RESOLUTION
OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF BOWIE, MARYLAND
AMENDING SECTION 15, “QUALIFICATIONS”, OF THE CITY CHARTER TO
PROHIBIT A PERSON FROM SERVICE AS MAYOR WHO HAS BEEN CONVICTED OF A FELONY
OR A MISDEMEANOR INVOLVING A CRIME OF VIOLENCE.
WHEREAS,
pursuant to Md. Code Ann., Article 23A, §§ 11-18, the City Council
of the City of Bowie, Maryland (hereinafter, “the City”) has the
authority to amend the City’s Charter, in accordance with the procedures
set forth therein; and
WHEREAS, the City Charter sets forth, in Section 15, “Qualifications”,
the qualifications for service as the Mayor; and
WHEREAS, the City Council desires to add a qualification
prohibiting a person from service as Mayor who has been convicted either of
a felony, or a misdemeanor involving a crime of violence; and
WHEREAS, the City Council deems it to be in the best interest
of the City and its residents to amend Section 15 to add this requirement
as a qualification for service as the Mayor.
Section 1: NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council
of the City of Bowie, Maryland, that Section 15 of the Charter of the City
of Bowie is amended as follows:
Sec. 15. Qualifications.
The Mayor shall be at least eighteen years of age, shall have resided in the City for at least two years immediately preceding the date of election, [and] shall be a qualified voter in the City AND SHALL NOT HAVE BEEN CONVICTED OF EITHER A FELONY, OR A MISDEMEANOR INVOLVING A CRIME OF VIOLENCE. The Mayor shall maintain a permanent residence in the City during his term of office.
Section 2: BE
IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this Charter Amendment Resolution is adopted
this ______ day of December, 2003, and that the amendment to the Charter of
the City of Bowie, hereby proposed by this enactment, shall be and become
effective fifty (50) days after its passage by the City unless petitioned
to referendum in accordance with Article 23A, § 13, of the Annotated
Code of Maryland within 40 days following its passage. A complete and exact
copy of this Resolution shall be posted in the City Hall building for forty
(40) days following its passage by the City. and a fair summary of the Charter
Amendment shall be published in a newspaper having general circulation in
the City not less than four (4) times at weekly intervals, also within the
forty (40) days following it passage by City.
Section 3: BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that as soon as the Charter Amendment
Resolution hereby enacted becomes effective, either as herein provided or
following referendum, the Bowie City Manager shall send to the Department
of Legislative Services, the following information concerning the Charter
Amendment Resolution: (i) the complete text of this Resolution; (ii) the date
of referendum election, if any, held with respect thereto; (iii) the number
of votes cast for and against this Resolution by the Council of the City of
Bowie or in a referendum; and (iv) the effective date of the Charter Amendment.
Section 4: BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the City Manager of the City
of Bowie, Maryland be, and hereby is specifically directed and instructed
to carry out the provisions of Sections 2 and 3 as evidence of compliance
herewith; and said City Manager shall cause to be affixed to the minutes of
this meeting an appropriate Certificate of Publication of the newspaper in
which the fair summary of the Charter Amendment shall have been published,
and shall further cause to be completed and executed the Certificate of Effect.
INTRODUCED by the Council of the City of Bowie, Maryland
at a Special Meeting on the ____ day of December 2003.
PASSED by the Council of the City of Bowie, Maryland at a
Special Meeting on the ____ day of December 2003.
WITNESS: THE CITY OF BOWIE, MARYLAND
__________________________
Pamela A. Fleming, City Clerk
___________________________
G. Frederick Robinson,
Mayor
APPROVED AS TO FORM
AND SUFFICIENCY:
______________________________
Robert H. Levan, City Attorney