Before entering upon the duties of their offices, the Mayor,
Councilmembers, the members of the Board of Supervisors of Elections,
and all other persons elected or appointed to any office of profit
or trust in the Town government shall take and subscribe 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."
The Mayor shall take and subscribe this oath or affirmation
before the Clerk of the Circuit Court for Prince George's County or
before one of the sworn deputies of the Clerk. All other persons taking
and subscribing the oath shall do so before the Mayor.
The Town Treasurer and such other officers or employees of the
Town 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 Town.
All right, title, and interest held by the Town 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 Town, 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or ordinance repealed by this Charter, shall be instituted, proceeded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.
Every act or omission which, by ordinance, is made a misdemeanor
under the authority of this Charter, unless otherwise provided, shall
be punishable upon conviction before the District Court or Circuit
Court for Prince George's County by a fine not exceeding $1,000 or
imprisonment for six months, or both, in the discretion of the court.
The party aggrieved shall have the right to appeal as is now provided
under the general laws of the state. Where the act or omission is
of a continuing nature and is persisted in, a conviction for one offense
shall not be a bar to a conviction for a continuation of the offense
subsequent to the first or any succeeding conviction.
All ordinances, resolutions, rules, and regulations in effect
in the Town 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.
All ordinances, resolutions, rules and regulations in effect
in the Town at the time this Charter becomes effective which are in
conflict with the provisions of this Charter are hereby repealed to
the extent of such conflict.
Every word in this Charter importing the masculine gender shall
extend to and be applied to females as well as males; and every word
importing the singular number only shall extend and be applied to
several persons or things as well as to one person or thing; and every
word importing the plural number only shall extend and be applied
to one person or thing as well as to several persons or things.
If any section or part of section of this Charter shall be held
invalid by a court of competent jurisdiction, such holding shall not
affect the remainder of this Charter nor the context in which such
section or part of section so held invalid shall appear, except to
the extent that an entire section or part of section may be inseparably
connected in meaning and effect with the section or part of section
to which such holding shall directly apply.