1. A county and one or more cities within the county may unite to form a single unit of local government in accordance with this part. If more than fifty percent of the population of a city resides within the affected county, it is a city within the county for the purposes of this section.
2. An alternative form of government, including a charter form, for a consolidated unit of government may be submitted to the voters only by a commission established under this chapter. A majority vote by the charter commission is required for the submission of an alternative form of government for a consolidated unit of local government. The charter commission submitting a consolidated form shall issue a final report and proposal.
3. An alternative form of government for a consolidated unit of local government does not need to include more than one city. A city shall not be included unless the city participates in the commission process, and a majority of the electors of the affected city voting approves the proposed charter for the consolidated government.
4. If an alternative form of government for a consolidated unit of local government is proposed, approval of the consolidation charter shall be a separate ballot issue from approval of the alternative form of government in those cities proposed to be included in the consolidation. The consolidation charter shall be effective in regard to a city government only if a majority of the voters of the city voting on the question voted for participation in the consolidation charter.
5. A city may join an existing city- county consolidated government by resolution of the city council or upon petition of eligible electors of the city equal in number to at least twenty-five percent of the persons who voted at the last general election for the office of governor or president of the United States, whichever is fewer. Within fifteen days after receiving a valid petition, the city council of the petitioning city shall adopt a resolution in favor of participation and shall immediately forward the resolution to the legislative body of the city- county consolidated government. If a majority of the city- county consolidated legislative body approves the resolution, the question of joining the city-county consolidated government shall be submitted to the electorate of the petitioning city within sixty days after approval of the resolution.
88 Acts, ch 1229, §19; 91 Acts, ch 256, §19, 20
Referred to in § 331.231, 331.252, 373.4
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