[HISTORY: Adopted as indicated in article histories.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Commissioners — See Ch. 18.
Comptroller and Tax Collector — See Ch. 62.
Taxation — See Ch. 166.
[P.L.L., 1930, Art. 6, secs. 235–237; 1927, ch. 270, secs. 1–3; 1931, ch. 174, secs. 1–3; 1941, ch. 79, secs. 235–237; 1943, ch. 825, secs. 235–237; 1945, ch. 443, sec. 235–237; 1948 Sp. Sess., ch. 26, secs. 235–237; 1965, ch. 27, secs. 235–237; amended in its entirety 5-13-2014 by Bill No. 2014-3]
A. 
Criteria for receipt of funds; use. The County Commissioners of Caroline County are hereby authorized and empowered to make annual payments in any amount to the volunteer fire companies of Caroline County for the purchase, repair or maintenance of fire-fighting equipment, provided that the fire companies remain active bodies and active fire-fighting organizations for the benefit of the County.
B. 
Distribution. Payment made pursuant to this Article shall be distributed as determined by the County Commissioners from time to time in consultation with the Budget Director and the volunteer fire companies.
A. 
The County Commissioners of Caroline County are hereby authorized and empowered to levy annually an amount determined by them for the above purposes on the assessable property of Caroline County.
B. 
Before the County Commissioners shall be required to pay the moneys levied for the purposes of this chapter to the respective fire companies, the Commissioners shall have the power to require the officers of volunteer fire companies to appear before them and show to the satisfaction of the Commissioners that any sums of money paid by the Commissioners to the volunteer fire companies under this article have been properly expended for the purposes set forth in this Article and also that the respective volunteer fire companies are active fire-fighting organizations.
C. 
In the event that any of the volunteer fire companies subject to this Article cease to remain active fire-fighting organizations or have not properly used the moneys appropriated to them for the sole purposes set forth in this Article, then the County Commissioners are authorized to pay to the other volunteer fire companies mentioned in this Article, in equal proportions, the unexpended moneys or to retain the same in the County treasury for general County purposes.
[Adopted by the County Commissioners 5-13-2014 by Bill No. 2014-3]
The Commissioners of Caroline County, Maryland, have established a volunteer firefighter Length of Service Award Program. The purpose of the Length of Service Award Program is to provide a benefit to individuals who have fulfilled specific service requirements as an active volunteer member of one of Caroline County's volunteer fire departments or companies. For the purposes of this Article, an "active member" is defined as a person who has accumulated a minimum number of points per calendar year, in accordance with the point system set forth in the Caroline County Length of Service Award Program as adopted by resolution of the County Commissioners and as may be amended from time to time by resolution.
[Amended 10-8-2019 by Bill No. 2019-5]
A. 
Establishment and charge. A Length of Service Award Program Committee shall be constituted for the purpose of guiding the administration of the program on behalf of the Caroline County Commissioners and qualified members of Caroline County's volunteer fire departments and companies.
B. 
Membership. The Committee shall consist of eight voting members:
(1) 
A representative from the Denton, Federalsburg, Goldsboro, Greensboro, Preston, Queen Anne's-Hillsboro, and Ridgely volunteer fire companies; and
(2) 
A County Commissioner or designee.
(3) 
In order to qualify for service on the Committee, members representing a fire company must be a resident of Caroline County and a member in good standing of that company and must remain so for the duration of their term.
C. 
Nomination and appointment. Representatives of the volunteer fire companies shall be appointed to the Committee by the County Commissioners in the following manner:
(1) 
Nomination.
(a) 
Each volunteer fire company shall select a primary and secondary nominee to represent the company on the Committee.
(b) 
The nominees shall be submitted to the County Commissioners, along with any other background information requested.
(c) 
The County Commissioners shall forward the names of the nominees to the Volunteer Fireman's Association at least 14 days prior to a scheduled meeting of the Association.
(d) 
The Association shall have the opportunity to object to any nominee. If the Association objects to a nominee, it shall provide a written explanation to the County Commissioners, along with a record of a roll call vote on the objection. Such written documentation shall be provided to the County Commissioners within 14 days of the vote by the Association.
(e) 
Failure by the Association for any reason to take up a nomination at its next scheduled meeting after receiving such nomination, or failure by the Association to forward written documentation of an objection within the time frame specified in Subsection C(1)(d), shall constitute the waiver of the Association's right to object.
(f) 
The Commissioners shall consider any objection raised by the Association when making an appointment but shall not be bound by the objection to reject a nominee.
(2) 
Appointment.
(a) 
The Commissioners shall appoint the nominee designated as the primary nominee for a company, unless the primary nominee is found to be ineligible for service on the committee under the Caroline County Ethics Ordinance.[1] The County Commissioners may also choose not to appoint the primary nominee if the Association has objected to the appointment.
[1]
Editor's Note: See Ch. 33, Ethics, Code of.
(b) 
If the primary nominee is rejected for a reason specified in Subsection C(2)(a), the County Commissioners shall appoint the secondary nominee.
(c) 
In the event both nominees are found to be ineligible to serve, the County Commissioners shall request the nominating fire company submit a new slate of nominees.
D. 
Terms and vacancies.
(1) 
Terms. Initial appointments of volunteer fire company members shall be as follows: two for one-year terms, two for two-year terms, and three for three-year terms. The length of the initial terms shall be determined by blind draw. Thereafter, all appointments shall be for three-year terms. Members may serve an unlimited number of terms. A member whose term has expired may continue to serve until a successor is appointed.
(2) 
Vacancies. Vacancies shall be filled in the same manner as described in Subsection C of this section. A member appointed to fill a vacancy shall serve for the remainder of the unexpired term.
E. 
Additional provisions.
(1) 
The Committee shall have no authority to enter into contracts on behalf of the County nor incur any obligation binding upon County government unless expressly authorized to do so by the County Commissioners.
(2) 
The Committee shall be subject to all provisions of the Caroline County Ethics Ordinance[2] and the Maryland Open Meetings Act,[3] and all public general laws of Caroline County.
[2]
Editor's Note: See Ch. 33, Ethics, Code of.
[3]
Editor's Note: See Ch. 33, Ethics, Code of.
(3) 
Additional duties of members, removal from office, appointment of officers, conduct of meetings, and other responsibilities of the Committee shall be established by resolution of the County Commissioners and as subsequently amended. The authority of the Committee shall be limited to those powers expressly set forth in or as allowed by this Article.
A. 
Establishment. Eligibility criteria, certification procedures, service benefits, and death benefits for the Length of Service Award Program shall be determined under program regulations adopted by resolution of the County Commissioners. No changes to the Length of Service Award Program shall be made by the County Commissioners without providing any proposed change to the Committee for review and recommendation.
B. 
Committee recommendation. The Committee shall make annual recommendations regarding program eligibility criteria, certification procedures, service benefits, and death benefits to the County Commissioners during the County's normal budgetary process.
C. 
Benefit adjustments. No adjustments to Length of Service Award Program benefits shall be made during a fiscal year unless there are sufficient funds available in the adopted annual budget to cover the adjusted program benefits.
A. 
Annual appropriation. The Length of Service Award Program shall be funded in the Caroline County annual budget in the amount necessary to pay all reasonably anticipated benefits for the fiscal year.
B. 
Reserve fund balance. In addition to providing funding through the annual budget, the County Commissioners shall maintain a dedicated and restricted reserve fund balance of at least $15,000.