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DELEGATE CLAGETT: Yes, because
as the additional names went on V they
improved upon the earlier ones thus scrap-
ping them.
THE CHAIRMAN: Delegate Schneider.
DELEGATE SCHNEIDER: Mr. Chair-
man, I think this is a very important sub-
ject and I would suggest the lack of a
quorum.
THE CHAIRMAN: Very well. The lack
of a quorum has been suggested. The Clerk
will ring the quorum bell.
The pages will distribute Amendment V,
V for Victory.
This will be Amendment No. 10.
The Clerk will read the amendment.
READING CLERK: Amendment No. 10
to Committee Recommendation GP-13 by
Delegate Clagett and others: On page 28,
section 30, Procedure to Adopt a County
Instrument of Government, in line 2 after
the word "Board" add the words "not to
exceed nine"; and in line G after the period
add the following:
"If additional charter board members are
nominated by petitions signed by three per-
cent of the registered voters of the county
or by three thousands voters, whichever is
less, which shall be delivered to the Board
of County Commissioners within sixty days
after the charter board shall have been
appointed, then the Board of County Com-
missioners shall call a special election not
less than thirty nor more than ninety days
after receipt of the petitions unless a reg-
ular election falls within the designated
period. The appointees of the Board of
County Commissioners and those nominated
by petitions shall be placed on the ballot in
alphabetical order without party designa-
tion. The voters shall be entitled to cast
votes for, and elect, a number of nominees
equal to the number of charter board mem-
bers originally selected by the Board of
County Commissioners and those so elected
shall constitute the charter board. The
charter board shall be responsible for
drafting the instrument of government."
In line 8 after the word "appointment"
insert the words: "or in the event of an
election within twelve months from the
date of the election".
THE CHAIRMAN: The amendment is
submitted by Delegate Clagett and seconded
by the co-sponsors.
The Chair recognizes Delegate Clagett.
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DELEGATE CLAGETT: Mr. Chairman,
as indicated by the Reading Clerk, this
amendment is to section 30 and appears on
page 28 of the schedule of legislation. By
reference to line 1, you will note that, as
recommended, the board of county commis-
sioners of a county may appoint a charter
board. We make amendment not to exceed
nine in number at that point.
If they fail to appoint a charter board,
then upon receipt of a petition, they will
be required to do so. The amendment that
is before you provides an alternative ap-
proach and that alternative approach is
one whereby petitions signed by three per
cent or three thousand voters, whichever
is less, delivered to the board of county
commissioners within sixty days after the
appointment by that board of county com-
missioners of its nominees, shall then re-
quire that there be a special election not
less than thirty days nor more than ninety
days after receipt of the petitions unless
within that period of time there shall fall a
regular election.
The nominees of the board of county
commissioners and the nominees as the re-
sult of petitions will then go on a ballot
at the special or general election in alpha-
betical order and without party designa-
tion. The voters at the special or general
election will then select by their vote no
more than the number of nominees orig-
inally made by the Board of County Com-
missioners, not to exceed nine, and the num-
ber receiving the highest number of votes
will then constitute the charter board and
be responsible for the drafting of an in-
strument of government.
That insert goes at the end of line 6 and
you would then pick up at line 7 and go
forward as recommended by the Committee.
Where it is provided that the charter board
so elected or appointed, as the case may be,
shall within twelve months from the date
of its appointment, and we add these words
to make clear the insert with respect to
the alternative approach or in the event
of an election within twelve months from
the date of that election, present an instru-
ment of government for the county to the
board of county commissioners.
And thereupon following the procedures
by way of publication, referendum, and
upon approval by a majority of the voters
voting at that election, the charter conies
into existence as the instrument of govern-
ment for that county.
Now, I wish to explain to you that, as
recommended, there is a period of two
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