[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]