All legislative powers of the city shall be vested in a Council of five (5) members who shall be elected as herein after provided and who shall hold office for terms of four (4) years or until their successors are duly elected and qualified. The regular terms of Councilmen shall expire on the first Tuesday of the month following the election of their successors.
A. 
The corporate powers of the City of Fruitland shall be vested in and shall be exercised by a Council of five (5) members to be known as the "City Council," who shall be elected from the city at large, shall hold office for a term of four (4) years or until their successors are duly elected and qualify by taking an oath administered by the City Clerk that he will diligently and faithfully discharge all the duties of his office. The regular term of Councilmen shall expire on the first Tuesday of the month following the election of their successors. Election of Councilmen shall be as provided in § FC4-7 hereof.
B. 
Officers. The new City Council shall, at its first meeting following a regular city election, choose one (1) of its members as President and another of its members as Treasurer, and the members so chosen shall serve in such capacities for a period of two (2) years or until their successors are duly elected and qualified. The City Solicitor shall preside during reorganization of the City Council.
C. 
President: duties and powers. The President of the Council shall be the chief administrative officer of the city and shall supervise the activities of all departments of the city government except the Department of Finance. He shall, together with the Treasurer, prepare the annual budget of the city and submit it to the Council for approval. He shall preside at all meeting of the Council and shall sign all contracts, deeds or other instruments on behalf of the City of Fruitland. He shall make recommendations to the Council for the appointment of persons to fill vacancies among the heads of departments or in such other offices as may hereafter be created by ordinance.
D. 
Treasurer: duties and powers. The Treasurer shall head the Department of Finance and shall be responsible for the collection of all taxes and other moneys due the city and the verification of and payment of all accounts. He shall, with the President, prepare the annual budget of the city. He shall recommend to the Council the selection of the independent accountant who shall audit the city's books and accounts. He shall report to the Council once each month on the state of the city finances and shall report to the Council quarterly on the status of the current budget. He shall supervise the work of the employees of the Department of Finance. He shall give bond to the City of Fruitland, with such surety or sureties as the Council may require, in such amount as the Council may require, but not less than the minimum sum of fifty thousand dollars ($50,000.). The cost of said bond and the cost of any other employee bonds shall be paid out of municipal funds, and such bond or bonds shall be deposited with the City Clerk.
Councilmen may be assigned, by action of the Council, special liaison duties between the Council and department heads during any period in which there is no City Manager. A Councilman so assigned shall fully acquaint himself with the operation of the department or departments to which he is assigned and shall consult with the department head on special problems and policies relating to his department. Nothing herein contained, however, shall interfere with or restrict the right of the department head to communicate directly with the Council or the members thereof. Councilmen may also be assigned by action of the Council to serve on boards or commissions created by the Council or to serve as the representative of the city on county-wide or area boards or commissions.
Councilmen shall have resided in Fruitland for at least one (1) year immediately preceding their election and shall be qualified voters of the city.
A. 
President and Treasurer. The President and Treasurer shall receive such salaries for their services as President and Treasurer, respectively, as the City Council may from time to time prescribe by ordinance; provided, however, that no salary ordinance shall become effective during the current terms of those holding office as President and Treasurer when such ordinance is passed.
B. 
Councilmen. Councilmen shall receive such salaries for their services as the City Council may from time to time prescribe by ordinance; provided, however, that no salary ordinance shall become effective until after the expiration of the current terms of all Councilmen in office when such ordinance is passed.
The Council shall meet on the second Tuesday of the month following each councilmanic election for the purpose of organization, after which the Council shall meet regularly at such times as may be prescribed by its rules, but not less frequently than once each month. Special meetings may be called by the President or by a majority of the members of the Council.
A majority of the Council shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business, and a majority of those present shall decide any question unless otherwise in this Charter.
If the President is absent, the Council shall elect a President Pro Tempore for such meeting. The Council shall determine its own rules and order of business. It shall keep a journal of its proceedings, and the journal shall be open to public inspection.
A. 
President or Treasurer. In case of a vacancy for any reason in the offices of President or Treasurer, the Council shall at its next regular meeting, or at a special meeting called for the purpose, elect one (1) of the remaining members of the Council to fill the vacant office for the unexpired term. The election and acceptance of the persons elected shall be certified by the City Clerk. The President or Treasurer may be removed from office as such by the vote of the remaining four (4) members of the Council.
B. 
Councilmen. In case of a vacancy in the office of Councilman, the Council shall, at its next regular meeting, set the date for a special election of the voters of Fruitland, at which election a successor shall be elected to serve the remainder of the unexpired term. If, however, at the time the vacancy occurs there is four (4) months or less remaining of the term of office of the vacating Councilman, no special election shall be held, and the office shall remain vacant until the next regular election.
The Council by ordinance may create, change and abolish offices, departments or agencies, other than the offices, departments and agencies established by this Charter. The Council by ordinance may assign additional functions or duties to offices, departments or agencies established by this Charter but may not by ordinance discontinue or assign to any other office, department or agency any function or duty assigned by this Charter to a particular office, department or agency.
The Council shall fix the salaries of all employees and appointees of the City of Fruitland, including the salaries of all heads of offices, departments or agencies. Where possible, salaries of subordinate employees shall be set by classification and not individually.
The heads of all departments of city government who shall be appointed by the Council shall serve during good behavior and shall be discharged only for cause, as hereinafter defined, found by the Council after hearing. Written charges signed by a member of the Council shall be served upon a department head accused of dischargeable cause at least ten (10) days prior to the Council hearing thereon, which hearing must be held within twenty-one (21) days from the date of service of such charges. At least three (3) affirmative votes shall be required before such department head shall be dismissed from employment by the Council. The President of the Council shall have the power to suspend without pay any department head upon whom written charges have been served pending the outcome of the Council hearing thereon. "Cause" is hereby defined to mean either neglect of duty, inefficiency, insubordination, habits or traits of character which render retention in employment to be against the public interest, continuing mental or physical disability of such a nature as to prevent adequate performance of duties, any conduct tending to prejudice good government or tending to bring the city or any agency thereof into public disrepute.
When any ordinance or Zoning Map change is introduced for passage by the Council, it shall be read but not passed at the meeting at which it is introduced. As soon thereafter as conveniently may be, a statement of the substance of the ordinance or Zoning Map amendment shall be published by posting the same on a bulletin board in the municipal offices and by printing the same in some newspaper of general circulation in the City of Fruitland. At any regular meeting held after the publication of at least five (5) days, the substance of said ordinance or Zoning Map amendment and not less than seven (7) days after its introduction, the ordinance or Zoning Map amendment shall be read for a second time and passed, or amended and passed, or rejected or its consideration deferred to some specified future date by the Council.
All ordinances and Zoning Map amendments shall be passed only by the affirmative vote of three (3) members of the Council. The members voting affirmatively for the passage of any ordinance or Zoning Map amendment shall append their signatures to the ordinance or the Zoning Map amendment as evidence of its passage. All ordinances and Zoning Map amendments shall then be delivered to the City Clerk who shall endorse thereon the date of final passage and file the ordinance or Zoning Map amendment in books kept for this purpose.
The City Clerk shall deliver to the Judge of the District Court of Wicomico County a certified copy of all ordinances for the violation of which said Judge may impose a fine or imprisonment, or both, or other punishment and shall furnish a binder for the inclusion of such ordinances. The Judge shall take judicial notice of all ordinances so certified to him and of the due passage thereof.
The Council shall have the power to pass all such rules, resolutions and ordinances not contrary to the Constitution of the United States, the Constitution and laws of Maryland or this Charter, as it may deem necessary for the good government of the city; for the protection and preservation of the city's property, rights and privileges; for the preservation of peace and good order and for securing persons and property from violence, danger or destruction; for the protection of the health, comfort and convenience of the residents of Fruitland and visitors thereto and sojourners therein; and for the promotion and orderly development of the city, the areas included therein and the residences and businesses of the people working and living therein.