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<section article="ged" article_name="Education" number="3-13A-03" title_number="3" title_name="Establishment of County Boards of Education" subtitle_number="13A" subtitle_name="Wicomico County">
  <level label="a">
    <level label="1">
      <text>There is a Wicomico County School Board Nominating Commission.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>The purpose of the Commission is to select nominees to recommend to the Wicomico County Council as qualified candidates for appointment to fill a vacancy of an elected member on the Wicomico County Board.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>Within 60 days of a vacancy on the county board, the Commission shall:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>Develop and publicize criteria for choosing nominees to fill the vacancy;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>Make public the names of the candidates that apply for appointment to fill a vacancy on the county board;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>Hold at least two public hearings on the applicants for appointment; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iv">
        <text>Make public and submit to the County Council the names of two nominees for any vacancy.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="4">
      <level label="i">
        <text>Within 60 days after the County Council receives the names of the nominees from the Commission, the County Council shall hold a public hearing regarding the nominees.</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>After the hearing, if the County Council deems at least one of the nominees acceptable, the County Council shall vote on the nominees and fill the vacancy.</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>If the County Council deems both nominees unacceptable, the County Council shall return the names to the Commission and request that the Commission submit the names of at least two additional qualified nominees from which the County Council shall select an individual to fill the vacancy.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="5">
      <level label="i">
        <text>The Commission consists of 14 members.</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>The members of the Commission shall be appointed from the names submitted by the following organizations, entities, or communities of interest:</text>
        <level label="1">
          <text>One member from the Wicomico County Branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People;</text>
        </level>
        <level label="2">
          <text>One member from the Wicomico County Education Association;</text>
        </level>
        <level label="3">
          <text>One member from the Wicomico County area chambers of commerce, selected by the chambers by consensus;</text>
        </level>
        <level label="4">
          <text>One member from the Wicomico County Educational Support Professionals Association;</text>
        </level>
        <level label="5">
          <text>One member from the Wicomico County Council of PTAs;</text>
        </level>
        <level label="6">
          <text>One member from each of the eight incorporated municipalities in Wicomico County; and</text>
        </level>
        <level label="7">
          <text>One member who is a parent of a child with special needs in the Wicomico County Public School System and who is affiliated with an advocacy group for children with special needs in the county.</text>
        </level>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="6">
      <text>To the extent practicable, the Commission shall reflect the gender, ethnic, and racial makeup of the county.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="7">
      <text>The County Executive of Wicomico County shall appoint the members of the Commission, with the advice and consent of the County Council, from the names submitted by the organizations, entities, or communities of interest listed under paragraph (5) of this subsection.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="8">
      <text>The term of a member of the Commission is 4 years.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="9">
      <text>The Commission shall select a chair and vice chair from among the members.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="b">
    <text>The Wicomico County Public School System shall provide staff for the Commission.</text>
  </level>
</section>
