(a) The Charles County Board consists of:
(1) Seven voting members; and
(2) One nonvoting student member.
(b) An individual nominated for a voting membership on the county board shall be a resident and registered voter of Charles County. Any member who no longer resides in Charles County or who is not a registered voter of Charles County may not continue as a voting member of the board.
(c) All voting members of the Charles County Board shall be elected:
(1) At a general election as required by subsection (d) of this section; and
(2) From Charles County at large.
(d) Each voting member serves for a term of 4 years beginning on the third Monday in December after the gubernatorial election and until a successor is elected and qualifies. If the third Monday in December is a legal holiday, the term begins on the first day after the third Monday in December that is not a legal holiday.
(e) (1) The voting members of the county board shall select a qualified individual to fill any vacancy on the board for the remainder of that term and until a successor is elected and qualifies.
(2) An interview of an applicant for a vacancy on the board shall be conducted by the board at a meeting open to the public.
(3) (i) The board shall publish a list of the names of the applicants for a vacancy on the board at least 2 weeks before the interview of the first applicant is scheduled to occur.
(ii) Public notice of the date, time, and location of each interview shall be published:
1. At least 2 weeks before the interview is scheduled to occur; and
2. In the same manner as a public notice of a regular meeting of the board is published.
(4) The board is not required to conduct discussions of the applicants or make the final selection of the voting member at a meeting open to the public.
(f) (1) With the approval of the Governor, the State Board may remove a voting member of the county board for any of the following reasons:
(i) Immorality;
(ii) Misconduct in office;
(iii) Incompetency; or
(iv) Willful neglect of duty.
(2) Before removing a voting member, the State Board shall send the voting member a copy of the charges pending and give the voting member an opportunity within 10 days to request a hearing.
(3) If the voting member requests a hearing within the 10–day period:
(i) The State Board shall promptly hold a hearing, but a hearing may not be set within 10 days after the State Board sends the voting member a notice of the hearing; and
(ii) The voting member shall have an opportunity to be heard publicly before the State Board in the voting member’s own defense, in person or by counsel.
(4) A voting member removed under this subsection has the right to a de novo review of the removal by the Circuit Court for Charles County.
(g) (1) The student member of the Charles County Board shall be an 11th or 12th grade student in the Charles County Public School System.
(2) The student member, and an alternate, shall be selected in accordance with procedures approved by the board. These procedures shall reflect recommendations by and involvement of the Charles County Association of Student Councils.
(3) The term of the student member shall be 1 year.
(4) The student member may not vote, but may indicate a preference for or against any question before the board.
(5) Unless invited to attend by an affirmative vote of a majority of the county board, the student member may not attend an executive session that relates to special education placements, collective bargaining, or hearings held under § 6–202 of this article.