3. Notwithstanding the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 30-A, section 2524, subsection 3, paragraph A, nonresidents may participate in the public hearing on secession and annexation.

Sec. 3. Advisory referendum. Unless a majority of the secession and annexation committee representatives withdraws support for secession and annexation by filing written notice of such withdrawal with the county commissioners of Knox and Waldo counties, the municipality may conduct an advisory referendum within the municipality within 60 days after the submission of the petitions to the county commissioners pursuant to the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 21-A, chapter 9, subchapter 1, article 2 and subchapter 2. The question at the referendum must be:

"Do you favor secession of the Town of Islesboro from Waldo County and annexation of the Town of Islesboro to Knox County?"

The Waldo County Commissioners and the Knox County Commissioners may hold separate advisory referenda in their respective counties at the same time with the same question, as long as the vote totals are kept and reported separately.

Sec. 4. Vote of county commissioners. Within 14 days following the advisory referendum or advisory referenda, the county commissioners of Knox and Waldo counties shall meet jointly and take a recorded vote on whether to support the secession and annexation request. If a majority of the county commissioners at the joint meeting approves the request and more than 50% of the registered voters in the municipality voting at the advisory referendum favor secession and annexation, legislation requesting secession and annexation may be submitted to the Legislature with the information required in section 7.

Sec. 5. Resolving conflicts; selecting mediator. If the outcome of the vote of the county commissioners and the advisory referendum in the municipality are in conflict, an independent 3rd-party mediator may be retained. The costs may be shared among the 2 counties and the municipality, or by any of them