WM. PRESTON LANE, JR., GOVERNOR. 249

trict, Anne Arundel County Sanitary Commission, or any
county, the City of Baltimore, any other incorporated town
or city, or any agency thereof.

8G. The Department of Public Improvements shall have
supervision over and advise the Board of Public Works
and other State departments and agencies in connection
with all engineering questions and matters pertaining to
any and all public improvements, and all contracts, plans
and specifications for any and all public improvements
involving any engineering question shall be submitted to
said Department and be subject to its approval.

8H. In addition to the general duties and powers as-
signed to the Department of Public Improvements by Sec-
tion 8G above, said Department shall:

(1) Assist and advise the Board of Public Works and
other State departments and agencies on all matters of
engineering, surveys, plans, specifications and contracts
for public improvements that may come before said Board
or in which such department or agency may be interested;

(2) Select and appoint architects and engineers to
prepare plans and specifications for all public improve-
ments, such appointments to be subject, however, to the
approval of the Board of Public Works;

(3) Examine and approve all plans and specifications
prepared in connection with the preparation and execution
of all contracts for all public improvements;

(4) Represent the Board of Public Works at the open-
ing of all bids for public improvements and tabulate, record
and advise said Board on such bids;

(5) Supervise all appraisals in connection with public
improvements;

(6) Inspect and approve materials, equipment, and
methods used in making public improvements, and inspect
public improvements during the course of construction or
repair, such inspection and approval of materials, equip-
ment and methods to be in addition to and not in lieu of
the responsibility of the architect or engineer to supervise
work for which employed;

(7) Review maintenance and operation of public im-
provements to the extent that any engineering questions
are involved therein;