FY 23 Approved Budget Book

AN OVERVIEW OF HARFORD COUNTY, MARYLAND

LEGISLATIVE BRANCH

Article II of the Charter vests all legislative powers in the County Council, which consists of six Council Members and a Council President. Each Councilperson resides in and is elected from one of the County’s six councilmatic districts. The Council President, resides anywhere in the County and is elected at-large. Council Members must have been a resident and a qualified voter of the County for at least two years immediately preceding their election or appointment. All sessions of Council must be conducted in public; four members constitute a quorum; and sessions are to be held the first three Tuesdays of each month and each Tuesday of the month of May. The Charter also provides for a Council Administrator to keep minutes of meetings, maintain a journal and other duties as the Council may direct; and a County Auditor, who must be a certified public accountant and who is charged with preparing an annual financial audit of all agencies that receive or disburse County funds. A Council Attorney is appointed by the Council to act as their Chief Legal Advisor. The Council Attorney must be a member in good standing of the Bar of the Maryland Court of Appeals for at least five years; and prior to assuming the duties of the office must be domiciled in the County. All formal communication from the Council to the Executive Branch must be addressed to the County Executive, and neither the Council nor any of its members can give orders either publicly or privately to any subordinate of the County Executive. The Council does however have the power to investigate into the affairs of the County and the conduct of any County agency. The appointment of an Executive Branch agency head, board member and/or commission member, requires Council confirmation. THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT Article 25A Section 5(Y) of the Annotated Code of Maryland, 1957, and Chapter 9, Article 11, Section 116 of the Harford County Code establish the County Council as the Local Board of Health for the County. With power to adopt and enforce all necessary rules and regulations concerning sanitation for food service facilities, habitable buildings and private water supplies within its jurisdiction and to provide reasonable regulating fees and charges plus penalties for violations, the County Council heavily influences daily life in Harford County. HARFORD CABLE NETWORK Harford County Charter Article XXVIIA establishes the Harford Cable Network Board as an agency of the County Council. The Board consists of 15 members appointed by the Council, and coordinates the public, educational, and governmental access programming of Harford Cable Network. Revenue received by the Network is turned over to the County Treasurer to be accounted for and expended in accordance with County budget procedures.

28