AFFIRMATION AND ASSURANCE OF PUBLIC INTEREST
A. 
Oath required. Before entering upon the duties of their offices, the Mayor, the Councilmembers, the Town Manager, 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:
[Amended 4-26-1991 by Res. No. 91-4]
"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 support and comply with the Charter, laws, and ordinances of the Town of Rock Hall; 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 of and the laws of this state."
B. 
Before whom taken and subscribed. The Mayor shall take and subscribe to this oath or affirmation before the Clerk of the Circuit Court for the county or before one of the sworn deputies of the Clerk. All other persons taking and subscribing to the oath shall do so before the Mayor.
The Clerk-Treasurer and such other officials or employees of the town as the Council and 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.
APPLICABILITY OF PREVIOUS AND SUBSEQUENT CHARTERS
All right, title and interest held by this 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 whatsoever 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hereafter be instituted for causes of action now existing or offenses already committed against any law or ordinance repealed by this Charter, shall be instituted, proceeded with and prosecuted to final determination and judgment as if this Charter had not become effective.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. 
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.
B. 
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 repealed to the extent of such conflict.
DEFINITIONS/CLARIFICATIONS
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 by the District Court or in the Circuit Court for the county within which the offense is committed by a fine not exceeding $500 or imprisonment for 90 days in the county jail, or both, in the discretion of either of said courts. 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.
Certain ordinances are considered infractions as defined in Section 3(b)(1) of Article 23A of the Annotated Code of Maryland and shall be punishable per Section 3(b)(1) of Article 23A of the Annotated Code of Maryland (1957 Edition).
If any section or part of section of this Charter is held invalid by a court of competent jurisdiction, this 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 the section to which such holding shall directly apply.