750                             LAWS OF MARYLAND                      [CH. 539

CHAPTER 539
(Senate Bill 649)

AN ACT to repeal and re-enact, with amendments, Section 58 of
the Code of Public Local Laws of Howard County (1957 Edition),
being Article 14 of the Code of Public Local Laws of Maryland,
title "Howard County", sub-title "County Commissioners and
County Collectors", amending the laws concerning bids and con-
tracts in Howard County on certain matters or works of internal
improvement.

Section 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Maryland,
That Section 58 of the Code of Public Local Laws of Howard County
(1957 Edition), being Article 14 of the Code of Public Local Laws
of Maryland, title "Howard County", sub-title "County Commis-
sioners and County Collectors", be and it is hereby repealed and
re-enacted, with amendments, to read as follows:

58. Purchases and contracts; bids.

Whenever any matters, or works of internal improvement are
hereafter to be done in Howard County, over which the County
Commissioners shall have supervision, costing more than Six Thou-
sand Five Hundred Dollars ($6,500.00) when the same shall be on
roads, bridges, culverts, or more than [One Thousand Dollars
($1,000.00)] Two Thousand Dollars ($2,000.00) for any other work
under their control, or whenever any material, equipment or other
things are to be purchased costing more than [One Thousand Dollars
($1,000.00)] Two Thousand Dollars ($2,000.00), it is hereby made
their duty to let the same by advertisement for not less than twice,
in one County paper, printed and published in Howard County,
giving notice of the nature and kind of work to be contracted for,
and the day when sealed bids will be publicly opened, and upon the
day named in said advertisement for opening said bids the said
County Commissioners shall open the same publicly in their office
at Ellicott City, and shall award the contract therefor to the lowest
responsible bidder, or may in their discretion reject any and all
bids. The County Commissioners may contract for the work adver-
tised, if they can obtain a contract for the work so advertised, at a
price lower than the lowest bidder, without re-advertising for said
work, and when any bid is accepted require a bond in double the
amount of the contract thereby let, before any contract shall be
made, and on failure of giving a satisfactory bond within a reason-
able time, the said bid or bids shall be null and void, and the County
Commissioners may re-advertise for new bids as herein provided,
and should they give out any work or make any purchase amount-
ing to more than [One Thousand Dollars ($1,000.00)] Two Thou-
sand Dollars ($2,000.00) or Six Thousand Five Hundred Dollars
($6,500.00), as the case may be, at any time after June 1, 1951, the
party taking such contract or agreement, unless it shall have been
by advertisement, as aforesaid, shall not be entitled to recover from
the county the amount specified for the work so to be done.

Sec. 2. And be it further enacted, That this Act shall take effect
June 1, 1965.

Approved April 8, 1965.