506                                LAWS OF MARYLAND                        [CH. 300

Harford County; and if it shall establish such a board, it shall be
constituted and controlled as follows:

(a)  The Board shall consist of ten members; and the initial mem-
bers shall be appointed by the County Commissioners, three members
to be appointed for three years, three for two years, three for one
year. Members shall be chosen from among the residents of the coun-
ty. The Chairman of the Board of County Commissioners shall be a
member of the Board ex officio. As the terms of the initial appoint-
ees expire or as vacancies occur, their successors shall be elected by
a majority vote of a quorum of the Board for terms of three years
or the remainder thereof; and thereafter, these positions shall be so
filled.

(b)   The members of the Board shall serve without compensation.

(c)  The Board shall establish, maintain, and operate a nursing or
convalescent home or homes and any other facilities and services
necessary for the proper care and treatment of aged, convalescent,
and chronically ill residents of the county and shall have the follow-
ing powers and duties:

(1)   To accept gifts, legacies, bequests or endowments for purposes
of the Board. Unless otherwise specified by the donor making such
gift, legacy, bequest or endowment, the Board, in its discretion, may
expend both principal and income of any such gift, bequest, legacy or
endowment to support the Board's nursing home program;

(2)  To acquire and hold real and personal property in the name
of the County Commissioners by any means, to sell or otherwise dis-
pose of such property so acquired, and to preserve and administer
such properties;

(3)   To provide adequate facilities and services for the care and
treatment of the aged, convalescent, and chronically ill citizens of
the county. These facilities and services will or may include physical
care, medical, nursing, recreational, rehabilitative, special education,
and other similar activities, and, in addition, dissemination of infor-
mation relative to causes and prevention of chronic and debilitating
illnesses;

(4) To charge such fees for admission to and maintenance in such
facilities and for use of such services as may support the facilities
and services subject, however, to the provision that where aged, con-
valescent, and chronically ill residents of the county are in need of
such facilities and services and are sufficiently impecunious as to be
unable to pay the full cost of such care, then the charges to such resi-
dents shall be in direct proportion to their ability to pay for the
services;

(5)   To apply all monies, assets, property or other things of value
it may receive to the general purposes of the Board;

(6)  To adopt, subject to the terms of this section, such rules and
regulations of any facilities or services that it establishes as may be
necessary for their proper operation;

(7)  To cooperate with and assist, insofar as practicable, any
agency of the State of Maryland, the United States of America, any
subdivision of either, or any private agency or person in furtherance
of any of the purposes of this section;