366/Maryland Manual

proper influence on public officials and officers by
requiring disclosure of their financial affairs and by
setting minimum standards for the conduct of
State and local business. The act establishing the
Commission abolished the Maryland Public Dis-
closure Advisory Board and the State Board of
Ethics.

The Commission's authority encompasses con-
flicts of interest, financial disclosure, and lobbying
disclosure.

The State Ethics Commission has the following
major functions: First, it renders advisory opinions
concerning the application of the Maryland Public
Ethics law at the request of persons subject to the
law and Commission's jurisdiction. Second, it
investigates complaints made to the Commission
alleging a violation of the provisions of the Mary-
land Public Ethics Law. The Commission may also
issue and investigate complaints on its own initia-
tive. Third, the Commission receives and reviews
financial disclosure statements filed by those cov-
ered by the law and required to file with the
Commission. Fourth, it receives and reviews lobby-
ist registration and activity reports. Fifth, it assists
and monitors the activity of local government in
enacting local government public ethics laws as
required by the State statute. Sixth, the Commis-
sion provides training and information to those
covered by the statute and to the general public.
Seventh, the Commission coordinates with the
Joint Committee on Legislative Ethics and the
Judicial Branch in carrying out the provisions of
the Maryland Public Ethics Law.

The Commission consists of five members ap-
pointed by the Governor for five-year terms. One
member is nominated by the president of the
Senate, and one by the speaker of the House of
Delegates. Of the three remaining members, one
must be a member of the other principal political
party to which the incumbent governor does not
belong. The Commission appoints an executive
director, a general counsel, and a staff counsel.

The Commission prepares an annual report and
a directory of firms that conduct a certain amount
of business with the State. A pamphlet describing
the Commission's program is available in limited
quantities. Financial disclosure forms and lobby-
ists' reports are available for public inspection
(Code 1957, Art. 40A).

MARYLAND FOOD CENTER
AUTHORITY

Chairperson: Henry L. Hein, 1989

Melvin R. Kenney, Sr., 1985; T. Allen Stradley,
1985; John J. Davis, 1986; John B. Foard, Jr.,
1986; Austin A. Zimmer, 1987; Raymond E.
Nicholas, Sr., 1988; James V. Melton, 1989.

Ex officio: Louis L. Goldstein, Comptroller of the
Treasury; Earl F. Seboda, Secretary of General
Services; Wayne A. Cawley, Jr., Secretary of
Agriculture; Craig S. Oliver, Cooperative
Extension Service, University of Maryland.

Donald J. Darnall, Acting Executive Director

Administrative Office
201 W. Preston St., Room LL-4
Baltimore 21201 Telephone: 383-2000

Maryland Wholesale Produce Market
7460 Conowingo Ave.
Jessup 20794 Telephone: 799-3880

Maryland Wholesale Seafood Market
901-A Oceano Ave.
Jessup 20794 Telephone: 799-0141

The Maryland Food Center Authority originally
was created in 1967 as the Greater Baltimore
Consolidated Wholesale Food Market Authority
(Chapter 145, Acts of 1967). The Authority was
formed to establish and operate a consolidated
food center within the Greater Baltimore Region.

The Authority is developing a 398-acre site for
establishment of the Maryland Wholesale Food
Center. The Center is located near Jessup at the
intersection of U.S. Route 1 and Maryland Route
175 in Howard County. The Food Center now
includes the Maryland Wholesale Produce Market,
the Maryland Wholesale Seafood Market, and the
Maryland Outlet Mall. The Outlet Mall features a
farmers market, crafts market, and flower market,
which are available to small farmers, craftspersons,
and horticulturists to enable them to direstly
market their products. With so many different
types of food operations in one location, the Food
Center provides quality food products to Maryland
consumers more efficiently and at less cost.

As of September 1, 1984, approximately
2,190,314 square feet of food warehousing space
had been completed or was under construction
within the Food Center. Furthermore, the Author-
ity has signed commitments for construction of an
additional 123,160 square feet of food warehousing
space.

In 1983 the General Assembly asked the Au-
thority to investigate the possibility of building a
seafood industrial park in West Ocean City (Chap-