The council shall appoint an officer of the town who shall have the title of Town Administrator and shall have the powers and perform the duties as provided in this charter. Neither the Mayor nor any member of the council shall receive such appointment during the term for which he shall have been elected, nor within one year after the expiration of his term.
The Town Administrator shall be chosen on the basis of his/her executive ability and administrative qualifications with special reference being made to his actual experience in, or knowledge of, accepted practice in respect to the duties of his/her office, as hereinafter set forth. The Town Administrator need not be a resident of the town, but must be a resident of St. Mary's County, Maryland.
The Town Administrator shall receive such compensation as the Council shall determine from time to time.
The Council shall appoint the Town Administrator an indefinite term and may remove him by majority vote of its members. At least thirty days before such removal shall become effective, the Council shall, by a majority vote of its members, adopt a preliminary resolution stating the reason for his removal. The Administrator may reply in writing and may request a public hearing, which shall be held not earlier than twenty days nor later than thirty days after filing of such a request. After such public hearing, if one be requested, and after full consideration, the Council, by majority vote of its members, may adopt a final resolution of removal. By the preliminary resolution the Council may suspend the Administrator from duty, but shall in any case cause to be paid him/her any unpaid balance of his/her salary and his/her salary for the next two calendar months following adoption of the preliminary resolution.
(a) 
The Town Administrator shall assume such powers and duties of the Mayor as enumerated in Paragraphs (a), (b), (c), and (d), of section 304.
(b) 
The Town Administrator shall attend all Council meetings and may take part in the discussion, but he/she shall have no vote.
(c) 
The Town Administrator shall perform such other duties as may be prescribed by this charter or required of him/her by the Council at the direction of the mayor, not inconsistent with this charter.
Neither the Council nor any of its members shall direct or request the appointment of any person to, or his removal from, office by the Town Administrator or by any of his/her subordinates. Except for the purpose of inquiry, the Council and its members shall deal with the administrative service solely through the Town Administrator and neither the Council nor any member thereof shall give orders to any subordinates of the Town Administrator either publicly or privately.