A. 
Establishment of Personnel Board. The Queen Anne's County Personnel Board is hereby established.
B. 
Definitions. As used in this article, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:
PARTY
Includes both the employee prosecuting an appeal and the County.
RELEVANT
Refers to information which relates to an issue before the Personnel Board and tends to establish the truth or falsity of such issue.
C. 
Composition of Board. The Personnel Board shall consist of five residents of Queen Anne's County.
D. 
Appointment. Personnel Board members shall be appointed by the County Commissioners and designated as Board Member Nos. 1 through 5 for purpose of establishing an initial term of office.
E. 
Term of office.
(1) 
In order to establish a system by which the terms of Board members are staggered so that, once established, continuity of operation may be maintained, the initial terms of Personnel Board members shall be as follows:
(a) 
Board Member No. 1: This member's term of office shall expire on June 30, 2001.
(b) 
Board Member No. 2: This member's term of office shall expire on December 31, 2001.
(c) 
Board Member No. 3: This member's term of office shall expire on June 30, 2002.
(d) 
Board Member No. 4: This member's term of office shall expire on December 31, 2002.
(e) 
Board Member No. 5: This member's term of office shall expire on June 30, 2003.
(2) 
After the initial terms of office have expired for each Board member, Personnel Board members shall be appointed for terms of four years.
(3) 
Personnel Board members may be reappointed.
(4) 
No member of the Personnel Board shall hold any other County employment.
F. 
Removal of Board member. A member of the Personnel Board may be removed by a majority vote of the County Commissioners before the expiration of his or her term of office, for cause, for any of the following:
(1) 
Failure to attend three or more meetings in any calendar year;
(2) 
Failure to deliberate, receive or consider evidence or render a decision on any case in good faith; or
(3) 
Conduct which is clearly intimidating, oppressive or abusive to any person.
A. 
Scope of authority. The Personnel Board shall be empowered to:
(1) 
Hear and decide all appeals by members of the classified service from personnel actions as defined in in the Personnel Manual.
(2) 
Advise the County Commissioners regarding modifications to the classification and salary plan; and
(3) 
Annually, receive a report from the Director of Human Resources regarding the state of the Human Resources Department and the County Merit System and present its findings regarding the Department specifically, and County personnel practices generally, to the County Commissioners.
B. 
Scope of appeal. An appeal to the Personnel Board shall be limited to the issues:
(1) 
Agreed upon by the County and the employee; or
(2) 
Those which were presented at the human resource conference or pretermination hearing.
C. 
Authorized action.
(1) 
Based upon the decision of a majority of the Board, the personnel action appealed from shall be either:
(a) 
Sustained; or
(b) 
Overruled. The Personnel Board shall not be empowered to modify any disciplinary sanction imposed by an appointing authority.
(2) 
As a result of a Personnel Board hearing, the Board may require another employee to take or refrain from taking any action or engaging in any conduct.
D. 
Additional powers. The County Commissioners may, by ordinance, confer upon the Personnel Board such further rights and duties as may be deemed necessary to enforce and carry out the principles and intent of this chapter.
The purpose of a Personnel Board hearing shall be for the Personnel Board to:
A. 
Obtain all of the facts which form the basis for the appeal;
B. 
Hear the employee's version of the appeal in full;
C. 
Receive and review testimonial and other evidence;
D. 
Determine whether the action or condition which forms the basis for the employee's appeal amounts to a violation of law or policy.
The Personnel Board shall schedule a hearing as soon as practical given the availability of the Board members and other involved parties after receipt of an employee appeal and as frequently otherwise as is required to discharge its responsibilities effectively.
A. 
Quorum. Three Personnel Board members shall constitute a quorum.
B. 
Chairperson.
(1) 
At the first meeting of the Personnel Board in any year at which a quorum is present, the Personnel Board shall elect one of its members as Chairperson.
(2) 
The Chairperson shall:
(a) 
Schedule all Personnel Board hearings and meetings.
(b) 
Conduct and preside at all meetings of the Personnel Board.
(c) 
Make evidentiary rulings at all hearings. In the event of any disagreements among members of the Personnel Board regarding evidentiary or procedural matters, obtain the consensus of the Board regarding the issue in question and abide by such consensus.
(d) 
Poll members of the Personnel Board telephonically to make preliminary rulings regarding preliminary objections raised by any party prior to a Personnel Board hearing.
C. 
Guidelines for hearings. The Personnel Board hearing shall be held in an informal manner but shall conform with the guidelines as set forth in the Personnel Manual.