1004                             Laws of Maryland                      [Ch. 348

(b)   The Director shall be responsible for the exercise of all the
powers and duties conferred upon the Department by the provisions
of this article[, subject to the authority of the secretary as provided
by law] and delegated to him by the Secretary.

(c)  The Director shall appoint and remove the staff of the [De-
partment] Administration in accordance with the provisions of the
Merit System Law, subject to the authority of the secretary as pro-
vided by law. The staff of the [Department] Administration shall
consist of such employees as may be necessary to carry out the
duties of the [Department] Administration, in such numbers and
at the salaries provided in the annual State budget. Insofar as the
provisions of the merit system provide for disciplinary or dismissal
proceedings against employees to be brought by the appointing
authority, the Director shall be the appointing authority, unless the
secretary determines by written directive that the secretary shall
be the appointing authority. All employees shall be under the
supervision and control of the Director and shall perform such
duties as he may prescribe. [The Director and all staff employees
of the Water Pollution Control Commission, who as of June 1, 1964,
have held such employment under Article 64A of this Code for a
period of not less than six months prior thereto shall be continued
as employees of the Department of Water Resources herein created
or in other reasonably similar positions in the State classified serv-
ice with no diminution in salary, seniority or retirement rights and
privileges.]

[4.

(a)   There is hereby created a Water Resources Commission com-
prising five members who shall be appointed by the Secretary of
Natural Resources. One member shall be designated as chairman
and shall serve at the pleasure of the Secretary of Natural Resources.
Of the other four members of the Commission, one member shall
be appointed to serve for an initial term of one year, one member
for two years, one member for three years and one member for
four years, and thereafter all such appointments shall be for terms
of four years each. Members of the Commission shall represent the
general fields of public health, industry, agriculture, municipal ad-
ministration and natural resources. Members of the Commission
shall be eligible for reappointment. Vacancies on the Commission
shall be filled for the remainder of the unexpired term by the secre-
tary of natural resources.

(b)   The Commission shall meet at such times as requested by
the Director. Each member who is not a public official of the State
of Maryland shall receive a per diem allowance as provided in the
budget for his attendance when requested by the chairman, at other
meetings and hearings of formal significance. Members shall also
be reimbursed for actual expenses incurred in attending to the meet-
ings and other business of the Commission.

(c)  The Commission may adopt rules of procedure to govern the
conduct of its meetings. Special meetings may be called by the chair-
man or by three members of the Commission by delivery of written
notice to each member. Three members of the Commission shall con-
stitute a quorum. The Commission shall keep a record of its pro-
ceedings which shall be open to the public for inspection.