MARVIN MANDEL, Governor

237

AN ACT concerning

Washington County — Public Contracts

FOR the purpose of permitting the County Commissioners of
Washington County to purchase tangible personal
property over a certain dollar ceiling at a public
auction; and clarifying language.

BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments,

The Public Local Laws of Washington County
Section 3-23

Article 22 — Public Local Laws of Maryland
(1970 Edition and 1975 Supplement, as amended)

SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF
MARYLAND, That Section 8-23 of the Public Local Laws of
Washington County being Article 22 of the Public Local
Laws of Maryland (1970 Edition and 1975 Supplement, as
amended) be and it is hereby repealed and reenacted, with
amendments, to read as follows:

Article 22

8-23.

[It shall be unlawful for the] THE County
Commissioners of Washington County, or any employee of
[said] THAT County, [to] MAY NOT enter into any contract
of sale or purchase to which [said] THE County is a
party[,] where the amount involved in [said] THE contract
exceeds [the sum of $5,000.00] $5,000 without advertising
for bids in one or more newspapers published in [said]
THE County, the publication of [said] THAT advertisement
to appear at least once a week prior to the date on which
bids are to be filed. Any contract of sale shall be
awarded to the highest responsible bidder and any
contract of purchase shall be awarded to the lowest
responsible bidder, but [said] THE County Commissioners
shall have the right to reject any and all bids. Any
contract entered into in violation of the provisions of
this section [shall be null and] IS void[; provided,
however, that]. HOWEVER, the provisions of this section
[shall] DO not apply to any contract or other transaction
involving the deposit of County funds in any authorized
State or Federal Banking Institution and [shall] DO not
apply to necessary repairs made in case of emergency.
THIS SECTION DOES NOT APPLY TO THE PURCHASE OF TANGIBLE
PERSONAL PROPERTY AT A PUBLIC AUCTION.

SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act
shall take effect July 1, 1976.

Approved April 1, 1976.