THEODORE R. MCKELDIN, GOVERNOR 171

sioners may provide by ordinance for rules and regulations
regarding the use of competitive bidding and contracts for
municipal purchases.

CHARTER AMENDMENTS

787. Authorized. Amendments to the charter of the
Town of Thurmont may be made as hereinafter provided,
and such amendments shall have the same force of law as
if they had been enacted by the General Assembly of the
State of Maryland. The word, "amendments" as used in
this article shall include alterations and additions.

787A. Proposal by Board of Commissioners. Amend-
ments may be proposed by a favorable majority vote of all
the members of the Board of Commissioners. The mayor
shall not have the power to veto an amendment ordinance.
The ordinance proposing an amendment shall provide for
an expression of the will of the qualified voters at a
special or the next succeeding general election. Special
charter amendment elections shall be administered as other
elections. Charter amendments shall enact a new section
or sections, or they shall repeal a section or sections of the
charter and re-enact the same as amended.

787B. Proposal by Charter Commission. The Board of
Commissioners may by ordinance authorize and direct the
mayor to appoint a charter commission to amend this char-
ter or propose a new charter. Any charter amendment or
new charter proposed by a duly constituted charter com-
mission shall be submitted by the Board of Commissioners,
without change or modification, before the next succeeding
regular town election or at the next succeeding regular
town election; provided, that such charter amendment or
new charter shall be submitted to the Board of Commis-
sioners at least sixty days before any regular town election
at which such amendment or new charter is to be submitted
to the qualified voters of the town.

787C. Advertisement. The Board of Commissioners shall
authorize, at town expense, an advertisement of any charter
amendment or new charter to be published in at least one
newspaper of general circulation in the Town of Thurmont
at least once a week for four weeks immediately preceding
an election at which such amendment or new charter is to
be voted on. This advertisement shall contain the date of
the election and a true copy of the proposed amendment or
new charter, or a true and unbiased complete description
of the subject-matter concerned. Such advertisement shall