554 LAWS OP MARYLAND. [CH. 339

struction of said project, and to prepare detailed plans and
specifications for such construction. The City is authorized
to pay said engineer for his services from its general funds,
not otherwise appropriated, and if said project is thereafter
acquired, constructed or extended or partly acquired and
partly constructed, to reimburse itself for such payments out
of the proceeds of the sale of the bonds hereinabove authorized
to finance said cost of acquisition or cost of construction. The
City is likewise authorized and empowered, in the same man-
ner, to employ such other professional and technical assistance
as it may deem necessary and appropriate and to pay for such
services and assistance in the same manner. If all, or any
part of a project costing more than $5,000.00, is to be con-
structed, the City may contract for such construction, the
contract or contracts, however, not to be entered into until
competitive bids therefor have been called for by advertisement
published for at least two weeks in one or more newspapers
published in Dorchester County. If such competitive bids are
called for, the City shall furnish all prospective bidders with
copies of identical and complete plans and specifications upon
which to make their bids and shall name in said advertise-
ment a time when and a place where the bids will be opened
and considered, and shall reserve in said advertisement the
right to reject any and all bids and the right to require a satis-
factory surety bond conditioned on completion of construc-
tion. The City shall accept the bid of the lowest responsible
bidder and award a suitable contract for such construction to
said lowest responsible bidder unless all bids are rejected or
unless the City, acting on the advice of its City Engineer,
publicly finds that the proposal or product of a higher bidder
is superior and will serve the community better.

114D. (Details of Operation.) If and when construction or
acquisition of a project is definitely contracted for the City
shall delegate to a public commission the powers herein con-
ferred on the City of operation, maintenance, repair, improve-
ment and reconstruction of such project, as well as the powers
to distribute and sell the electric energy produced thereby and
to charge and collect for such energy the rates, fees and charges
fixed by the City. Said Commission shall be known as the
Municipal Utilities Commission and shall consist of three
members, all residents of Cambridge, one of whom shall be
appointed as chairman, and shall be established by municipal
ordinance which, in addition to the provisions hereof, shall
prescribe its duties in detail and the compensation of the mem-
bers thereof. The members of said commission shall be ap-
pointed by a majority vote of The Commissioners of Cam-
bridge for initial terms of ten, eight and six years each and