2726                               Municipal Charters

1969 Legislative Session, Legislative Day No. 3
Council Bill No. 6

An Act creating a Human Relations Commission, establishing the
number of members and their terms and providing for their appoint-
ment, establishing the duties and functions thereof; providing for
cooperation with other groups and government agencies; empowering
the Commission to receive complaints and settle civil rights disputes
by concilation, conference, and persuasion, and to perform research
and publish the results thereof; providing for meetings of the Com-
mission; providing that the Commission shall receive staff support
from the office of the County Administrator; and providing that the
County Executive shall designate a Secretary to the Commission.

Section 1. Be it enacted by the County Council of Howard County,
Maryland, That Sections 12.600, 12.601, 12.602, 12.603, 12.604, 12.605,
12.606, and 12.607 be and they are hereby added to Title 12 of the Howard
County Code, "Health and Social Services," subtitle "Human Relations
Commission," to read as follows:

12.600—Composition, Appointment, Terms and Vacancy.

There is hereby created a Commission on Human Relations consisting
of nine (9) members to be appointed without regard for political affiliation
by the County Executive with the advice and consent of the County Council.
The County Executive shall designate one of the members as Chairman.
THE COMMISSION SHALL ANNUALLY ELECT A CHAIRMAN FROM
ITS MEMBERSHIP. THE COMMISSION SHALL ADOPT RULES OF
PROCEDURE FOR THE CONDUCT OF ITS MEETINGS AND IT MAY
ANNUALLY RECOMMEND, TO THE EXECUTIVE, INDIVIDUALS
TO BE CONSIDERED FOR APPOINTMENT TO THE COMMISSION.
SUCH RECOMMENDATIONS, IF MADE, SHALL CONSIST OF TWO
NAMES FOR EACH VACANCY TO BE FILLED AND SHALL BE
TRANSMITTED TO THE EXECUTIVE AT LEAST SIXTY (60) DAYS
PRIOR TO THE END OF THE EXPIRING TERM. The initial members
shall be appointed and hold office for terms as follows: Three to be
appointed for one year, three to be appointed for two years and three to
be appointed for three years. Members thereafter appointed or reappointed
shall hold office for a term of three years from the date of their appoint-
ments and until their successors shall be appointed and qualified, except
that no members shall be eligible to serve more than two consecutive terms.
Vacancies shall be filled when they occur in the same manner as original
appointments and for the unexpired term of the original appointment.
Members shall serve without compensation, but may be reimbursed for
any personal expense incurred in the performance of their duties as may
be provided by the County Council in the annual budget. The County
Executive shall designate the County Administrator or other member of
his staff as the Secretary of the Commission and be responsible for the
maintenance of its records, and shall perform such other duties as are
hereinafter provided. The Commission shall receive staff support services
from the Office of the County Administrator to the extent budgeted and
approved by the County Council in the annual budget.

12.601—The Duties and Functions.

The Commission shall cooperate with the County Executive, County
Council, County departments, agencies and officials in securing the furnish-
ing of equal services to all residents; training County employees to use
methods of dealing with intergroup relations which develop respect for