[Amended 12-8-2014 by Res. No. CR-01-2015; 11-9-2020 by Res. No. CR-03-2021]
The Mayor, on the recommendation of the City Manager and with the approval of the Council, shall appoint the heads of all offices, departments, and agencies of the City government as established by this Charter or by ordinance. All office, department, and agency heads shall serve at the pleasure of the Mayor. All subordinate officers and employees of the offices, departments and agencies of the City government shall be appointed and removed by the Mayor, in accordance with existing rules and regulations, as well as in any merit system which may be adopted by the Council.
There shall be a Clerk to the Council who shall be appointed by the President of the Council with the approval of a majority of the Council and who shall serve at the pleasure of the Council. The Clerk shall attend every meeting of the Council and keep a full and accurate account of the proceedings of the Council. The Clerk shall keep such other records and perform such other duties as may be required by this Charter or the Council. There may also be a Deputy Clerk to the Council who shall be appointed by the President of the Council with the approval of a majority of the Council and who shall serve at the pleasure of the Council. The Deputy Clerk to the Council shall perform the duties of the Clerk in the absence of the Clerk to the Council.
[Amended 2-10-2014 by Res. No. CR-02-2014; 1-9-2017 by Res. No. CR-10-2017; 12-11-2017 by Ord. No. CR-05-2018]
The Council shall appoint the City Attorney. The City Attorney shall be a member of the bar of the Maryland Court of Appeals. The City Attorney shall be the legal adviser of the City and shall perform such duties in this connection as may be required by the Council or the Mayor, with approval from the Council. The City Attorney's compensation shall be determined by the Council. The Council has the power to employ such consultants as deemed necessary from time to time. The City Attorney shall serve at the pleasure of the Council.
The City may provide by ordinance for appointments and promotions in administrative service on the basis of merit and fitness. To carry out this purpose the Council may adopt such rules and regulations governing the operation of a merit system as it deems desirable or necessary. Among other things these rules and regulations may provide for competitive examinations, the use of eligible lists, a classification plan, a compensation plan, a probation period, appeals by employees included within the classified service from dismissal or other disciplinary action, and vacation and sick leave regulations.
The compensation of all officers and employees of the City shall be set from time to time by an ordinance passed by the Council, subject to the restrictions imposed upon establishing the salaries of the Councilmembers and Mayor.
The Council by ordinance may provide for or participate in hospitalization or other forms of benefit or welfare programs for its officers and employees, and may expend public monies of the City for such programs.
[Added 2-10-2014 by Res. No. CR-01-2014]
The Mayor and Council may remove the Chief of Police from office in accordance with the following procedures:
(a) 
The Mayor shall submit to the Council a resolution to consider removal of the Chief of Police, which must state the reasons for removal, a copy of which shall be delivered to the Chief of Police as soon as practicable. The Mayor's resolution to consider removal of the Chief of Police shall not require the approval of the Council. After submitting to the Council a resolution to consider removal of the Chief of Police, the Mayor may suspend the Chief of Police from duty with pay for a period not to exceed 45 days pending Council action on a final resolution of removal.
(b) 
Alternatively, the Council shall adopt by an affirmative vote of a majority of all of its members a resolution to consider removal of the Chief of Police, which must state the reasons for removal, and may suspend the Chief of Police from duty with pay for a period not to exceed 45 days. Such resolution and suspension shall not require the approval of the Mayor. A copy of the resolution to consider removal shall be delivered to the Chief of Police as soon as practicable.
(c) 
Within five days after a copy of the resolution to consider removal is delivered to the Chief of Police, he or she may file with the Council a written request for a hearing. This hearing shall be held at a closed-session Council meeting no later than 20 days after the request is filed. The Chief of Police may file with the Council a written reply to the resolution to consider removal not later than five days before the hearing.
(d) 
The Council may adopt a final resolution of removal, which may be made effective immediately, by affirmative vote of a majority of all its members, at any time after five days from the date when a copy of the resolution to consider removal was delivered to the Chief of Police, if a closed-session hearing has not been requested, or any time after the closed-session hearing, if one has been requested.
[Amended 5-12-2014 by Res. No. CR-03-2014]