<?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>
<baltimore-city-law heading="§ 2-18 Office of Customer Advocacy . . .  –  Administration.">
  <section prefix="§" num="2-18" heading="Office of Customer Advocacy . . .  –  Administration.">
    <para num="(a)" heading="Office Administrator.">The head of the Office, who shall supervise and direct the Office’s personnel and operations, is the Office Administrator, to be appointed by the Mayor in accordance &lt;cite data-doc="City of Baltimore, Md., Charter" data-path="IV|§6"&gt;City Charter Article IV, § 6&lt;/cite&gt;.</para>
    <para num="(b)" heading="Office staff.">The Office Administrator may appoint  the Office’s Customer Advocates and supporting staff, as provided in the Ordinance of Estimates.</para>
    <para num="(c)" heading="Qualifications of Office officials.">The Office’s Administrator and Customer Advocates must:<para num="(1)">be impartial;</para>
      <para num="(2)">be knowledgeable about water and wastewater services, water usage, billing practices, and billing procedures; and</para>
      <para num="(3)">have substantial experience in dispute resolution, consumer protection, and the delivery of public services.</para>
    </para>
    <para num="(d)" heading="Salary; benefits.">
      <para num="(1)">The Office’s Administrator, Customer Advocates, and supporting staff are entitled to compensation as provided in the Ordinance of Estimates.</para>
      <para num="(2)">The Office’s Administrator, Customer Advocates, and supporting staff are entitled to participate in any City-sponsored benefits program to the same extent and under the same terms as other City officers and employees.</para>
    </para>
    <para num="(e)" heading="Office employees.">Office employees:<para num="(1)">may  not be made to suffer any adverse employment action without cause; and</para>
      <para num="(2)">to avoid even the appearance of a conflict of interest:<para num="(i)">may not be required to get prior approval from DPW officials or employees for Office  reviews, reports, or recommendations; and</para>
        <para num="(ii)">shall have only limited communications with DPW employees, as needed to fulfill the Office’s customer fairness mandate.</para>
      </para>
    </para>
    <annotation type="History">Ord. 20-336</annotation>
    <annotation type="History">Ord. 20-468</annotation>
  </section>
</baltimore-city-law>
