SPIRO T. AGNEW, Governor                       687

making provision for the appointment of an Acting County Ad-
ministrator in case of a temporary absence of the County Admin-
istrator; providing for the duties and powers of the County Com-
missioners of Kent County in relation to the position of County
Administrator; and relating generally to the office of County Ad-
ministrator and the Board of County Commissioners of Kent
County with respect to the general operations and control of the
county government.

Section 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Maryland,
That a new Section 123A be and it is hereby added to the Code of
Public Local Laws of Kent County (1959 Edition, being Article 15
of the Code of Public Local Laws of Maryland), title "Kent County,"
subtitle "County Commissioners," to follow immediately after Sec-
tion 123 thereof, and to read as follows:

HA.

(a)  The office of County Administrator of Kent County is cre-
ated. The Board of County Commissioners of Kent County shall MAY
appoint the Administrator from time to time. He shall be selected on
the basis of his executive, administrative, and fiscal abilities, includ-
ing his knowledge and experience in public administration, public
finance, accounting, and public affairs. The Administrator shall re-
ceive an annual salary of not more than ten thousand dollars ($10,
000.00) TO BE ESTABLISHED BY THE COUNTY COMMIS-
SIONERS. He shall execute a surety bond in favor of the Board
of County Commissioners, in such amount and with such corporate
surety as prescribed by the Board, with the condition that he shall
execute his duties well and faithfully as required by law; and the
premium for the bond shall be paid from county funds. He shall hold
his office during good behavior, and may be discharged by the Board
only for inefficiency, inability, neglect of duty, or misconduct; but
before he may be removed from office he shall be given a copy of the
charges against him and an opportunity of being publicly heard in
person or by counsel, upon not less than ten days' notice. The Ad-
ministrator in any event shall not hold his office longer than the last
day of the month in which he attains the age of seventy (70) years.

(b)    The Administrator shall devote his full time to the work of
the county, and he shall be responsible to the County Commissioners
for the proper administration of his affairs. He may employ, with
the approval of the County Commissioners, such assistants as he
may deem necessary for the proper performance of his duties. He
shall at all times be held responsible for the proper discharge of his
duties, but may delegate to appropriate officers and employees such
authority as he deems necessary to carry out the duties of his office.

(c)  The County Administrator shall have the following powers
and duties:

(1)  To be the chief administrative officer of the county and un-
der the general supervision and control of the Board of County
Commissioners to be responsible for and handle the day-to-day opera-
tions of the county government, all as more particularly described in
this section.

(2)  To supervise and coordinate the administration of the func-
tions of the several departments and administrative agencies of the