WM. PEESTON LANE, JR., GOVERNOR. 357

to be done on, in or about a curb, gutter, footway or
sidewalk in any one of the following manners, viz: The
said order or a copy thereof may be served personally
on the owner thereof, any tenant of the property, or any
agent, trustee or guardian of the owner, or left at his
place of residence, or a copy of such order may be published
once a week for two successive weeks in one or more news-
papers published in Baltimore County. Any notice served
or published in any of the modes aforesaid shall be deemed
and taken as legally sufficient and binding. Any person
feeling aggrieved by the terms and conditions of such notice
may apply to the County Commissioners of Baltimore County
for a hearing with reference thereto, and shall be given an
opportunity to be heard in connection with same. At such
hearing the Commissioners may revise, alter, affirm or rescind
the directions of the Roads Engineer, in whole or in part,
and their decision shall be final.

Upon the failure of a property owner to comply with any
notice, within the time limited in said notice, which shall
be not less than twenty days from the date of service or from
the date of first publication, the Roads Engineer by and with
the consent of the County Commissioners, may procure the
performance of such work either with his own force or by
contract. The cost and expense of such work, including the
cost of giving any notice, shall be certified to the County
Treasurer by the County Commissioners, shall be a lien on
said property in the same manner as taxes; and shall be col-
lectible in the manner provided by law for the collection of
taxes, except that such charges and assessments are benefit
charges and shall not be subject to any limitation.

The Commissioners may by appropriate order, upon appli-
cation, provide for the payment of any assessment in annual
installments not exceeding five in number, on such terms and
conditions as may be deemed appropriate by said Commis-
sioners ; provided, however, that no installment payment shall
be permitted unless an agreement with respect thereto has
been made by the property owner with the County Commis-
sioners prior to the performance of the work.

SEC. 2. And be it further enacted, That this Act is hereby
declared to be an emergency law and necessary for the imme-
diate preservation of the public health and safety, and being
passed upon a yea and nay vote supported by three-fifths
of all the members elected to each of the two Houses of the
General Assembly of Maryland, the same shall take effect
from the date of its passage.

Approved March 29, 1947.