(a)
Before entering upon the duties of their offices, the Councilmembers,
Clerk, Treasurer, 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 may [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 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 others [other]
persons taking and subscribing the oath shall do so before the Mayor.
The Clerk, 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 rights, titles, and interests held by the Town or any other
persons 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law or ordinance repealed by this Charter, shall be instituted, proceeded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.
(a)
The Council shall have the power to declare that a violation of a
Town ordinance shall be a misdemeanor and to affix penalties thereof
of a fine or imprisonment, or both, not exceeding the maximum allowed
by state law.
A party found guilty of a misdemeanor shall have the right to
appeal to the extent provided for by State law. 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. Unless
otherwise explicitly provided, all violations of Town ordinances shall
be municipal infractions.
(b)
Municipal Infractions. A violation of a Town ordinance shall be a
municipal infraction, unless that violation is declared to be a felony
or misdemeanor by State law or other ordinance. Fines for municipal
infractions shall not exceed the maximum prescribed by State law.
The fine is payable by the offender to the Town within twenty
(20) days after service of the citation. Any person receiving a citation
for a municipal infraction may choose to stand trial for the offense
in a manner prescribed by State law by notifying the Town in writing
within fifteen (15) days after service of the citation. A municipal
infraction is a civil offense. Each day a violation continues shall
constitute a separate offense for which a citation may be issued and
a fine imposed.
(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.
If any section or part of a 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 any part of the section so held invalid shall appear.
