There is a Board of License Commissioners for Queen Anne’s County.
The County Commissioners shall appoint five members to the Board.
At least two members of the Board shall be members of the political party that at the last preceding gubernatorial election polled the second highest number of votes in the county for Governor.
The term of a member is 4 years.
The terms of the members are staggered as required by the terms provided for members of the Board on July 1, 2016.
The County Commissioners shall appoint an individual to fill a vacancy during the remainder of the term of office of a member who refuses or is unable to serve.
A member who is appointed after a term has begun serves for the remainder of the term and until a successor is appointed and qualifies.
The County Commissioners may remove a member for misconduct in office, incompetence, or willful neglect of duty.
The County Commissioners shall designate a chair from among the members of the Board.
Three members of the Board are a quorum for transacting business.
Subject to paragraph (2) of this subsection, the County Commissioners shall determine the rate of compensation for the Board.
The rate may not be less than:
$65 per meeting for the chair; and
$60 per meeting for each other member.
Subject to subsection (d) of this section and § 27–205 of this subtitle, the Board may:
employ:
a secretary;
inspectors; and
clerical and other assistants as are necessary; and
set the compensation of the employees.
The County Commissioners shall appoint an attorney at a salary that the County Commissioners set.
The attorney shall handle legal matters for the Board.
The Board shall appoint an inspector at not less than $3,000 annually and with a mileage allowance that the County Commissioners determine.
An individual may not qualify or continue service as an inspector if the inspector or any member of the inspector’s immediate family has a personal or financial interest, directly or indirectly, in a license, license holder, or premises licensed under this article.
An inspector shall:
investigate all applicants for a license or transfer of a license;
inspect at unannounced times every licensed premises in the county at least once every 180 days;
except as provided in subsections (d) and (e) of this section, enforce all alcoholic beverages laws with the same power as a law enforcement officer of the State;
investigate all violations of the alcoholic beverages laws and report them to the Board;
submit monthly reports in writing to the Board of the inspector’s activities, setting forth complaints and listing violations that the inspector observed or that were reported to the inspector; and
conduct compliance checks relating to the sale of alcoholic beverages to an individual under the age of 21 years in violation of § 6–304 of this article for every licensed premises in accordance with regulations adopted by the Board.
The Office of the Sheriff shall enforce violations of § 6–304 of this article.
An inspector has no power of arrest.
An inspector shall take the oath required by Article I, § 9 of the Maryland Constitution.
The Board may adopt regulations to carry out this article.