Public Notices - CHR 5-2015 Economic Development Proposed Bill

THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OF KENT COUNTY, MARYLAND

November 3, 2015 Legislative Session Day
Legislative Session Day November 3, 2015
CODE HOME RULE
BILL NO. 5-2015

INTRODUCED BY: William W. Pickrum, President of the Board of County Commissioners for Kent County, Maryland.

AN ACT to amend Chapter 21 Economic and Tourism Development, Article I. Economic Development of the Code of Public Local Laws of Kent County, Maryland. The purpose of this amendment is to update the code to define the duties of the Economic Development department and board members and rename the Economic Development Advisory Board to the Economic Development Commission.


THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OF KENT COUNTY

__________________________
William W. Pickrum, President


INTRODUCED, read first time, November 3, 2015, ordered posted and public hearing scheduled on December 1, 2015, at 6:00 p.m. in the County Commissioners Hearing Room, R. Clayton Mitchell, Jr., Kent County Government Center, 400 High Street, Chestertown, Maryland.


By Order of:

______________________________
Sondra M. Blackiston, Clerk


PUBLIC HEARING

HAVING been posted and notice of time and place of hearing and copies having been made available to the public and the press, a public hearing was held on December 1, 2015. Reported favorably [with] [without] amendments; read second time and ordered to be considered on December 15, 2015, a legislative session day.






A BILL ENTITLED CHR 5-2015 ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT


NOW THEREFORE BE IT ENACTED BY THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OF KENT COUNTY, MARYLAND that Chapter 21. Economic and Tourism Development, Article I. Economic Development is hereby amended as follows:


Article I. Economic Development

§ 21-1. Director.

The position of Economic Development Director is hereby created. The Director shall serve at the pleasure of the County Commissioners and receive such compensation as may be from time to time determined by resolution of the County Commissioners.


§ 21-2. Powers and duties of Director.

The Director shall have the following powers and duties:

A. To work with FACILITATE THE ACTIVITIES OF the Economic Development Advisory Board COMMISSION.

B. To adopt a progressive program to promote the economic development of the county by attracting additional industry, commerce, and tourism.

C. To gather, maintain, and disseminate information concerning industrial sites and commercial sites throughout the county.

D. To gather and disseminate information concerning the historical and cultural aspects of the county.

E. To act as the county's official liaison agent with persons interested in locating business firms EXPANDING EXISTING BUSINESSES CURRENTLY IN THE COUNTY OR WITH PERSONS INTERESTED IN LOCATING BUSINESSES in the county.

F. To enlist the cooperation FORM PARTNERSHIPS of industry, city, state and national and private agencies in promoting the purposes of economic development.

G. To cooperate with SERVE AS OMBUDSMAN FOR all businesses and industries in the county in the resolution of any community problems they may have, and to encourage the management of the same to have a constructive interest in the county.

H. To confer with and inform the County Commissioners, and the Economic Development Advisory Board COMMISSION, and municipal governing bodies on all matters relative to the economic development in the county.

I. To periodically survey the overall status of the county and municipalities to determine if the county and municipalities furnish such services and facilities that are conducive to economic expansion.

J. To render annually, OR AS REQUESTED a brief summary of activities to the County Commissioners.

K. TO MEET WITH EXISTING BUSINESSES TO ENSURE RETENTION AND KEEP A PULSE ON THEIR BUSINESS ACTIVITIES.

L. NETWORK AND STAY INVOLVED WITH STATE AND OTHER REGIONAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROFESSIONALS.

M. TO SERVE AS AN EX OFFICIO MEMBER OF THE TOURISM DEVELOPMENT ADVISORY BOARD.


§ 21-3. Composition and compensation of Board COMMISSION.

A. The Advisory Board COMMISSION shall consist of seven members, excluding the Director, who shall serve as an ex officio member.

B. The members of the Advisory Board COMMISSION shall serve without compensation but shall be reimbursed for such expenses incurred in the performance of their duties as may be approved by the County Commissioners.

§ 21-4. Terms.

A. Advisory Board COMMISSION members shall serve for terms of three years. which terms shall be staggered. No member may serve for more than two successive full terms. (Filling a vacant position during the term shall not be construed as a full term.)

B. The initial appointments shall be for three persons to serve one-year terms, two persons to serve two-year terms and two persons to serve three-year terms.


§ 21-5. Officers.

A. Within 30 days after their appointment, AT THE FIRST MEETING OF THE CALENDAR YEAR, the members of the Advisory Board COMMISSION shall meet and organize by electing ELECT from their members a Chairperson and such other officers as they may deem necessary. The terms of the officers shall be determined by the Board COMMISSION.

B. THE CHAIRPERSON OF THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION SHALL SERVE AS AN EX OFFICIO MEMBER OF THE TOURISM DEVELOPMENT ADVISORY BOARD.


§ 21-6. Meetings.

The Advisory Board COMMISSION shall meet in regular sessions at least once a month. Special meetings shall be at the call of the Chairperson in conjunction with the Director.


§ 21-7. Duties of Board COMMISSION.

The Advisory Board COMMISSION shall assist the Director in the performance of his duties.

A. SUPPORT AND ASSIST THE DIRECTOR IN THE PERFORMANCE OF THEIR DUTIES.

B. MEET WITH THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS ANNUALLY, OR AS REQUESTED, TO REVIEW AND EVALUATE ECONOMIC POLICIES AND ISSUES, AND ADVISE THE COMMISSIONERS ON THE PERFORMANCE OF THE COUNTY REVOLVING LOAN FUND.
C. RECOMMEND PROPOSED POLICIES AND LEGISLATION TO THE DIRECTOR TO PROMOTE A HEALTHY BUSINESS CLIMATE.

D. PROMOTE COOPERATION BETWEEN COUNTY DEPARTMENTS, MUNICIPAL AND STATE GOVERNMENTS.

E. PROVIDE AN ANNUAL REVIEW OF THE COUNTY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIC PLAN, WHICH WILL INCLUDE BENCHMARKS FOR RETAINING AND GROWING EXISTING BUSINESSES. THE PLAN WILL PROMOTE ECONOMIC GROWTH IN THE COUNTY FOR THE SHORT TERM (1-3 YEAR) AND LONG TERM (4-10 YEAR) HORIZONS.

F. ASSIST THE DIRECTOR WITH THE RETENTION, EXPANSION, AND ATTRACTION OF BUSINESSES IN THE COUNTY.

G. ASSIST THE DIRECTOR WITH DISSEMINATION OF INFORMATION IN THE INTEREST OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT BY PUBLICATION, ADVERTISING, OR OTHER MEANS.

H. AS NEEDED, ATTEND PUBLIC MEETINGS REGARDING LOCAL AND REGIONAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.

I. ASSIST THE DIRECTOR TO ENSURE LOCAL BUSINESSES ARE AWARE OF ANY LOCAL, STATE, AND FEDERAL GOVERNMENT FUNDING SOURCES (LOANS AND GRANTS) FOR BUSINESS GROWTH AND RETENTION.

J. PERFORM AND/OR SUPPORT OTHER DUTIES AS REQUESTED BY THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OR THE DIRECTOR.

§ 21-8. Nature of Board COMMISSION.

The powers and duties of the Director and the Advisory Board COMMISSION are of an advisory nature only. Neither the Director, the Advisory Board COMMISSION nor any member thereof shall incur any obligations in the name of the county.
























SECTION 3. BE IT FURTHER ENACTED by the County Commissioners of Kent County that this Act shall take effect on the 29th day of January, 2015.

Read Third Time December 15, 2015.

PASSED this 15th day of December, 2015.

Failed of Passage __________________________

By Order of:

____________________________________
Sondra M. Blackiston, Clerk


THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OF KENT COUNTY
(SEAL) ____________________________________
William W. Pickrum, President

____________________________________
Ronald H. Fithian, Member

____________________________________
William A. Short, Member



ORDERED a fair summary thereof of the entire bill shall be published in at least one newspaper of general circulation in the County, not less than three times at weekly intervals within a four week period.