§2175. Initiation of procedure
1.
Petition.
Upon approval of the Legislature and receipt of a petition that seeks to have a municipality secede from one county and join another county signed by 10% of the number of voters in the municipality who voted at the last gubernatorial election, the municipal officers shall call, advertise and hold a public hearing at least 14 days and no more than 60 days after certifying the petition. The municipal officers shall publish notice of the public hearing in a newspaper of general circulation in the area. One notice must be published as close as possible to the 14th day before the hearing and a 2nd notice must be published as close as possible to the 7th day before the hearing.
A.
The purpose of the public hearing under this section is to allow municipal residents and officers to discuss secession. The public hearing must include a formal presentation by those initiating the petition that must include a description of the problems that have led to the secession effort. Attendees shall discuss the problems, potential solutions other than secession and the potential impact of secession on the municipality and the county from which the municipality is seceding. The persons initiating the petition shall submit a written report at the public hearing that describes the impact of the proposed secession on property taxes in the county from which the municipality is seceding as well as in the municipality.
[PL 2007, c. 401, §1 (NEW).]
[PL 2013, c. 210, §2 (AMD).]
2.
Question.
When the municipal legislative body is the town meeting, no later than 90 days after the public hearing under this section, municipal officers shall prepare an article in the form below for inclusion in a town meeting warrant to be voted on by written ballot at a town meeting. In other municipalities, the vote must be by local referendum no later than 90 days after the public hearing under this section. The question to be voted on must be in substantially the following form:
[PL 2007, c. 401, §1 (NEW).]
"Be it resolved that the voters of X (municipality) seek approval of the Legislature for X (municipality) to secede from the County of X and join the County of Y. Following legislative approval, a countywide referendum is required before final secession is authorized. Do you support X (municipality) seeking the approval of the Legislature for X (municipality) to secede from the County of X?
Yes No"
3.
Approval.
If the voters approve the question under subsection 2 by a majority vote of those voting and present, then the rest of the secession process set forth in this subchapter applies.
[PL 2007, c. 401, §1 (NEW).]
SECTION HISTORY
PL 2007, c. 401, §1 (NEW). PL 2013, c. 210, §2 (AMD).