[Adopted by Bill No. 78-3[1]]
[1]
Editor's Note: This legislation was included as Ch. 2, Art. XII, Div. 14, of the 1978 Code.
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.