THEODORE R. MCKELDIN, GOVERNOR 721

for the issuance of bonds or certificates of indebtedness
to finance the construction of such Building and provid-
ing for a referendum thereon.

SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of
Maryland, That Section 20 of Chapter 142 of the Acts of
1949 be and it is hereby repealed and- re-enacted, with
amendments, to read as follows:

20. (a) The Mayor and Town Council is hereby em-
powered and authorized to construct and reconstruct, sur-
face and re-surface roadbeds, sidewalks, curbs, gutters,
and street improvements, or any or all, in the Town of
Forest Heights, in such cases as it may determine the same
to be necessary for the public benefit and for the benefit of
the abutting land and of the owners of the said abutting
land, provided that before any permanent street, sidewalk
and/or curb improvement shall be made under the pro-
visions of this section, the Mayor and Town Council shall
obtain from more than fifty per centum of the property
owners counted in proportion to the number of lots owned,
of record abutting upon said street, sidewalk and/or curb,
their written approval of said permanent improvement
and/or improvements. Such approval shall be upon a
street-by-street basis.

(b) The Mayor and Town Council are authorized to con-
struct and equip a community building for the purpose of
holding meetings of the Mayor and Town Council, for the
offices of the Mayor and Town Council, for storing the
property and equipment of the Mayor and Town Council,
for a public library, and for meetings of the various civic
organizations of which the Mayor and Town Council ap-
prove.

To finance the construction of such a community build-
ing, the Mayor and Town Council are authorized to issue
bonds, or certificates of indebtedness, in total amount not
to exceed $50,000. at an interest rate not to exceed 6%, re-
payable over a period not to exceed 20 years; provided,
however, that no bonds shall be issued under the authority
of this section whose par value when added to the total
par value of all bonds or certificates of indebtedness of the
town outstanding will exceed ten per cent. (10%) of the
total assessed value of all taxable property in the town as
shown on the town assessment rolls.

SEC. 2. And be it further enacted, That this Act shall
not become effective until it shall first be submitted to the