HARRY HUGHES, Governor

3525

(e)  The funds received by the respective Fire Departments
AND RESCUE SQUADS INCLUDING MOBILE INTENSIVE CARE UNITS from this
Fire AND RESCUE Tax shall be used for the purpose of purchasing,
repairing, replacing, operating and maintaining their fire
fighting AND RESCUE equipment and apparatus and the housing of
the same and for fire prevention and training. The amount and
type of equipment and apparatus of said Fire Departments AND
RESCUE SQUADS shall conform to the standards prescribed by the
Charles County Volunteer Firemen's Association AND BY THE CHARLES
COUNTY ASSOCIATION OF EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES, RESPECTIVELY.
No resolution, regulation or by-law shall be passed by said Fire
Departments OR RESCUE SQUADS limiting or restricting the
territory within the area covered by this Fire AND RESCUE Tax
within which it will respond to emergency calls.

(f)   In addition to the Fire AND RESCUE Tax benefits, the
County Commissioners of Charles County are authorized [and
directed] to pay out of the general funds of the County [on July
1st of each year, $6,000.00 to each of the various Fire
Departments in Charles County. On July 1st of the year that the
assessable tax base of Charles County exceeds 265 million
dollars, this amount shall be reduced to $3,000.00 which sum
shall continue each year thereafter until such time that the
assessable tax base of Charles County exceeds 325 million
dollars. On July 1st of that year and each year thereafter this
amount shall be further reduced to $500.00. This sum is to be
used by the various Fire Departments for the purposes outlined in
123(e)] ADDITIONAL FUNDS TO THE VARIOUS FIRE DEPARTMENTS AND
RESCUE SQUADS AS THEY DEEM NECESSARY. The Board of Fire and
Rescue Commissioners shall consider these payments in determining
the amounts due the various fire departments AND RESCUE SQUADS
under the formula distribution plan and in determining whether
excess proceeds exist.

124.

Excess proceeds, herein defined as proceeds from the fire
AND RESCUE tax in excess of those necessary to satisfy the
requirements of the preceding subsections, shall, upon
recommendation of the Board of Fire and Rescue Commissioners be
used by the County Commissioners to reduce the indebtedness of
the various fire departments AND RESCUE SQUADS, to assist in the
formation of new fire departments OR RESCUE SQUADS, [or
substations to existing fire departments] in accordance with the
needs and growth of the county, to allot funds to the various
fire departments AND RESCUE SQUADS to pay for career [fireman
and/or the establishment of a single county training facility
when deemed necessary] FIRE AND RESCUE PERSONNEL, TO SUPPORT/AID
THE SOUTHERN MARYLAND REGIONAL TRAINING CENTER, to hire necessary
clerical assistance, to accumulate an emergency fund up to a
maximum of [fifty thousand dollars ($50,000.00)] $100,000 to
provide assistance to new departments AND SQUADS or existing
departments AND SQUADS suffering major losses through no fault of
their own, and/or to pay any part of such excess proceeds to the