§ 1421. Appointment of committee
The selectboard of any town may appoint a committee to study the feasibility and desirability
of the consolidation of such town, or parts of such town, with another town, or towns,
or parts thereof. (Added 1963, No. 146, § 1.)
§ 1422. Assistant judges; cooperation with committee
A committee appointed under the authority of this chapter shall confer with the assistant
judges of the Superior Court within which county the town is located, who shall cooperate
with such committee to study the feasibility and desirability of the consolidation
of such town with another town, or towns, or parts thereof, and if the assistant judges
decide that there is a reasonable possibility of such a consolidation and that it
would be beneficial to the inhabitants of the areas proposed to be consolidated, they
shall suggest to the selectboard of such other town or towns that they appoint a committee
or committees to consider the proposed consolidation. (Added 1963, No. 146, § 2; amended 1973, No. 193 (Adj. Sess.), § 3, eff. April 9, 1974.)
§ 1423. Town committees; joint plan for consolidation
(a) Any committee appointed at the suggestion of the assistant judges shall meet and confer
with the committee of the town proposing consolidation, and the two committees acting
jointly, if they determine that a consolidation would promote the interests of the
residents of the areas to be consolidated and that greater governmental efficiency
would result, shall draw a detailed plan for a consolidation, setting forth the boundaries
of the areas to be consolidated, scheduling and listing land, buildings, and equipment
owned by each town which will not be needed after consolidation and placing a fair
market value thereon and scheduling and listing land, buildings, and equipment deemed
necessary for the areas to be consolidated. They shall also schedule and list the
liabilities of each town and draw up a balance sheet showing the true assets and liabilities
of the proposed consolidated town taking into consideration the value of the land,
buildings, and equipment which will not be needed after consolidation.
(b) Any plan for consolidation may provide for the establishment of one or more of the
towns consolidating as a village within the consolidated town, and for the continuance
of any zoning ordinances in effect in such town as village ordinances and, in case
such town has a bonded debt, for special village tax levies for the payment thereof.
Any plan may also provide that school districts within the areas to be consolidated
may be established as incorporated school districts within the consolidated town. (Added 1963, No. 146, § 3.)
§ 1424. Approval by assistant judges
Any plan drawn up as provided in section 1423 of this title shall be submitted to the assistant judges for their approval, and if they find that
the plan, if carried out, would result in greater governmental efficiency for the
areas involved they shall so notify the selectboard of the towns involved in the proposed
consolidation and direct them to publish the plan in their respective towns and to
call town meetings for the purpose of voting in said town upon the acceptance or rejection
thereof. In the consideration of any consolidation plan submitted to them the assistant
judges shall have due regard to the topography of the areas, the ease of transportation,
the economic and social patterns, and whether a proposed consolidation would promote
the interest of the inhabitants of the areas proposed to be consolidated. (Added 1963, No. 146, § 4.)
§ 1425. Consolidation plan; publication; voting
When any plan of consolidation has been approved by the assistant judges, the selectboard
of each of the towns involved shall publish such plan by posting a copy of the same
in at least three public places in each town for three consecutive weeks and causing
the same to be published once a week for three consecutive weeks in a newspaper in
general circulation in such town. Within 30 days after such publication the selectboard
shall call a town meeting of each town to be held on the same day for the purpose
of voting on the proposed consolidation. The voting shall be by ballot and shall
be held at the usual polling place in each town and the polls shall be open from 6:00
A.M. to 6:00 P.M. (Added 1963, No. 146, § 5.)
§ 1426. Voting qualifications
The qualifications for voting on any proposed consolidation shall be the same as those
for the election of town officers. (Added 1963, No. 146, § 6.)
§ 1427. Result of vote; certification
The town clerk of each town voting on a proposed consolidation shall certify the result
of the vote to the county clerk, and if the majority of voters in each of the respective
towns involved shall have voted in favor of the plan, the county clerk shall so certify
to the Secretary of State who shall report to the General Assembly then or next in
session, submitting the detailed plan so approved by the towns for its consideration. (Added 1963, No. 146, § 7.)
§ 1428. Consolidated town; first meeting
If a new consolidated town shall be established by the General Assembly, the county
clerk of the county in which such consolidated town is located shall call a meeting
of the qualified voters of such town, who shall be the residents of the consolidated
areas who were qualified to vote at the last town meeting of their former respective
towns, who shall proceed to elect a slate of town officers to serve until the next
annual town meeting. (Added 1963, No. 146, § 8.)
§ 1429. State Treasurer; duties
The State Treasurer shall act as fiduciary for any towns consolidated under the provisions
of this chapter. He or she shall determine the bonds of the consolidating towns outstanding,
shall give written notice to the consolidated town not less than 30 days before each
due date of interest and principal due to be paid by such consolidated town, and shall
bill and collect each amount so notified. Funds so collected shall be held by him
or her and applied only to the payment of such bonds or of bonds of the consolidated
town issued in exchange therefor. (Added 1963, No. 146, § 9.)
§ 1430. Consolidation of areas in different counties
Should any proposed consolidation involve towns or parts of towns situated in different
counties, it shall be the duty of the assistant judges of both counties to act jointly
in carrying out the purposes of this chapter. Upon certifying a favorable vote on
a proposed consolidation to the Secretary of State they shall also recommend within
which county the proposed consolidated town should be included. (Added 1963, No. 146, § 10.)