2086                                Municipal Charters

corporate to be known as the "City of Gaithersburg," with all of the
privileges of a body corporate, by that name to sue and be sued, to plead
and be impleaded in any court of law or equity, to have and use a common
seal and to have perpetual succession.

2.        The corporate limits of the City shall continue to be the limits as
they exist on the effective date of this Charter until they be hereafter
amended as provided by law.

3.        All legislative powers of the City shall be vested in a Council consis-
ting of five Councilmen who shall be elected as hereinafter provided and
who shall, except as hereinafter provided, hold office for a term of four
years or until their successors shall take office. The regular term of each
Councilman shall expire on the second Monday following the election of his
successor. The Councilmen holding office at the time this Charter becomes
effective shall continue to hold office for the term for which they were
elected and until their successors take office under the provisions of this
Charter. In the election which shall take place in the calendar year 1970,
the two candidates for the office of Councilman receiving, respectively, the
highest and the second highest number of votes shall be elected for four
year terms. The three candidates receiving, respectively, the third highest,
fourth highest and fifth highest number of votes shall be elected for two
year terms.

4.        No person shall be eligible for election to the office of Councilman
unless lie shall have resided in the City for at least two consecutive years
immediately preceding his election and unless he also be a qualified voter of
the City.

5.        Each Councilman shall receive an annual salary to be fixed from
time to time by ordinance passed by the Council. No Councilman's salary
may be increased by an ordinance adopted during his term of office. The
Councilmen elected to office in the election to take place in the calendar
year 1970 shall receive the sum of One Thousand Dollars per annum unless
that figure shall be changed by ordinance hereafter passed pursuant hereto.

6.        The Council shall meet regularly at such times as may be prescribed
by its rules, but not less frequently than once each month. All regular
meetings of the Council shall be open to the public and residents of the
City shall have a reasonable opportunity to be heard at any regular meeting
in regard to any municipal question, provided that this shall not be con-
strued to require the Council to permit additional evidence in any matter
with respect to which the record has been closed. Special meetings shall
be called by the City Manager upon request of the Mayor or a majority of
the members of the Council. Such meetings may, but need not be, open to
the public.

7.        The Council shall be the judge of the election and qualification of its
members to any other persons.

8.        The Mayor shall serve as President of the Council. He may take
part in all discussions of the Council, but shall have no vote on any de-
cision by the Council. The Council shall elect a Vice-president of the Coun-
cil from among its members who shall act as President in the absence of
the President. At any meeting at which the President and Vice-president
shall both be absent the Council may elect one of its members, to act as
President pro tern.

9.        A majority of the members of the Council shall constitute a quorum
for the transaction of business, but no ordinance shall be approved except