1192 LAWS OF MARYLAND. [CH. 600

Edition), title "Washington County", sub-title "Hagerstown",
said new sections to be known as Sections 319A to 319E and to
follow immediately after Section 319 of said Article, and to
read as follows:

Central Purchasing Department.

319A. The Centra] Purchasing Department is hereby cre-
ated. The head of this Department shall be the City Purchas-
ing Agent, who shall direct its operations and who shall per-
form the duties and exercise the powers which are herein im-
posed or conferred upon the Central Purchasing Department.

At the first regular meeting in April of each year, or as soon
thereafter as may be convenient, the Mayor, with the advice
and consent of the Council, shall appoint a City Purchasing
Agent, except that the first City Purchasing Agent appointed
under the provisions of this Act shall be nominated to the
Council as soon after June 1, 1939, as convenient, and shall
hold office until the first meeting night in April, or until his
successor qualifies, of the following year and in case of any
vacancy or removal of the Agent so appointed the Mayor shall
fill such vacancy for the unexpired term with the advice and
consent of the Council as hereinbefore provided.

The City Purchasing Agent shall be a person with broad
and thorough experience in purchasing and shall be of known
ability as an executive in the filed of purchasing.

The City Purchasing Agent shall be paid such salary as may
be provided in an Ordinance passed by the Mayor and City
Council of Hagerstown, but the salary shall not exceed the
sum of Twenty-five Hundred ($2, 500. 00) Dollars per annum.
He shall appoint from lists furnished by the Mayor and City
Council such assistants, aides and clerks and other help as
may be necessary for the proper conduct of the Bureau. The
compensation of all such appointees shall be subject to ap-
proval by the Mayor and Council.

319B. Materials and supplies of every kind, character and
description, including stationery and printed matter needed or
used by the several departments, boards, commissions, officers
or other agencies of the municipal government (hereinafter
designated as using authorities) shall, from and after the or-
ganization of the Department, be purchased by said Central
Purchasing Department.

It shall be the duty of the Department, subject to the ap-
proval of the Mayor and Council, to prescribe rules and regula-
tions providing for the times when and the manner and form
in which estimates of the needs of using authorities shall be
submitted, requisitions made and contracts entered into.