(a) All access grants, franchise fees, and other moneys received by the County from any franchisee may be spent only under a budget approved by the Council and in accordance with the County cable communication plan.
(b) The cable communications plan must be proposed by the County Executive to the Council annually and may be amended at any time. The County Executive should consult with the franchisee and the appropriate persons in the preparation of the plan or any amendments to it.
(c) Except as provided in subsection (f), the cable communications plan is subject to County Council approval. If the Council does not act on the plan within 75 days after receiving the plan, the plan is approved as submitted. The Council by resolution may extend the time for action on the plan for up to 15 days. The Council may approve, disapprove, or amend any plan that is subject to Council approval. The Council should consider a plan at a level of detail and according to procedures similar to the detail and procedures the Council uses to adopt the County budget. Any reference in this subsection to a cable communications plan also includes any amendment to a plan.
(d) Upon approval of the cable communications plan or plan amendment by the Council, it must be delivered to the County Executive, who, within 10 days, may disapprove or reduce any item of expenditure. Upon disapproval or reduction of any item, the County Executive must return the plan or plan amendment to the Council with the reasons for the disapproval or reduction stated in writing. The Council may, within 30 days of receipt of the stated reasons for disapproval or reduction, approve any item by 6 affirmative votes notwithstanding the County Executive's objections.
(e) The County Executive may amend the cable communications plan without Council approval to transfer up to 10% of a grant from one major activity to another or between activities within the plan. (FY 1991 L.M.C., ch. 3, § 1; 1998, L.M.C., ch. 10, § 1; 2006 L.M.C., ch. 34, § 1.)
Editor’s note—Section 8A-27, formerly 8A-28, was renumbered pursuant to 2006 L.M.C., ch. 34, § 1.