[Adopted by Bill No. 78-3[1]]
There is hereby established a body corporate
and politic, known as the "Harford Center," an instrumentality of
the County and a public corporation by that name, style and title.
[Amended by Bill No. 03-39]
A.
The Board of Directors of the Harford Center shall
consist of 15 persons, all of whom shall be citizens of the state
and residents of the County.
B.
There shall be the following ex officio Directors:
the County Executive, a member of the County Council selected by that
body, and a representative selected by the County Board of Education.
A designee of any ex officio Director may serve in his stead.
[Amended by Bill No. 21-016]
C.
The Board of Directors shall be appointed by the County
Executive upon recommendation of the existing Board of Directors.
Each member of the Board shall serve for a term of 2 years. At the
end of a term, a member shall continue to serve until a successor
is appointed and confirmed. As the terms of the Directors expire or
as vacancies occur, their successors shall be appointed by the County
Executive upon recommendation of the Board of Directors. All appointments
by the County Executive under this section shall be subject to confirmation
by the County Council, in accordance with the Charter. A member may
be reappointed but may not serve for more than 3 terms.
[Amended by Bill No. 21-016]
D.
At least 2 and not more than 2 of the non-ex-officio
Directors shall be parents of an individual with a disability.
[Amended by Bill No. 21-016]
[Amended by Bill No. 03-39]
Immediately after appointment, the Board of
Directors of the Harford Center shall enter upon their duties. The
County Executive, pursuant to Section 313 of the Charter, shall annually
designate 1 of the Board members as Chairperson, subject to confirmation
by the County Council. The Board shall select 1 of its members as
a Vice Chairperson. The Board may establish whatever other offices
it deems appropriate.
The Board of Directors of the Harford Center
shall serve without compensation.
The Board of Directors of the Harford Center
shall adopt bylaws for the orderly conduct of its corporate affairs
and whatever rules and regulations as necessary and appropriate to
the exercise of its powers in accomplishing the purposes of the Harford
Center.
The purposes of the Harford Center are:
A.
For the general benefit of the citizens of the County
and charitable in nature.
B.
As an agency and instrumentality of the County government
through which programs and services are made available with both public
and private funds and resources to persons who have developmental,
intellectual, or physical disabilities or are in need of any form
of rehabilitation related to mental or physical conditions.
[Amended by Bill No. 21-016]
C.
For the establishment of a public corporate body as
an operating entity with public responsibility to construct, maintain
and operate facilities and administer the programs and functions for
the education, training, supervision and custodial care of the citizens
of the County.
In furtherance of the purposes of the Harford
Center, it shall have the following powers:
A.
To establish, maintain and operate a residential and
day-care training and rehabilitation center and any other facilities
and services necessary for the proper care and treatment of individuals
with disabilities who are residents of the County.
[Amended by Bill No. 21-016]
B.
To accept gifts, legacies, bequests or endowments
for the purposes of the Harford Center. Unless otherwise specified
by the donor making the gift, legacy, bequest or endowment, the Board,
in its discretion, may expend both principal and income of any gift,
bequest, legacy or endowment to support the Harford Center training
and rehabilitation programs.
C.
To acquire and hold real and personal property in
its corporate name or in the name of the County, by any means, and
to sell or otherwise dispose of any property so acquired and to preserve
and administer those properties.
D.
To provide adequate facilities and services for the
rehabilitation and training of citizens of the County with disabilities,
to include educational and special educational services, rehabilitation
and training programs, residential and day-care facilities, medical,
nursing and recreational services and other similar activities, and
the dissemination of information relative to the causes and prevention
of physical and mental disabilities.
[Amended by Bill No. 21-016]
E.
To establish and collect fees and charges for institutional
use and services rendered and to expend the income therefrom for the
support of facilities and the providing of services. It is not intended,
however, that the operations, functions and programs of the Harford
Center shall be self-supporting, but the Board of Directors is authorized
to establish, by its rules, regulations and policies, fees and charges
that are deemed appropriate and may be related to ability to pay.
F.
To apply all money, assets, property or other things
of value it may receive to the general purposes of the Harford Center.
G.
To cooperate with and assist, insofar as practicable,
any agency of the state, the United States of America, any subdivision
of either or any private agency or person in furtherance of any of
the purposes of this Article.
H.
To employ an administrator and other employees as
may be required for its operations and to establish their qualifications,
salaries and employee benefits.
I.
To integrate its facilities with, accept funds from
and cooperate with the State Department of Health in all facets of
its operations, insofar as deemed advisable by the Board of Directors,
and to conform to the regulations of the Department.
[Amended by Bill No. 21-016]
J.
To establish a close liaison with private organized
groups interested in individuals with disabilities for the purpose
of strengthening the endeavors of those groups and enlisting their
assistance in aiding the Harford Center and its programs.
[Amended by Bill No. 21-016]
K.
To exercise any power usually possessed by private
corporations in performing similar functions, which is not in conflict
with the Constitution and the laws of the state, and do all things
necessary and convenient to carry out the powers expressly granted
by this Article.
[Amended by Bill No. 21-016]
All facilities constructed by the Harford Center
in furtherance of its purposes and in the exercise of its power shall
be constructed in accordance with state and local laws and the regulations
promulgated thereunder, and in particular Health General Article,
§ 14-301 et seq., State Finance and Procurement Article,
§ 2-501 et seq., and other sections of the Health General
Article of the Annotated Code of Maryland, as pertinent.
[Amended by Bill No. 21-016]
The activities of the Harford Center shall be
supported insofar as possible by citizen support, voluntary contributions,
fees and charges and payments from the state and federal government.
The County Council is authorized to make annual appropriations in
support of the operations of the Harford Center in furtherance of
the objective of aiding and rehabilitating citizens of the County
with disabilities. In further support of the objectives of the Harford
Center, the County Council may make appropriations for land acquisition
and capital improvements or borrow funds for these purposes and issue
individual notes, bonds or other evidences of indebtedness.
The Board of Directors of the Harford Center
shall annually report its activities to the County Executive, together
with a detailed financial statement of all money received and expended,
with recommendations and requests it may deem appropriate to achieve
the objectives and purposes of the Harford Center.
[Amended by Bill No. 21-016]
Nothing contained in this Article is intended
to prohibit the County from recognizing a private nonprofit corporation
as its administrative agent for the aid of individuals with disabilities
under appropriate terms and conditions and from granting funds to
any public or nonprofit corporation for any type of service contemplated
by this Article.
