[2] Petition to Amend the Charter of the Town of Forest Heights to Add a Recall Provision

A “YES” vote would insert the words shown in Italics into the Town Charter. If the inserted words are to substitute for existing wording, or the existing words are to be repealed, the existing Charter words are shown within square brackets [].

[1] Petition to Amend the Charter of the Town of Forest Heights to Add a Recall Provision Section 33-16A. Recall.

At any time that twenty per centum (20%) of the qualified registered voters submit a petition for a recall vote on any elected official to the legislative body or via certified mail, return receipt requested, the Mayor and Council shall, within thirty (30) days of the date the petitions are submitted, validate in open session that the signors are qualified registered voters living in the Town of Forest Heights and shall, at that or the next legislative meeting of the elected body, schedule by Resolution, a special election on the recall petition, all pursuant to Article 23A of the Annotated Code of Maryland.

[2] To Restore the Mayor as the Chief Executive Officer Section 33-18. Powers and duties.

(a). Chief Executive. The Mayor shall see that the ordinances of the Town are faithfully executed and shall be the Chief Executive Officer, and the head of the administrative branch of the Town government,

and sequencing the balance of the subsections to Section 33-18.

YES
NO

[3] To Give the Mayor Authority to Appoint, Supervise and Dismiss Employees Section 33-18.(b) Appointments.

(b) Appointments.

[Appointments. The Mayor, with the approval of the Council, shall appoint the heads of all offices, departments, and agencies of the Town government as established by this Charter or by ordinance. All paid appointees in the employ of the Town of Forest Heights including the Town Treasurer, Town Clerk, the Chief of Police and other department heads whose appointment(s) are secured by the approval of the Town Council of Forest Heights, shall retain their appointment and employment with the Town of Forest Heights until at least a majority of the Town Council of Forest Heights approve, through formal voting, said appointee's termination after having convened a hearing, before the Town Council, of the charges warranting said appointee's dismissal. Recommendation to terminate any appointment rests solely and exclusively with the Mayor of the Town of Forest Heights. All subordinate officers and employees of the offices, departments, and agencies of the Town government shall be appointed and/or removed by the respective department or agency head with the approval of the Mayor and Town Council, in accordance with rules and regulations in any merit system which may be adopted by the Council. In the absence of a department head, promotion or removal of subordinate officers and employees shall be made by the Mayor with the written approval of majority of the Town Council and in accordance with any budget and merit system which may be adopted by the Council.]

The Mayor, with approval of the Council, shall appoint the heads of all offices, departments, and agencies of the Town government as established by this Charter or by ordinance. All office, department and agency heads shall serve at the pleasure of the Mayor. All subordinate officers and employees of the offices, departments, and agencies of the Town government shall be appointed and removed by the Mayor, in accordance with rules and regulations in any merit system which may be adopted by the Council.

YES
NO

[4] To Give the Mayor Complete Supervision Over the Financial Administration of the Town Government Section 33-18 (d) Finances; budget.

[Finances; budget. The Mayor shall prepare or have prepared annually a budget and submit it to the Council]

The Mayor shall have complete supervision over the financial administration of the Town government. He shall prepare or have prepared annually a budget and submit it to the Council. He shall supervise the administration of the budget as adopted by the Council. He shall supervise the disbursement of all monies and have control over all expenditures to assure that budget appropriations are not exceeded.

YES
NO

[5] To Restore the Mayor as Direct Supervisor of the Treasurer Section 33-40. Treasurer, appointment; compensation.

[There shall be a Treasurer appointed by the Mayor with the approval of the Council. He shall serve at the pleasure of the Council. His compensation shall be determined by the Council. The Treasurer shall be the financial officer of the Town. The financial powers of the Town, except as otherwise provided by this Charter, shall be exercised by the Treasurer under the direct supervision of the Council].

There shall be a Treasurer appointed by the Mayor with the approval of the Council. He shall serve at the pleasure of the Council. His compensation shall be determined by the Council. The Treasurer shall be the financial officer of the Town. The financial powers of the Town, except as otherwise provided by this Charter, shall be exercised by the Treasurer under the direct supervision of the Mayor. (Ch. Res. No. I. August 21, 1963, sec. 40.)

YES
NO

[6] To Restore the Mayor's Supervision Over the Treasurer's Authority Section 33-41. Same; powers and duties.

[The Treasurer shall have authority and shall be required to;]

Under the supervision of the Mayor, the Treasurer shall have authority and shall be required to; and sequencing the balance of the subsections to Section 33-41.

YES
NO

[7] To Restore the Mayor as Countersigner on Town Checks Section 33-50. Checks.

[All checks issued in payment of salaries or other municipal obligations shall be issued and signed by the Treasurer, the Council President, and one other councilperson and in the absence of the council President, one other councilmember. In the absence or unavailability of the Treasurer, the Town Clerk shall be responsible for signing all checks in payment of salaries or other municipal obligations.]

All checks issued in payment of salaries or other municipal obligations shall be issued and signed by the Treasurer and shall be countersigned by the Mayor. (Ch. Res. No. I, August 21, 1963, sec. 50.)

YES
NO

[8] To Strike Section 33-93 Section 33-93. Code of Conduct.

[Public officials, appointed or elected, are expected to display a high level of professionalism and integrity in their service to the Town of Forest Heights. Accordingly, any public official in the Town of Forest Heights, appointed or elected, shall be subject to the following provisions: (a) Charter Violations. Any violations of the Charter of the Town of Forest Heights, as determined by a 2/3 majority Council vote, shall be grounds for immediate suspension from office for a period of not more than 180 days. Suspension from office shall only be effected with a 2/3 majority Council vote. In the case of the Mayor being suspended, the Council shall carry out the duties of the Mayor until said suspension expires. (b) Pending Criminal Charges. Any Town Official facing pending criminal charges may be subject to suspension of duties pending the outcome of the criminal charges against him. Suspension from office shall only be effected with a 2/3 majority Council vote. In the case of the Mayor being suspended, the Council shall carry out the duties of the Mayor until said suspension expires. The terms of suspension shall be clearly delineated by resolution. (c) Conviction of a Crime. Any Town Official convicted of a crime may be subject to expulsion from office. Expulsion from office shall only be effected with a 2/3 majority Council vote. The terms of the expulsion shall be clearly delineated by resolution. Any public office made vacant through expulsion shall be filled in accordance with the applicable provisions of this Charter].

YES
NO

[9] To Repeal Section 33-92 Section 33-92. Terms.

[(a) Any reference of "Mayor and Council" in this Charter shall be construed to explicitly and emphatically refer to the Town Council as a body. This term in no wise shall be construed to grant veto power to the Mayor. (b) The term "Mayor and Council", "Council", "Town", and "Mayor and town Council", shall be used interchangeably throughout this charter and shall be construed as meaning the entire legislative body of the Town of Forest Heights. (c)The terms "Councilmen" and "Councilpersons" are considered synonymous when used throughout this Charter]

YES
NO

[10] To Restore Provision for the Clerk to Be the Same Person as the Treasurer and to Remove Council Supervision Of the Clerk/Treasurer Section 33-64. Town Clerk.

[The Mayor, with the approval of the Council, shall appoint a Town Clerk. The Town Clerk shall attend the meetings of the Council and shall keep a full and accurate record of the proceedings of the Council. He shall be custodian of the official records (other than the records of the Treasurer and the Board of Registrations and Elections) of the Town and shall perform such other duties as may be required by the Mayor and Council. The Town Clerk may act as the Treasurer for no more than ninety days the term of which may be extended by a majority vote of the Council. The Town Clerk shall prepare and submit a weekly report concerning town affairs to the Council. The Town Clerk shall be supervised by a Councilperson selected by a majority of the Council. The Town Clerk shall be bonded.]

The Mayor, with the approval of the Council, shall appoint a Town Clerk. The Town Clerk shall attend the meetings of the Council and shall keep a full and accurate record of the proceedings of the Council. He shall be custodian of the official records (other than the records of the Treasurer and the Board of Registrations and Elections) of the Town and shall perform such other duties as may be required by the Mayor and Council. The Town Clerk may be the same person as the Treasurer. (Ch. Res. No. I. August 21. 1963. sec. 64.)