If any Article, section or provision of this Charter is held,
by any court decision that has become final, to be invalid, ineffective
or inapplicable to any person or circumstance, by reason of any provision
of the Maryland Constitution or any applicable public general law,
then it is intended by the people of the county that all other Articles,
sections or provisions of this Charter and their application to all
other persons and circumstances shall be separable and shall not be
affected and shall become or continue operative and in effect, in
conformity with such provision of the Maryland Constitution or public
general law.
The Council Administrator shall, with reasonable promptness,
furnish to any taxpayer desiring the same, a true and certified copy
of any law, ordinance or resolution passed by the County Council,
upon payment in advance of a reasonable fee to be prescribed by the
County Council.
All persons are entitled to have access to information about
the affairs of government and the official acts of public officials
and employees, therefor, except as otherwise provided by law, a custodian
shall permit a person or governmental unit to inspect any public record
at any reasonable time.
In accordance with the powers granted to chartered counties
of this state by public general law, the County Council shall, by
ordinance, adopt a County Seal, and thereafter it may use and alter
the same at pleasure. The seal shall contain the corporate name of
the county and such other information or insignia as the County Council
may determine. The County Executive and such other officers as may
be specified by resolution of the County Council shall have power
to attest to the County Seal.
The County Council, the County Executive and the County Personnel
Board shall have the power to administer oaths, to compel the attendance
of witnesses and to require the production of records and other materials
in connection with any investigation, inquiry or hearing authorized
by this Charter or by law.