2244                               Municipal Charters

5-72A of Subtitle 5 of Article 17 of the Code of Public Local Laws of
Maryland 1963 Edition, as amended), which Article contains in
whole or in part the Charter of the City of Bowie, to empower the
City to grant franchises for a stated period of time subject to the
limitations and provisions of Article 23 of the Annotated Code of
Maryland.

BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF BOWIE,
MARYLAND:

Section 1. That the Charter of said municipal corporation be and the
same is hereby amended by enacting new Section 72A to read as follows:

72A. (Franchises.) The City shall have the power to grant and
regulate franchises to water companies, electric light companies, gas com-
panies, telegraph and telephone companies, transit companies, and any
others which may be deemed advantageous and beneficial to the City,
subject to the limitations and provisions of Article 23 of the Annotated
Code of Maryland. No franchise shall be granted for a period of longer
than fifty (50) years.

Section 2. That the date of the adoption of this Resolution is Decem-
ber 15, 1969, and that the Amendment to the Charter of the City of Bowie,
hereby proposed by this enactment, shall be and become effective on Feb-
ruary 3, 1970, unless a proper petition for a referendum hereon shall be
filed by January 24, 1970, as permitted by law. A complete and exact copy
of the Resolution shall be posted in the City Municipal Building until
January 24, 1970 and a fair summary of the Amendment shall be pub-
lished in a newspaper having general circulation in the City not less than
four (4) times at weekly intervals by February 3, 1970.

Section 3. That as soon as the Charter Amendment hereby enacted
shall become effective, either as herein provided or following a referen-
dum, the Bowie City Manager shall send separately, by registered mail, to
the Secretary of State of Maryland, and to the Department of Legislative
Reference, the following information concerning the Charter Amendment;
(1) the complete text of this Resolution; (2) the date of the referendum
election, if any, held with respect thereto; (3) the number of votes cast for
and against this Resolution by the Council of the City of Bowie or in a
referendum; and (4) the effective date of the Charter Amendment.

Section 4. That the Manager of the City of Bowie be, and he is spe-
cifically enjoined and instructed to carry out the provisions of Sections 2
and 3 as evidence of compliance herewith; the said Manager shall cause
to be affixed to the minutes of this meeting (1) an appropriate certificate
of publication of the newspaper in which the fair summary of the Amend-
ment shall have been published; and (2) return receipts of the mailing
referred to in Section 3, and shall further complete and execute the Cer-
tificate of Effect attached hereto.

INTRODUCED AND PASSED by the Council of the City of Bowie,
Maryland at a Regular Meeting on December 15, 1969.

Leo E. Green, Mayor
ATTEST:

Edith Maylack, City Clerk