1660                             Laws of Maryland                       Ch. 573

made in the State Budget for such ensuing fiscal year for an appro-
priation to partially support the Council; provided however, that the
State of Maryland's contribution shall be subject to annual review
by the General Assembly.

(11) The Council and its activities may be financed cooperatively
by the State of Maryland and Calvert, Charles and St. Mary's Coun-
ties and may avail itself of additional funds from any other public
or private source.

The County Commissioners of Calvert, Charles and St. Mary's
Counties are authorized and directed respectively to appropriate
annually the following sums for the use of the Tri-County Council
for Southern Maryland: Calvert County, seven thousand dollars
($7,000.00); Charles County, nine thousand dollars ($9,000.00); St.
Mary's County, nine thousand dollars ($9,000.00). The sums so ap-
propriated shall be used for the purpose of fostering cooperative
planning and development in the tri-county region.

The County Commissioners of Calvert, Charles and St. Mary's
Counties are authorized to appropriate such other monies as they
deem necessary and appropriate in furtherance of this act.

52A.

(1)  A regional planning and development area, is hereby estab-
lished which shall include all of Calvert, Charles and St. Mary's
Counties, herein referred to as the "Tri-County Area," as the plan-
ning and development agency for the Tri-County area the Tri-County
Council for Southern Maryland is established, herein after referred
to as "The Council." The membership of the Council will consist of
the State Senator(s) and Delegates representing Calvert, Charles
and St. Mary's Counties in addition to 6 additional members from
each county to include three County Commissioners, a member of the
Planning and Zoning Commission, a member of the Economic De-
velopment Commission and a member at large each appointed by
the State Senators and Delegates representing Calvert, Charles and
St. Mary's Counties and the County Commissioners from Calvert,
Charles and St. Mary's Counties. THE THREE COUNTY COM-
MISSIONERS SHALL HAVE BUT ONE VOTE AMONG THEM,
TO BE CAST BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF COUN-
TY COMMISSIONERS OR HIS DESIGNEE. Additionally, the
Maryland Department of Economic Development and the Maryland
State Planning Department shall each be represented on the Council
by one non-voting member.

The members who hold membership by virtue of their elected or
appointed positions shall hold office only during their term of office.
The members at large shall serve at the pleasure of elected and
otherwise appointed membership of each county.

Vacancies on the Council by reason of death, resignation, change
of residence or other cause shall be filed for the duration of the
unexpired term in the same manner as is provided for the original
appointment.

Members of the Council shall serve without compensation.

(2)  Status.—The Tri-County Council shall be a public body cor-
porate and politic, and shall operate as a cooperative planning and de-
velopment agency within the representative counties to foster the