The Daily Times reports details of the proposed charter changes that will be on the ballot in Wicomico County this fall. From their coverage:

The list of changes voters will likely have to determine includes:

» When a County Council seat becomes vacant, the council will have to fill it within 45 days, not 30 days, as is required by the charter now.

» When filing a petition with the Board of Elections, residents will need to gather 20 percent of the number of voters who voted in the last presidential election or 10,000 people, whichever is fewer; not 15 percent of the registered voters in the county in the current charter. Those numbers will also apply to any proposed changes to the charter by a citizen petition.

» The county attorney will need to practice law in Maryland at least five years prior to being appointed to the position. The county attorney will no longer need to be a county resident at the time of the appointment or during the duration of time providing legal advice and services as county attorney.

» The county executive will be required to hold a public hearing on the capital improvement program and the expense budget. The county executive currently has the option of holding a public hearing or not.