373.8  Effect of consolidation.
  Cities consolidating pursuant to this chapter shall retain all the rights, powers, and duties conferred upon them by the Constitution of the State of Iowa and shall retain all the rights, powers, and duties conferred upon them by the laws of the state of Iowa, except to the extent those statutory rights, powers, and duties are limited by the charter government in fulfilling its duty to provide efficient administration and delivery of services to its citizens.
  The consolidation charter may provide for the replacement of the city government of the member city with the largest population, according to the most recent certified federal census. That city shall be known as the home city of the consolidated metropolitan corporation. If its government is replaced, the consolidation charter shall provide that the home city be governed either directly by the metropolitan council or by those members of the metropolitan council who reside within the corporate boundaries of the home city. The home city shall retain its geographic boundaries for the purposes of taxation.
  Cities participating in consolidation shall be referred to as member cities of the consolidated metropolitan corporation.
  A city may join an existing consolidated metropolitan corporation 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 metropolitan council. If a majority of the metropolitan council approves the resolution, the question of joining the consolidated metropolitan corporation shall be submitted to the electorate of the petitioning city within sixty days after approval of the resolution.
91 Acts, ch 256, §47