1216                              LAWS OF MARYLAND                       [CH. 688

time to time, appoint an alternate from either the Board or its
employees to represent the Board at such hearings and meetings.
The Chairman shall sign all leases, contracts or other legal agree-
ments or documents in which the Board is involved except for pur-
chase orders and other transactions authorized by the annual budget.

The Board shall elect annually from the appointed members a
Vice-Chairman who shall in the absence of the Chairman carry out
the duties of the office of the Chairman.

(b)    The Chairman shall, with the approval of the Board and in
accordance with the provisions of the merit system law, appoint an
Executive Secretary and such other technical, professional and cler-
ical employees as deemed necessary. The Executive Secretary shall
be a person with both academic training and experience in the admin-
istration, management, and /or conservation of natural resources.
The Executive Secretary of the Board and all employees who on the
effective date of this act have held such employment under Article
64A of this Code for a period of six months prior thereto shall be
continued as merit system employees of the Board of Natural Re-
sources with no diminution of seniority from all previous State
service or retirement rights or salary.

The Executive Secretary and the staff shall be responsible for
keeping the Board informed on all federal, State, interstate and other
natural resources programs relating to the activities and responsi-
bilities of the Board, for making special studies and reports, for
preparing the agenda for Board meetings, for preparing the annual
budget of the Board, for the preparing and editing annual reports
and other publications, and for performing and maintaining gen-
erally the staff functions and operations of the Board.

(c)    The Chairman shall be an ex officio member of all commit-
tees established by the Board and shall perform other duties as may
be reasonably necessary in carrying out the duties of his office.

(d)    It shall be the duty of departmental members of the Board to
attend Board meetings, to serve on special committees of the Board,
to invite the Chairman, or a staff member or Board member desig-
nated by the Chairman, to all meetings of their respective commis-
sions, and to supply the Chairman of the Board with agenda and
minutes of all meetings of their respective commissions. Depart-
mental members shall make available to the Chairman and the staff
of the Board all plans and records of their respective agencies, includ-
ing operating and capital improvement budgets and expenditures.
Departmental members shall assist the Board in the accumulation of
information and data, and shall make available to the Board any
technical assistance which may be helpful to the Board in reaching
a complete understanding of problems related to the operations,
activities, accomplishments and objectives of their respective depart-
ments. Each departmental member of the Board shall submit to the
Board, within 90 days after the close of each fiscal year, a written
report concerning the operations, activities and accomplishments of
his department for the preceding fiscal year. Each departmental
report shall contain pertinent information on finances and budgets
of the particular department.