Ch. 95                                      1995 LAWS OF MARYLAND

(2) (i) The governing body shall conduct a public hearing before it makes,
changes, or revokes a designation.

(ii) A transition or close down plan shall accompany the notification to
the public of a proposed change in or revocation of a designation.

(iii) A change in or revocation of a designation shall take effect at the
start of the State fiscal year.                   

(e)     (1) A community action agency shall administer its programs through a
community action board consisting of at least 15 members, structured so that:

(i) One-third of the members of the board are elected public officials
currently holding office, or their representatives;

(ii) At least one-third of the members are persons chosen by a
democratic selection method designed to assure that' they are representative of the poor
in the area served;

(iii) The other members are officials or members of business, industry,
labor, religious, welfare, education, or other major groups and interests in the community;

(iv) Each member of the board selected to represent a specific
geographic area in a community resides in the area represented; and

(v) A person selected under subparagraph (ii) or (iii) may not serve
for more than 5 consecutive years or for more than a total of 10 years.

(2) (i) If a community action agency delegates responsibility for policy
determinations to a subsidiary board, council, or similar agency, that board, council, or
agency shall be broadly representative of the area.

(ii) Policy determinations may include the character, funding, extent,
and administration of, and budgeting for programs or projects affecting a particular
geographic area in a community.

(iii) If the community action agency is a governmental unit, the board
of directors may serve as an advisory body to the governmental unit and with the approval
of the governing body the governmental unit may delegate any or all of its powers and
responsibilities to the advisory body.

(f)      (1) The Secretary may provide financial assistance to designated community
action agencies based upon [the availability of federal funds and to the extent that funds
are provided in the State budget as follows:

(i) Financial assistance shall be allocated to designated community
action agencies on an annual basis.

(ii) In State fiscal year 1983 and subsequent State fiscal years, the
Department may use an amount of the federal community services block grant funds
allocated to the State for that year to fund existing community action agencies or their
successors. As to these federal funds only, an existing community action agency or its
successor shall receive an amount of these funds for the fiscal year which is equal to the

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