Dorchester County as it now exists constitutes a body corporate
and politic. Under this Charter it shall have all the rights and powers
of local self-government and home rule as are now or may hereafter
be provided or necessarily implied by this Charter and the Constitution
and laws of the State of Maryland.
The powers mentioned in the preceding section shall be exercised
only by the County Council of Dorchester County and other officers,
employees and agents of Dorchester County, acting under their respective
authorities or under such other authorities as may be provided by
this Charter or by law.
The corporate name shall be "Dorchester County, Maryland," and
it shall be so designated in all actions and proceedings touching
its rights, powers, properties, liabilities, and duties. Its boundaries
and County seat shall be and remain as they are at the time this Charter
takes effect, unless otherwise changed in accordance with law.
(a)
The term "County" means Dorchester County, Maryland.
(b)
The term "Dorchester County Government" means the officers, personnel,
departments, agencies, offices, boards, commissions, and other entities
that are subject collectively to the powers of local self-government
and home rule as are now or may hereafter be provided or necessarily
implied by this Charter, Article XI-A of the Maryland Constitution,
and Article 25A of the Annotated Code of Maryland.
(c)
The term "Government" means the Dorchester County Government.
(d)
The term "Council" means the Dorchester County Council.
(e)
The term "Charter" means the Charter of Dorchester County.
(f)
The term "State" means the State of Maryland.
(g)
The term "Budget" means the package of materials consisting of the
Current Expense Budget, the Current Revenue Budget, the Capital Budget,
the Capital Improvement Program, and the budget message.
(h)
The term "Current Expense Budget" means the plan to receive and expend
funds for charges incurred for operation, maintenance, interest, and
other charges for the next fiscal year.
(i)
The term "Current Revenue Budget" means the plan to raise and receive
all manner of funds from all sources, including property taxes, for
current needs and for annual appropriations for current projects.
(j)
The term "Capital Budget" means the plan to receive and expend funds
for capital projects during the next fiscal year.
(k)
The term "Capital Improvement Program" means the plan to receive
and expend funds for capital projects during the next fiscal year
and the next succeeding five fiscal years thereafter.
(l)
The term "Capital Project" means any physical betterment or improvement;
any preliminary studies and surveys related to a physical betterment
and improvement; and the acquisition, renovation, remodeling and construction
of any property for public use of a long-term or permanent nature,
including by a lease-purchase agreement.
If any article, section, subsection, sentence, clause, or phrase
of this Charter is held unconstitutional, invalid, or inapplicable
to any person or circumstance by a court of competent jurisdiction,
all other articles, sections, subsections, clauses, or phrases of
this Charter and their application to other persons and circumstances
shall be separable and not affected by the decision.