In this subtitle, “elected member” means a voting member elected under subsection (d) or (e) of this section or a member appointed to an elected position on the Harford County Board of Education under subsection (f)(1) of this section. “Elected member” does not include a: County superintendent of schools serving as an ex officio member of the county board; or Student member selected under subsection (g) of this section. The county board consists of: Six elected members; Three appointed members; The county superintendent of schools, who is an ex officio nonvoting member; and One student member. A member from a councilmanic district shall be a resident of that district. A member from a councilmanic district who no longer resides in that district may not continue as a member of the county board. A member of the county board shall be a registered voter of the county for at least 3 years prior to the date of the beginning of the term of office of the member. Of the nine voting members of the county board elected or appointed under this subsection: One member shall be elected from each of the six councilmanic districts only by the voters of that councilmanic district; and Three members shall be appointed by the County Executive, subject to the advice and consent of the County Council, by a vote of at least five members of the County Council. The elected members shall be elected at a general election as required by subsection (e) of this section. The appointed members shall be appointed, when appropriate, within 90 days of the general election. In appointing members to the county board, the County Executive shall ensure, to the extent practicable, that the total makeup of the county board reflects the gender, ethnic, and racial diversity of the county. An elected member serves for a term of 4 years beginning on the first Monday in December after the election of the member and until a successor is elected and qualifies. Except as provided in paragraph (3) of this subsection, an appointed member serves for a term of 4 years beginning July 1 after the appointment of the member and until a successor is appointed and qualifies. The members appointed under subsection (d)(1)(ii) of this section within 90 days of the general election in 2022 shall serve for a term of 2 years and until a successor is appointed and qualifies. Unless otherwise disqualified under this section, a member of the county board is eligible for reelection or reappointment. A voting elected member or an appointed member may not serve for more than two consecutive terms as a voting member. The Harford County Board of Elections may adopt regulations to implement this subsection. The Harford County Council shall appoint a qualified individual to fill any vacancy of an elected member on the county board for the remainder of the term and until a successor is elected and qualifies. The County Executive shall appoint a qualified individual to fill any vacancy of an appointed member of the county board for the remainder of the term and until a successor is appointed and qualifies. An appointment made in accordance with this paragraph is subject to the advice and consent of the County Council by a vote of at least five members of the County Council. The student member of the county board shall be elected by the high school students of the county in accordance with procedures established by the Harford County public school system. The student member shall: Be an eleventh or twelfth grade student, in good standing, and regularly enrolled in the Harford County public school system; Be a student government association representative at the student’s high school; Serve for 1 year beginning on July 1 after the election of the member; Except as otherwise provided in paragraph (3) of this subsection, be a voting member; and Advise the county board on the thoughts and feelings of students in the Harford County public schools. Except as otherwise provided in subparagraph (iii) of this paragraph, the student member of the county board has the same rights and privileges as a member appointed or elected under subsection (d) of this section. Unless invited to attend by an affirmative vote of a majority of the county board, the student member may not attend an executive session of the county board addressing a matter on which a student member is prohibited from voting on under subparagraph (iii) of this paragraph. The student member shall vote on and participate in all matters except those relating to: Geographical attendance areas under § 4–109 of this article; Acquisition and disposition of real property and matters pertaining to school construction under § 4–115 of this article; Employment of architects under § 4–117 of this article; Donations under § 4–118 of this article; Condemnation under § 4–119 of this article; Consolidation of schools and transportation of students under § 4–120 of this article; Appointment and salary of a county superintendent under §§ 4–201 and 4–202 of this article; Employee discipline and other appeals under § 4–205(c) of this article; Budgetary matters under Title 5 of this article; Appointment and promotion of staff under § 6–201 of this article; Discipline of certificated staff under § 6–202 of this article; Collective bargaining for certificated employees under Title 6, Subtitle 4 of this article; Collective bargaining for noncertificated employees under Title 6, Subtitle 5 of this article; Student suspension and expulsion under § 7–305 of this article; and School calendar and curriculum.

Except for the student member, the State Board may remove a voting member of the county board for: 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. Before removing a member, the State Board shall send the member a copy of the charges and give the member an opportunity to request a hearing within 10 days. 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 Harford County.

The county board shall elect a president and vice president from among the voting county board members. The county board shall elect a president and vice president at its first meeting in July as required to implement the provisions of this section. The president and vice president shall serve a term of 2 years. If there is a vacancy in the office of president or vice president, the county board shall fill the vacancy within 30 days after the vacancy occurs.

Each nonstudent member of the Harford County Board is entitled to receive $3,600 annually for travel and other expenses related to the performance of duties as a member of the board. Payments to a nonstudent member for the expenses described in subsection (a) of this section shall be paid in 12 equal monthly installments. Subject to the approval of the board, a nonstudent member may be reimbursed for additional travel and other expenses.

There is a School Shared Space Council in Harford County. The School Shared Space Council consists of eleven employees of the county appointed by the County Executive for a term coterminous with that of the County Executive as follows: Two from the staff of the county board of education; One from the administrative staff of the County Executive; One from the Department of Public Works; One from the Department of Recreation and Parks; One from the Committee on Aging; One from the Health Department; One from Harford County Community College; One from the Department of Juvenile Services; One from the county public libraries; and One from the Department of Planning. In addition to the county employee members, the County Executive shall appoint, upon the recommendation of the County Council, seven county citizen members to the Council as follows: One from each councilmanic district of the county; and One from the county at large. A county employee member of the Council who does not maintain his employment in the county shall be replaced on the Council. A county citizen member who does not maintain his residence in the county shall be replaced on the Council. Each citizen member may attend and vote at a Council session. The Council shall: Meet not less than three times a year during each year to compile the number of spaces in the public schools of the county that are not filled and to evaluate the feasibility of the utilization of the spaces by the community and county departments; and Report its findings and recommendations to the county board of education and the County Executive at least once during the school year. The County Executive, by executive order, may appoint up to two additional members to the Council from agencies of the county government. The Council shall elect a president from among its members. A quorum is 2/3 of the members appointed.