J. MILLARD TAWES, Governor                        757

annual salary of $4,000.00. The Executive Commissioner shall receive
an annual salary of $12,000.00. All salaries shall be payable monthly
by the Treasurer of Howard County.

40.

(a)   The Executive Commissioner shall be the presiding officer of
the Board of County Commissioners and shall have primary executive
authority in the county government subject to decisions of policy
made by the Board of County Commissioners. He shall see that the
orders, resolutions, and regulations of the Board are faithfully
executed. He shall attend all meetings of the Board and recommend
to the other members of the Board such measures and policies as
he deems wise and expedient for the county. HE SHALL BE RE-
SPONSIBLE FOR PREPARING AND PRESENTING THE BUD-
GET AND FOR THE EXECUTION OF THE BUDGET AFTER
IT HAS BEEN APPROVED. He shall report to the Board from time
to time upon the affairs of the county and, shall keep the Board fully
advised as to the current financial condition of the county and its
future financial needs. With the approval of a majority of the mem-
bers of the Board, he shall be the appointing officer for the appoin-
tive agents and employees of the county. The Executive Commis-
sioner also shall perform such other duties and functions as may be
required of him from time to time by the Board. He shall serve also
as a regular member of the Board for the purpose of considering
and acting upon the orders, resolutions, regulations, and policies
considered and determined by the Board. From time to time the
THE Board shall elect from its membership a person to be Acting

Executive Commissioner, to have the powers and duties of the

Executive Commissioner during the absence of that officer.

(b)   The Board of County Commissioners shall meet for the trans-
action of public business at their office in Ellicott City at least one
day TWO DAYS each week and as much oftener as the proper dis-
charge of their ditties may require. The Executive Commissioner
shall spend full time in the discharge of his duties as such.

Sec. 2. And be it further enacted, That nothing in this Act shall
be construed or applied to affect the number, tenure, compensation,
qualifications, duties, or powers of the present Board of County
Commissioners of Howard County.

Sec. 3. And be it further enacted, That the provisions of this Act
concerning the number, qualifications, nomination, and election of
members of the Board of County Commissioners of Howard County
shall take effect under the election laws of the State and of the
county in order to provide in the primary and general elections in
the year 1966, for the election of a Board of five County Commis-
sioners as provided in this Act. The provisions of this Act concerning
the powers, duties, and compensation of the Board of County Com-
missioners shall take effect at the time the five County Commissioners
elected to office in the year 1966 take the oath of office and assume
their duties as County Commissioners.

SEC. 4. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, THAT BEFORE
THIS ACT BECOMES EFFECTIVE IT SHALL FIRST BE SUB-
MITTED TO A REFERENDUM OF THE LEGALLY QUALIFIED