There is a Board of License Commissioners for Harford County.

The County Executive shall appoint five members to the Board in accordance with this section. At least 60 days before the expiration of a member’s term, the County Executive shall submit the name of one nominee to the Harford County Delegation to the Maryland General Assembly, consisting of Harford County Senators and Delegates, for the advice and consent of the Delegation. The County Executive shall consider geographical representation in selecting nominees. Within 7 working days after the Delegation receives the name of the nominee: the Delegation shall approve or reject the nominee; or if the Delegation fails to act, the nominee shall be considered to have been approved. If the Delegation rejects the nominee, the County Executive shall submit the name of a new nominee to the Delegation within 7 working days after the County Executive receives notice of the rejection. The County Executive shall continue to submit names of nominees in accordance with paragraphs (2) and (3) of this subsection to the Delegation until a nominee is approved. The County Executive shall submit the name of the approved nominee to the County Council for its advice and consent. Each member of the Board: shall be a resident, voter, and taxpayer of the county; shall be an individual of high character and integrity and of recognized business capacity; and notwithstanding any other provision of the Code or local law, shall be subject to Title 5, Subtitle 5, Part I, and Subtitles 6 and 7 of the General Provisions Article regarding financial disclosure, conflicts of interest, and lobbying activities. Each member of the Board shall provide a penalty bond to the county in an amount to be set by the County Executive and County Council on the condition that the member faithfully performs all of the duties of the office. The Board shall pay the cost of the bonds. The term of a member is 3 years and begins on the first Monday in April. The terms of the members are staggered as required by the terms provided for members of the Board on July 1, 2016. To fill a vacancy other than one resulting from an expired term, the County Executive, as soon as practicable, shall submit the name of one nominee to the Harford County Delegation to the Maryland General Assembly, consisting of Harford County Senators and Delegates, for the advice and consent of the Delegation. After the name of a nominee is submitted, the procedures under subsection (b)(2) through (5) of this section apply. A member who is appointed after a term has begun serves only for the rest of the term.

From among its members, the Board shall elect a chair.

Subject to paragraph (2) of this subsection, the Board shall meet at least 50 times each year. The chair may cancel a meeting for lack of an agenda. The chair of the Board shall receive annually $7,000 and any additional compensation that the County Council considers appropriate. Each other member of the Board shall receive annually $6,000 and any additional compensation that the County Council considers appropriate.

Before the beginning of each fiscal year, the Board shall submit an annual budget to the County Council and County Executive for review. Except as provided under § 22–206(b) of this subtitle, the budget is not subject to approval by the County Council or County Executive.

At the end of each fiscal year, the Board shall submit a financial audit for review to: the County Executive; and the Harford County Delegation to the Maryland General Assembly, consisting of Harford County Senators and Delegates. The financial audit is not subject to approval by the County Executive or the Harford County Delegation�to the Maryland General Assembly, consisting of Harford County Senators and Delegates.

The Board may employ a secretary and clerical and other assistants as are necessary. The Board shall set the compensation of all employees of the Board, subject to the approval of the County Executive and County Council. The Board shall require fidelity bonds of employees of the Board to protect the county. The County Council shall review the adequacy of the fidelity bonds that the Board requires of the employees. Notwithstanding any other law, an employee of the Board: is subject to provisions regarding conflicts of interest and lobbying activities in Title 5, Subtitle 5, Part I, and Subtitle 7 of the General Provisions Article; but may not be required to file the financial disclosure statement required by § 5–601 of the General Provisions Article. The Board shall appoint a general manager. The general manager serves under the control and supervision of the Board as the secretary–treasurer and chief business administrative officer of the Board. An individual is not eligible to be the general manager while a member of the Board. The general manager may be discharged only: for cause involving dishonesty, incompetence, or immoral conduct; and after given an opportunity before the Board for a hearing.

Subject to paragraph (2) of this subsection, the Board shall employ one full–time chief inspector and as many other inspectors as the Board determines are required. The Sheriff, a deputy sheriff, or a municipal peace officer in the county may not be appointed or serve as the chief inspector or as an inspector. When appointed, the chief inspector shall have had investigative experience as: a police officer; an inspector for a governmental unit; or an investigator for a private agency. With the approval of the Board, the chief inspector may contract with or hire an independent accounting firm to audit the books and accounts of any license holder. After appointment, the chief inspector may be discharged only for cause involving dishonesty, incompetence, or immoral conduct, subject to subparagraph (ii) of this paragraph. Before a chief inspector is discharged, the chief inspector shall be given a list of the charges against the chief inspector and an opportunity to reply to the charges in a public hearing in person or by counsel. The Board may establish reasonable compensation for the chief inspector and any other inspector and, when warranted by their respective duties, change their compensation. Inspectors may: serve a summons under § 22–2604 of this title; and issue civil citations as provided in § 22–2605 of this title. This section does not relieve the peace officers specified in § 6–205 of this article from the responsibility to enforce this article in the county.

Except as provided in subsection (b) of this section, after deduction of a proportionate share of the expenses to administer and enforce this title, including the salaries of the members and employees of the Board, the Board shall pay the net proceeds of fees received from the issuance of licenses: outside of Aberdeen, Bel Air, and Havre de Grace, to the Treasurer to be credited to the general fund of the county; and in Aberdeen, Bel Air, and Havre de Grace, to the treasurers of the respective municipalities to pay the interest and redeem the principal of any bonded indebtedness of the municipality. In this subsection, “Reserve Account” means the Reserve Account of the Board. There is a Reserve Account of the Board. The purpose of the Reserve Account is to ensure that issuance and renewal of licenses, licensing enforcement, and other services that the Board provides will continue to be met in the face of unanticipated financial events or circumstances. A designee of the Board shall administer the Reserve Account. The Reserve Account is a special, nonlapsing account. The Board shall hold the Reserve Account separately and account for the Reserve Account. The Reserve Account consists of: money distributed to the Board from license fees; fines imposed for a violation of this article in Harford County as provided in § 22–2606 of this title; except for bonds forfeited under § 22–2103 of this title, recognizances forfeited for a violation of this article in Harford County as provided in § 22–2606 of this title; interest or other income earned from the investment of any portion of the Reserve Account; and any other money from any other source accepted for the benefit of the Reserve Account. Each year, the amount payable into the Reserve Account may not be more than 20% of the aggregate net proceeds received by the Board. Expenditures from the Reserve Account may occur if the Board determines that appropriations for the current year exceed expected revenues. The Reserve Account may not exceed $100,000 at any time. The expenditure of license fees collected by the Board to administer and enforce county alcoholic beverages laws is a matter within the discretion of the Board and in accordance with this subtitle.

The Board may adopt regulations to carry out this article. The Board shall hold public hearings on all proposed alterations of its regulations. At least 2 consecutive weeks before the scheduled public hearings, the Board shall: advertise the public hearings in at least one newspaper of general circulation published in the county; or post notice of the public hearings online.