THEODORE R. MCKELDIN, GOVERNOR 255

termine from time to time to be reasonable and proper, and
said County Commissioners are hereby authorized to levy such
sum or sums on the assessable property of Howard County as
shall be necessary to pay said salaries and expenses.

33B. The County Commissioners of Howard County are
hereby authorized and empowered to fix a schedule of fees or
charges for the issuance of permits for the erection, construc-
tion, repair, alteration, remodeling, removal or demolition, of
any buildings or structures, or parts thereof, in Howard Coun-
ty, and from time to time to increase or decrease any of such
fees or charges as it may deem proper and necessary. After
the effective date of this Act, no building or structure of any
kind, or part thereof, shall be erected, constructed, repaired,
altered, remodeled, removed or demolished in Howard County
without first obtaining a permit in writing signed by the Build-
ings Engineer of Howard County, and paying the requisite -fee
or charge therefor. The Buildings Engineer of Howard County
shall provide application forms which shall contain such re-
quests for information as he may determine to be necessary. No
application for a permit shall be considered and no permit
granted unless and until all information required by the Build-
ings Engineer is supplied, and plans and specifications showing
the nature and character of the work to be done and of the
building or structure, or portion thereof, to be erected, con-
structed, repaired, altered, remodeled, removed, or demolished,
provided that it shall not be necessary to file plans and specifica-
tions in connection with any application for a permit for work
costing less than $500, nor where such filing is waived for cause
by the Buildings Engineer. The Buildings Engineer shall ac-
count for the pay over monthly to the Treasurer of Howard
County all funds received from the issuance of permits, which
said monies shall be expended by the County Commissioners of
Howard County as a part of the general funds of said County.
Whenever the Buildings Engineer shall refuse to grant a per-
mit to an applicant, he shall certify his reasons therefor in
writing to the County Commissioners of Howard County, and
the said County Commissioners shall grant or refuse such per-
mit by an order in writing. Within fifteen days, and not longer,
after an order refusing an application for a permit, the appli-
cant shall be entitled to appeal to the Circuit Court for Howard
County, which Court, sitting without a Jury, shall hear and
determine all matters relating to the application de novo, and
the decision of said Court shall be final. Such appeal shall be
instituted by filing in said Court a petition, a copy of which
shall be served on the County Commissioners of Howard Coun-
ty, which said petition shall set forth in clear and concise
terms the grounds for the appeal. The County Commissioners