ST. MARY'S COUNTY. 4349

of said estimate, to be paid out of the road levy or other moneys belonging
to the county; provided, that the petitioners for such improvement shall
agree to contribute in cash or labor an amount not less than one-half of said
estimate, all of said money to be expended under the direction of the
county road engineer.

1920, ch. 358, sec. 6. 1922, ch. 280, sec. 6.

181. The County Commissioners of St. Mary's County shall, on or
before the first Tuesday in June succeeding the passage of this Act, and
every second year thereafter, appoint some competent person who shall
have a sufficient knowledge of civil engineering and road construction to
enable him to accurately make surveys, plats, profiles and specifications
for the grading, draining, maintenance, repair and reconstruction of
public roads, bridges or drains of said county; and also to do the necessary
engineering work for the building or rebuilding of bridges. He shall
have had at least two years' experience in road civil engineering work,
and shall be known as County Road Engineer for St. Mary's County.
He shall receive an annual salary of not more than two thousand dollars,
payable monthly; and, in addition thereto, a sum, not to exceed four
hundred dollars per annum, to cover all actual and necessary expenses
incurred by him in the discharge of his official duties hereunder; said
expenses to be paid on the proper vouchers presented to the County Com-
missioner. The County Road Engineer shall qualify by subscribing to
the oath as required in Article One, Section Six, of the Constitution of the
State of Maryland, and upon such qualification shall execute in favor of
the County Commissioners a corporate bond in the sum of five thousand
dollars for the faithful performance of his duties, the cost of said bond
to be paid by the County Commissioners out of the County Road Fund.
The County Road Engineer shall hold his office for a term of two years
or until his successor is appointed, approved and qualified, unless removed
for cause. The County Commissioners shall have the power and authority
to designate the roads or parts of roads or bridges to be constructed or
repaired under the authority of this Act, and such construction or repair
shall be made by contract or day labor as may appear most feasible to the
Road Engineer with the approval of the County Commissioners. The
County Commissioners shall make such appointments without any refer-
ence whatever to the political opinions of the person so appointed.*

1920, ch. 358, sec. 1.

182. The County Road Engineer shall not be liable to removal from
office for any reason other than incompetency or wilful neglect of duty,
and then only upon the sworn complaint of ten or more resident tax-
payers of St. Mary's County, to be filed with the County Commissioners
of St. Mary's County, or upon complaint by the Clerk of the County
Commissioners, filed by their discretion; and every such complaint shall

*Secs. 1-5, ch. 358, 1920, authorized $200,000 of road bonds and the levying of
taxes to pay interest on and to redeem gaid bonds.