
/ OF the preliminary draft OF the
proposed charter for Montgonl-
err County, Md. The tert sDds
released last tDeek and The Star
Carried an explanatory story on
that day.
ARTICLE I.-COUNTY COUNCIL
Section 1. Composition. Their
shall be County Council of Mont
gomery County. Maryland, com
posed of seven members as follows
One from each of the five commits
sioner districts as established b.
law in force July /, 1943, and tw
from the county at large. The com
missioner districts shall hereafte
be known as council districts. Tn
members shall be elected by tn
qualified voters Of the county at tn
ouadrennial elections In accordanc
with the general election laws o
Maryland, provided that the mem
bers of the first county council shal
be elected in accordance with tn
provisions of Section 3, Article y
of this charter.
Section 2. Qualifications. a. NJ
person shall be eligible for election
to the Office Of member of the count,
council or hold such office unless HI
is a qualified voter of the count.
and. in the case of a council mem
Der from any council district, unles
he is a qualified voter of that coun
Gil district.
b. No person shall hold the Office
of member of the county council
while he holds any other Office o.
employment for profit OF or undel
the State or county.
Section 3. Term Of Office. Mem.
bers of the county council shall holt
office for terms of years commenc.
ing from the time of their election
and until their successors shal
qualify, and they shall qualify al
soon after their election as practic'
able and shall enter upon the dutie.
of their Office Immediately upor
their qualification, except that thu
terms of the members of the frs
county council shall extend only tt
the next quadrennial election ane
until their successors have qualities
for Office.
Section 4. Compensation. Eact
member of the county council shall
be paid for the performance Of pub.
lie duties under this charter 5000
for each meeting of the count!
council in legislative or executive
session which the member attend!
in person but not to exceed $20.0'
for any one day or $4,000 during
any calendar year.
Section 5. Vacancies. a. A va
cancy occurring in the Office Of coun'
Gil member prior to the expiration
of the term thereof shall be f1llet
by the county council in executive
session by election by majority vot,
Of the remaining members thereof
b. No member of the count!
council shall, during the term fol
which he shall have been elected, bt
eligible to any other Office or posi-
tion in the county, carrying compen'
sation, and created by or under thf
charter.
ARTICLE 1.-THE LEGISLATIVE
BRANCH
Section 1. Composition. The leg
islative branch of the county gov
ernment shall be composed of tn,
County Council in Legislative Ses
sion and the officers and employs
thereof.
Section 2. Officers. The presiden
of the county council shall be th'
presiding officer thereof in the legis'
lative session. The county attorne.
shall serve without additional com
pensation as secretary of the count,
council in legislative session and a
it's legislative craftsman and lega
adviser and shall keep its journal
There shall be such other officers o
the county council in legislative ses
sion as may be provided in the rule
of legislative procedure. Their
shall be no standing committees o
the county council.
Section 3. General Legislative
Powers. The county council is tn
elective legislative body OF tn
county and is vested with the law
making power thereof including al
law-making powers heretofore ex
ercised by the General Assembly o
MARYLAND but transferred to tn
people of the county by virture o
the adoption of this charter. an,
the legislative power vested IN tn
County Commissioners as distric
council for the Montgomery Count.
Suburban District. For the enact
ment of legislation the county coun
Gil shall sit in legislative session dur
ing May of each year.
Section 4. Specific Legislative
Powers. The county council i
authorized in legislative session to
a. Enact public local laws for tn
county and repeal or amend loca
laws for the county heretofore en-
acted by the General Assembly
provided that nothing herein con
tanned shall be construed to autho
rize or empower the county council
to enact laws or regulations for an.
incorporated town, village, or mu
nicipality in said county.
Section S. Legislature Procedure
The sessions of the county council
in legislative session shall be opel
to the public. =
On the introduction Of any bill
copy shall be placed on an off1cia
bulletin board to be set up by tht
county council, and additiona
copies shall be made available Il
the public and to the press : anc
no bill shall be passed before the
fifth calendar day after such dats
except by the consent of at leas'
five members.
No bill shall be passed except BY
q majority Of the whole number ol
members of the county council
Section 6. Referenda on Fran,
|chises, Bond Issues ana Other Lees
4