MARVIN MANDEL, Governor                        1141

LEASE OR SALE UNDER CERTAIN CONDITIONS AND IN
ACCORDANCE WITH CERTAIN PROCEDURES.

Section 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Maryland,
That Section 9B of Article 25 of the Annotated Code of Maryland
(1966 Replacement Volume and 1968 Supplement), title "County-
Commissioners," subtitle "General Provisions," be and it is hereby
repealed; and that new Section 9B be enacted in lieu thereof, to
stand in the place of the section so repealed, and to read as follows:

9B.

(a) The County Commissioners of Calvert County, in addition to,
but not in substitution for, the powers which may have been or may
hereafter be granted to them, shall have the full power to secure an
option upon, or to acquire by lease, purchase, condemnation, gift or

devise, real or leasehold property needed for any public purpose, and
to erect buildings thereon for the benefit of the county. Immediately
following the obtaining of any option to lease or purchase any real
or leasehold property, the County Commissioners shall advertise the

purpose for which the option has been secured and the price and

terms of the option. This advertisement shall be published for at

least three consecutive weeks in one or more newspaper of general

circulation published in the county. Any option secured may be

petitioned to referendum by the voters of the county to be submitted

for approval or rejection by them at the next regular election held

in the county upon satisfying the requirements of paragraph (b)
of this subsection. The County Commissioners are further authorised

to lease or sell any real or leasehold property owned by the county

when in their discretion it is no longer needed for public use. The

sale of any property shall be made pursuant to sealed bids, and the

offer to bid shall be advertised for at least three consecutive weeks

in one or more newspapers published in the county, accurately
describing the property and stating the time and place for opening

the bids, and reserving the right to reject any and all bids. The

proposals shall be publicly opened at the time specified in the adver-

tisement, and the property sold to the highest bidder, unless in the

discretion of the County Commissioners the interests of the county

would be better served by selling the property to some other bidder.

In case of the rejection of all bids or if no bids are submitted, the

County Commissioners may dispose of the property as they may

deem desirable.

(b) Unless petitioned to a referendum, the obtaining of an option

to lease or purchase any real or leasehold property by the County

Commissioners shall become effective ninety (90) days after its

adoption or passage. For a referendum the petitions must be filed

with the board of supervisors of elections within ninety (90) days

following the adoption or passage of the legislative action authorising

the securing of the option and must bear the signatures of at least

ten per centum (10%) of those voting for the Governor in Calvert

County in the last general election. Upon proper filing of the petition,
the legislative action shall not become effective until thirty (30) days
after its approval by a majority of the voters voting thereon at the
next regular election held in the county.

(c) The board of supervisors of elections of Calvert County shall
adopt rules and regulations specifying the form of the referendum