[Adopted as §§ 1-101, 1-102 and 1-105 of the 1983 Public Local Laws of Queen Anne's County]
[Amended 2-19-2002 by Ord. No. 01-08]
A. 
Number. There shall be five County Commissioners for Queen Anne's County, four of whom shall be elected at large, with one residing in each of the four County Commissioner Districts of the County. The fifth shall hold the position of President of the County Commissioners for the first year of his or her term, may reside in any area of the County and shall be elected at large. Following the first year of their term, the Board of County Commissioners shall annually, by majority vote select one Commissioner to serve as President of the County Commissioners.
B. 
Election. At the general election held in 2002, and at the general election held every fourth year thereafter, the County Commissioners shall be elected.
C. 
Term.
(1) 
The term of a County Commissioner is four years and begins on the date of his/her election effective once the County Commissioner qualifies.
(2) 
At the end of a term, a County Commissioner continues to serve until a successor is elected and qualifies.
D. 
Eligibility for reelections County Commissioner may be re-elected.
[Amended 2-19-2002 by Ord. No. 01-08]
A. 
Districts. The County shall be divided into four County Commissioners election districts in accordance with this section until modified by the Redistricting Board as hereinafter provided. All such County Commissioner election districts shall encompass the geographic area described by reference to Election Districts and Precincts as the same existed as of July 1, 2011.[1]
[Amended 6-22-2010 by Ord. No. 10-07; 9-27-2011 by Ord. No. 11-19]
(1) 
District 1 is comprised of the northern and eastern area of the County including Barclay, Church Hill, Crumpton, Ingleside, Kingstown, Ruthsburg, Queen Anne, Sudlersville, and Templeville areas bordered on the west by Island Creek across properties to Granny Branch Road to White Marsh Road to Tanyard Road to Hope Road to Carville Lane across properties to Starr Road then to Fox Meadow Road, to the north by the Chester River, to the east by Tuckahoe Creek and Kent County, Delaware and the south by Maryland Route 404 and is specifically described by reference to the following Election District precincts:
(a) 
Election District 1, all precincts.
(b) 
Election District 2, Precincts 1 and 2.
(c) 
Election District 6, all precincts.
(d) 
Election District 7, all precincts.
(2) 
District 2 is comprised of the Centreville, Queenstown, and Wye Mills areas bordered on the west by Walsey Creek to US 50 to Nesbit Road to Main Street to Bennett Point Road to Governors Way to the Wye River, to the south by Wye Island, to the north by the Chester River and east by Island Creek across properties to Granny Branch Road to White Marsh Road to Tanyard Road to Hope Road to Carville Branch Lane across properties to Starr Road then to Fox Meadow Road to Maryland Route 404 and is specifically described by reference to the following Election District precincts;
(a) 
Election District 3, Precincts 1 and 2.
(b) 
Election District 5, Precinct 1.
(3) 
District 3 is comprised of Grasonville, Kent Narrows, Chester, and part of the Stevensville area. This district is bordered on the east by Walsey Creek to US 50 to Nesbit Road to Main Street to Bennett Point Road to Governors Way to the Wye River, to the north by the Chester River, to the south by Eastern Bay and to the west by Cox Creek to US 50 to Love Point Road to Old Love Point Road to Benton Road to the Chester River and is specifically described by reference to the following Election District precincts:
[Amended 11-22-2011 by Ord. No. 11-23]
(a) 
Election District 4, Precincts 2, 4 and 7.
(b) 
Election District 5, Precincts 2 and 3.
(4) 
District 4 is comprised of Stevensville and Romancoke and is bordered on the west by the Chesapeake Bay, to the south by Eastern Bay, to the east by the Eastern Bay and Cox Creek to US 50 to Love Point Road to Old Love Point Road to Benton Road to the Chester River, and to the north by the Chester River and is specifically described by reference to the following Election District precincts:
[Amended 11-22-2011 by Ord. No. 11-23]
(a) 
Election District 4, Precincts 1, 3, 5 and 6.
[1]
Editor’s Note: The Board of County Commissioners, after receipt of a report from the Redistricting Board, adopted Ord. No. 23-03 on 4-25-2023, which ordinance set forth that the current County Commissioner Districts, as defined in this § 4-2, shall remain as currently drafted.
B. 
Redistricting Board.
(1) 
Not later than July 1, 2011, a seven-member Redistricting Board shall be appointed, composed of three appointees of the County Commissioners, two appointees of the Democratic Central Committee and two appointees of the Republican Central Committee. The Redistricting Board shall convene not later than 30 days after appointment to organize and shall elect a Chairman from among its members.
(2) 
By April 1, 2012, the Redistricting Board shall establish tentative boundaries of the four County Commissioner Districts after due consideration and investigation within reasonable and lawful guidelines. The Redistricting Board shall set and conduct at least three public hearings in different geographical areas of the County and shall give notice of the time, date and place of such hearings at least twice in a newspaper of general circulation in Queen Anne's County.
(3) 
After all public hearings have been held, a final draft of the districting plan shall be completed and submitted to the County Commissioners and upon the adoption thereof by legislative process shall thereupon become law. After the plan becomes law, the Redistricting Board shall terminate its existence.
[Amended 9-27-2011 by Ord. No. 11-19]
(4) 
Subsequent Redistricting Boards shall be appointed within one year after the publication of the national decennial census and the same appointing procedure outlined above shall be followed, including the timetable established herein.
[Amended 2-19-2002 by Ord. No. 01-08]
A. 
In general. At the first regular meeting after the qualification of each Commissioner, the County Commissioners shall select from among themselves a Vice President who shall, during the President's absence or inability to act, or at the President's request, have the powers and perform the duties of the President.
B. 
President.
(1) 
The President shall preside over meetings of the County Commissioners.
(2) 
Except as otherwise provided by law, the President may execute authorized bonds, contracts, deeds, notes, and other instruments in the name of the County Commissioners.
[Amended by Ord. No. 91-01]
A. 
In general. The County Commissioners may meet on the second, third and fourth Tuesdays of each month to enact local laws.
[Amended 2-6-2007 by Ord. No. 07-02]
B. 
Special sessions. In addition to legislative days authorized under Subsection A of this section, the County Commissioners may hold special legislative sessions to enact local laws if:
(1) 
The total number of legislative days during the year does not exceed 45; and
(2) 
The County Commissioners publish notice of a special legislative session in a newspaper of general circulation in the County at least three days, but not more than 14 days, before the session.
[Amended by Ord. No. 94-08]
A. 
Salary. Each County Commissioner is entitled to an annual salary of $25,000.
[Amended 11-12-2013 by Ord. No. 13-23]
B. 
Expenses. Each County Commissioner is entitled to reimbursement for actual expenses incurred in the performance of duties on:
(1) 
Submission of a voucher; and
(2) 
Approval of the County Commissioners.
[Added 10-23-2007 by Ord. No. 07-41; amended 2-22-2011 by Ord. No. 11-02]
A. 
In general. In the event any office of County Commissioner in Queen Anne's County shall become vacant by death, resignation or otherwise, such vacancy shall be filled through the procedure set forth in Article 25, § 16 of the Annotated Code of Maryland.
[1]
Editor's Note: Former § 4-106, Vacancy, was repealed 4-29-2003 by County Ord. 03-05, effective 4-29-2003.