250                                 LAWS OF MARYLAND                         [CH. 148

local governing authority shall designate which of its members shall
so serve, and, in the event of a vacancy occurring, shall designate
another of its members to serve as the ex officio member of the local
board for the remainder of the unexpired term.

(c)  The other members of the local board shall be appointed by
the local governing authority from lists submitted by the State
Department of Public Welfare, after approval by the State Board,
which lists shall contain twice the number of persons to be selected.
In formulating such lists, the State Department shall consult with
the local governing authority and seek out and nominate persons
with a high degree of interest, capacity and objectivity, and who
in the aggregate give a county-wide representative character to the
local board.

Effective July 1,1967 members of the local board shall be appointed
for three-year terms, to expire on June 80 of the respective years
of expiration, or until their successors are appointed. Upon the
expiration of two consecutive three-year terms the appointee shall
be ineligible, for one year thereafter, for reappointment. On the
effective date of this Act the six members of each local board who
are serving six-year terms shall continue in office until June 30 of
the respective years of expiration of their terms and they shall be
ineligible, for one year thereafter, for reappointment. Effective July
1, 1967 a new member shall be added to each local board and effec-
tive July 1, 1968 another new member shall be added to each local
board, each appointed for a three-year term as hereinabove pro-
vided. Any vacancy occurring for any reason during any six-year
term or any three-year term, as the case may be, shall be filled by
appointment for the remainder of the unexpired term.

(d)  Any member of any of the local boards who shall fail to
attend at least fifty per cent of its meetings during any period of
twelve consecutive months may be considered to have resigned, and
the chairman of the board shall forward or cause to be forwarded
to the State Department of Public Welfare the name of such mem-
ber, with the statement of such non-attendance, and the State Board
may thereupon, in its discretion, declare that a vacancy exists and
proceed to have it filled by appointment for the remainder of the
unexpired term in the manner provided in the aforegoing sub-
section (c).

(e)  If any member of any of the local boards, except the ex
officio member serving thereon under the provisions of subsection
(b) of this section, becomes a candidate for political office, or
accepts public office by election or appointment during his tenure
of office on the local board, such candidacy for or acceptance of
public office shall be considered as his resignation as a member of
the local board, and the chairman of the local board shall forward
or cause to be forwarded to the State Department of Public Welfare
the name of such member, with the statement of such candidacy for
or acceptance of public office. The State Board shall thereupon de-
clare that a vacancy exists on the local board and proceed to have it
filled by appointment for the remainder of the unexpired term in the
manner provided in the aforegoing subsection (c).

  (f) Each of the local boards shall select its own chairman an-

nually, on July 1. The provisions of this section apply in the twenty-
three counties and not in Baltimore City.