1266                             Laws of Maryland                       [Ch. 743

district, solicit, in the name of the District, competitive sealed bids
for such construction, as a whole, or in parts, as in its judgment may
seem advisable. Notice of the solicitation of such bids shall be pub-
lished at least once in each of two successive weeks next preceding
the date upon which said bids will be received in at least one news-
paper published and of general circulation in the County and in
such other newspapers or technical journals as the Commission shall
deem proper. Said notice shall describe briefly the project or projects,
or parts thereof, for which single or separate bids will be entertained,
the time and place for receipt of bids, the place where plans, specifica-
tions, bid and contract forms may be examined or obtained, and
such other information as the Commission may deem necessary or
desirable to place all prospective bidders on an equal footing. In any
such bid documents, the Commission shall clearly reserve the right
to reject any and all bids but no contract shall be awarded pursuant
thereto, except to the lowest responsible bidder, whose bid is legally
acceptable. If the Commission rejects all such bids, it may re-adver-
tise for new bids in the manner herein prescribed, for all or any
part of the work and may elect to cause any part not so re-advertised,
to be constructed as an improvement, as hereinafter permitted. All
contracts awarded by the Commission shall be protected by such
bonds, penalties and conditions as the Commission may require in
the bid documents, all of which shall be enforceable by the District
in any court of competent jurisdiction. In addition, the Commission
may, without advertising for or receiving bids, expend not more than
Ten Thousand Dollars for any one improvement.

539. [Charges and rates.] Special Benefit Assessments.

[ (a) For the purpose of paying the interest and principal of
the bonds issued by any said Commission as in this sub-title provided
for the water supply, sewerage or drainage systems to be constructed,
purchased or established under this sub-title, the said Commission
is hereby empowered to establish a proper and reasonable charge,
not less than the actual cost thereof, for connection with said water
supply, sewerage and drainage system so to be constructed, pur-
chased or established as aforesaid, and to fix an annual assessment
on all properties, improved or unimproved, binding upon a street,
road, lane, alley or right-of-way in which a water main, sewer or
drain has been built. The said annual assessment shall be made upon
the front foot basis, and the first payment shall be collected during
the year in which the construction is completed on the water supply,
sewerage or drainage systems, or in which the systems are purchased
or acquired. The said Commission for the purpose of assessing
benefits shall divide all properties binding upon a street, road, lane,
alley or right-of-way, in which a water pipe or sanitary sewer is
to be laid, into four classes, namely: Agricultural, small acreage,
industrial or business, and subdivision property, and the Commission
may subdivide each of said classes in such manner as it may deem
to be in the public interest. Whenever any water supply or sewerage
project in said sanitary district or sanitary districts shall have been
completed by March 31st, in any one year, regardless of when said
construction was commenced, then the said Commission shall fix and
levy a benefit charge as of the first day of January of the year in
which the project was completed upon all property in said sanitary
district abutting upon said water main or sewer, in accordance with
the classification or subdivision thereof, and shall in writing, notify