1990                             Laws of Maryland                       Ch. 708

(3)    Investigatory files compiled for law enforcement purposes
except to the extent available by law to a party other than an agency.

(4)    Personnel and medical files and similar files the disclosure
of which would constitute an unwarranted invasion of personal
privacy.

(5)    Trade secrets and commercial or financial information ob-
tained from a person and privileged or confidential.

(6)    Other bodies and records specifically exempted from dis-
closure by statute.

(7)    VOLUNTEER FIRE COMPANIES.

(e) A body may exclude the public and hold its records inacces-
sible when it is considering any of the following matters:

(1) The dismissal, promotion, demotion, or compensation of any
public employee, or the disciplining of such employee or investigating
of charges against him, unless the employee affected shall have re-

quested an open meeting.

(2) The hiring of any person as a public employee.

(3) Matters which, if discussed in public, would be likely to affect
adversely the reputation of any person.

(4) Matters which, if discussed in public, would be likely to bene-
fit a party whose interests are adverse to those of the general com-
munity. This provision shall include but not be limited to considera-
tion of the acquisition of land.

(5) Provided that when a meeting is held at which matters cov-
ered by paragraphs (1), (2), (3) or (4) are considered or acted upon,
and at which matters not covered by those paragraphs are also con-
sidered or acted upon this section shall not authorize exclusion of the
public from or non-access of records of any portion of the meeting
devoted to matters not so covered, and

(6) The results of any final action taken in executive session held
pursuant to paragraphs (1), (2), (3), or (4) shall be made public.

(f) (D) Except as otherwise provided by law or in this act, all rec-
ords of meetings held by bodies subject to this act, and all public rec-
ords maintained or kept by any public or governmental body, board,
commission or agency within Cecil County supported in whole or in
part by public funds, shall be open for inspection and copying at the
applicant's expense, and with reasonable comforts and facilities. If the
record is in active use or in storage and, therefore, not available at
the time a citizen asks to examine it, the custodian shall certify this
fact in writing to the applicant and set a date and hour within a
reasonable time at which the record will be available for the exercise
of the right given by this act.

(g) (E) Any member of a body who willfully participates in any
meeting which violates this Article, knowing the meeting to con-
stitute such a violation, or any person who withholds records knowing
such withholding of records constitutes a violation, is guilty of a
misdemeanor punishable upon conviction by a fine of not more than
$500.00.