[Amended 11-14-2016 by Res. No. CR-03-2017]
(a) 
Before entering upon the duties of their offices, the Clerk to the Council, the Treasurer, the City Manager, all department heads designated by the Council, and the members of the Board of Elections, and all other persons appointed to any office of profit or trust in the City government, shall take and subscribe before the Mayor the following oath or affirmation: "I, _________________ do swear (or affirm, as the case may be) that I will support the Constitution of the United States; and that I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to the State of Maryland, and support the Constitution and Laws thereof; and that I will, to the best of my skill and judgment, diligently and faithfully, without partiality or prejudice, execute the office of ____________________, according to the Constitution and Laws of this State."
(b) 
The Mayor and each Councilmember, prior to assuming office, shall take an oath before any officer of the State of Maryland duly authorized and willing to administer such oath that he or she shall support the Constitution of the United States, will be faithful and bear true allegiance to the State of Maryland and support the Constitution and Laws thereof, and will, to the best of his or her skill and judgment, diligently and faithfully, without partiality or prejudice, execute the office that he or she assumes, according to the Constitution and Laws of this State.
The Treasurer and such other officers or employees of the City as the Council or this Charter may require, shall give bond in such amount and with such surety as may be required by the Council. The premiums on such bonds shall be paid by the City.
All rights, titles, and interests held by the City or any other person or corporation at the time this Charter is adopted, in and to any lien acquired under any prior Charter of the City, are hereby preserved for the holder in all respects as if this Charter had not been adopted, together with all rights and remedies in relation thereto. This Charter shall not discharge, impair, or release any contract, obligation, duty, liability, or penalty whatever existing at the time this Charter becomes effective. All suits and actions, both civil and criminal, pending, or which may hereafter be instituted for causes of action, now existing or offenses already committed against any law or ordinance repealed by this Charter, shall be instituted, proceeded with, and prosecuted to final determination and judgment as if this Charter had not become effective.
(a) 
The Council shall have the power to declare that a violation of any City ordinance shall be punishable as a misdemeanor and to affix penalties thereto of less than or equal to the maximum misdemeanor penalty prescribed by Article 23A, Section 3 of the Annotated Code of Maryland. Unless otherwise explicitly provided all violations of City ordinances shall be a misdemeanor.
(b) 
The Council may declare that a violation of a City ordinance shall be a municipal infraction, unless that violation is declared to be a felony by state law or other ordinance, and affix penalties thereto of less than or equal to the maximum municipal infraction penalty prescribed by Article 23A, Section 3 of the Annotated Code of Maryland. For the purposes of this Charter, a municipal infraction is a civil offense.
(c) 
Each day a violation continues shall constitute a separate offense.
(d) 
Any person receiving a citation for a municipal infraction may choose to stand trial for the infraction in a manner prescribed by Article 23A, Section 3 of the Annotated Code of Maryland.
(a) 
All ordinances, resolutions, rules, and regulations in effect in the City at the time this Charter becomes effective which are not in conflict with the provisions of this Charter shall remain in effect until changed or repealed according to the provisions of this Charter.
(b) 
All ordinances, resolutions, rules, and regulations in effect in the City at the time this Charter becomes effective which are in conflict with the provisions of this Charter are repealed to the extent of such conflict.
If any section or part of a section of this Charter is held invalid by a court of competent jurisdiction, this holding shall not affect the remainder of this Charter or the context in which such section or part of section so held invalid appears, except to the extent that an entire section or part of a section may be inseparably connected in meaning and effect with the section or part of a section to which such holding shall directly apply.