The Talbot County Board consists of: Seven voting members, one member elected from each of the seven election districts for the county board established in accordance with this subtitle; and Two nonvoting student members from the public high schools in the county. The elected members of the county board shall be elected: At the general election; and In accordance with Title 8, Subtitle 8 of the Election Law Article. A member elected from a district shall be a resident of the district. A member elected or appointed from a district who no longer resides in the district may not continue as a member of the county board. The boundaries for the election districts for the county board shall be established promptly following each decennial census. Whenever election district boundaries are to be redrawn, no later than December 1 of the year prior to the year in which redistricting is to take effect, the County Council shall appoint a commission on redistricting to include: Four individuals nominated by each political party that polled at least 15 percent of the total vote cast at the immediately preceding general election; and One additional individual. An individual who holds elective office is not eligible to be appointed to the commission on redistricting. By November 15 of the year preceding the year in which redistricting is to take effect, the redistricting commission shall prepare and make available a plan of election districts. The election districts shall be reasonably compact, contiguous, and substantially equal in population and, in accordance with legal principles established by law, shall ensure that one or more of the election districts encompasses residents in which a majority of the voting age population consists of racial minorities. No less than 15 calendar days and no more than 45 calendar days after the redistricting commission submits its plan, the County Council shall hold a public hearing on the plan. The redistricting plan submitted by the redistricting commission becomes law 90 days after it is submitted to the County Council unless the County Council enacts a different redistricting plan before that date. Each voting member serves for a term of 4 years beginning on December 1 after the member’s election and until a successor is elected and qualifies. A voting member may not serve for more than three consecutive terms. The terms of the voting members are staggered as follows: One member elected from each of districts 1, 3, 4, and 7 at the 2006 general election, and every 4 years thereafter; and One member elected from each of districts 2, 5, and 6 at the 2008 general election, and every 4 years thereafter. The Governor shall appoint a new member to fill any vacancy on the county board until a successor is elected and qualifies at the next congressional election. A resident of the district in which a vacancy exists may apply for appointment by the Governor to fill the vacancy. The student members shall be appointed and serve on the county board in accordance with § 3–12A–06 of this subtitle.

The State Board may remove a member of the county board for any of the following reasons: Immorality; Misconduct in office; Incompetency; Willful neglect of duty; or Failure to attend, without good cause: At least 75% of the scheduled meetings of the county board in any 1 calendar year; or Three consecutive scheduled meetings of the county board. Before removing a member, the State Board shall send the member a copy of the charges against the member and give the member an opportunity within 10 days to request a hearing. If the member requests a hearing within the 10–day period: The State Board promptly shall hold a hearing, but a hearing may not be set within 10 days after the State Board sends the member a notice of the hearing; and The member shall have an opportunity to be heard publicly before the State Board in the member’s own defense, in person or by counsel. A member removed under this section has the right to a de novo review of the removal by the Circuit Court for Talbot County.

At its last meeting at the end of each calendar year, or at the meeting in December each year, the county board shall elect a president and a vice president from among its members.

Subject to subsection (b) of this section, the voting members shall receive compensation as set by the County Council. The salary of each voting member of the county board shall be at least $3,200. The salary of the president of the county board shall be at least $3,600.

The county board shall meet at least once each month. Except for those actions authorized by subsection (c) of this section, all actions of the county board shall be taken at a public meeting and a record of the meeting and all actions shall be made public. The county board may take actions in executive session in accordance with § 3–305 of the General Provisions Article.

There shall be two nonvoting student members on the Talbot County Board of Education. The student members shall advise the other members of the county board on the viewpoint of students who attend Talbot County public schools. Each of the nonvoting student members of the county board shall be: A regularly enrolled 11th or 12th grade student in good standing at a Talbot County public school; Qualified according to eligibility requirements established by the county board; and Of good character. Each student member shall be appointed for a 1–year term during the school year prior to the school year that the member is to serve on the county board. One student member shall be a student from St. Michaels High School and one student member shall be a student from Easton High School. The county board shall adopt procedures for the appointment of the student members. If a vacancy in the position of student member occurs during the term of a student member, the county board shall appoint another student member to fill the vacancy in accordance with its procedures. Unless invited to attend by an affirmative vote of a majority of the county board, the student members may not attend an executive session of the county board.