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Upon request by the director, and pursuant to the authority contained in chapter 2, section 2-20 of this Code, the county council may issue subpoenas for witnesses, and the presiding member of the council may administer the oath or affirmation to any witness who may be examined before the council or a council committee in connection with any investigation, inquiry or survey authority pursuant to this chapter. (1976 L.M.C., ch. 18, § 1.)
(a) The report by the Office of each audit, survey or investigation conducted pursuant to this chapter shall be submitted in writing to the county council. Except as otherwise provided in subsection (b) of this section, all reports shall be made available by the council to:
(1) The general public; and
(2) The director of any agency or department that is the subject of a report. Thirty (30) days after receipt, the agency or department director shall give the county written comments on the report findings. The agency or department director shall also give the county council status reports on actions taken to resolve the problems indicated in the report findings. The status reports shall be given every six (6) months, from the date of the director's comments, until all problems are resolved.
(b) Within 15 days after receiving a written report from the Office, the Council must determine whether the report, or any part of the report, must not be made public. The only basis on which a report, or any part of a report, must not be made public is if the report or part contains information that would not be available for public inspection under Subtitle 6, Title 10 of the State Government Article of the Maryland Code.
(c) If a report, or any part of a report, is not made public by the council, the Office shall promptly release to the public a general summary of the report or part together with the reasons why the report or part was not made public. (1976 L.M.C., ch. 18, § 1; 1985 L.M.C., ch. 3, § 1; 2010 L.M.C., ch. 49, § 1.)
Anyone failing to respond to a valid request by the Office pertinent to the matter under consideration for the production of records and information pursuant to section 29A-7 of this chapter, anyone failing to respond to a subpoena issued by the council pursuant to section 29A-8 of this chapter, anyone who knowingly gives false or misleading information in connection with any audit, survey or investigation conducted pursuant to this chapter, or anyone who retaliates against or who threatens retaliation against any person for that person's furnishing of information or cooperation in any investigation or inquiry conducted pursuant to this chapter shall be punished for a class A violation as set forth in section 1-19 of chapter 1 of this Code. (1976 L.M.C., ch. 18, § 1; 1985 L.M.C., ch. 3, § 1.)