§ 331.248 — Charter of consolidation

Iowa § 331.248

• Jurisdiction: Iowa
• Title IX: LOCAL GOVERNMENT
• Ch. 331: COUNTY HOME RULE IMPLEMENTATION

Text

1. Thechartercommissionproposingacity-countyconsolidatedformofgovernmentshall
prepare, adopt, and cause to be submitted to the voters the charter.
2. The charter for a city-county consolidated form of government shall:
a. Provide for adjustment of existing bonded indebtedness and other obligations in a
manner which will provide for a fair and equitable burden of taxation for debt service.
b. Provide for establishment of service areas, except that formation of a city-county
consolidated form of government shall not affect the assignment of electric utility service
territories pursuant to chapter 476, and shall not affect the rights of a city to grant a franchise
under chapter 364.
c. Provide for the transfer or other disposition of property and other rights, claims, assets,
and franchises of the county and each city consolidated under the alternative form.
d. Provide the official name of the city-county consolidated government.
e. Provide for the transfer, reorganization, abolition, absorption, and adjustment of
boundaries of all existing boards, bureaus, commissions, agencies, special districts, and
political subdivisions of the city-county consolidated government.
f. Provide for the exercise of home rule power and authority not inconsistent with state
law.
g. Provide for a governing body of an odd number of members, not less than five, but
which may exceed the number of members specified in sections 331.201, 331.203, and
331.204. The titles of the members of the governing body shall be determined by the charter.
h. Provide for a representation plan for the governing body which representation plan
may differ from the representation plans provided in section 331.206 and in chapter 372. If
the plan calls for representation by districts and the charter has been approved in a county
whose population is one hundred eighty thousand or more, the plan shall be drawn pursuant
to section 331.210A, subsection 2, paragraph “f”. The initial representation plan for such a
county shall be drawn as provided in section 331.210A, subsection 2, paragraph “f”, within
one hundred twenty days after the election at which the charter is approved. For the initial

representation plan, the charter commission shall assume the role of the governing body for
purposes of this paragraph and section 331.210A, subsection 2, paragraphs “d” through “f”.
i. Provide for the initial compensation for members of the governing body and for a
method of changing the compensation.
3. Thechartermaygrantthelegislativebodyoftheconsolidatedgovernmenttheauthority
to transfer, reorganize, and provide a method for adjusting the boundaries of the entities
within the consolidated government.
4. a. Theconsolidationchartermayincludeotherprovisionswhichthecommissionelects
to include and which are not irreconcilable with state law. These provisions may include but
are not limited to the following:
(1) Provide for a method of selecting officers of the governing body and fixing their terms
of office which may differ from the requirements of sections 331.208 through 331.211 and the
provisions of chapter 372.
(2) Provide for meetings of the governing body and rules of procedure which may differ
from the requirements of section 331.213, except that the meetings shall be scheduled and
conducted in compliance with chapter 21.
(3) Provide for combining the duties of elected officials of the county, for eliminating
elected offices and the assumption of the duties of those offices by appointed officials, and for
adding to, deleting from, or otherwise changing the duties of officials, elected or otherwise,
of the county and each consolidated city. If the charter provides that one or more elective
offices are combined, the board of supervisors shall appoint one of the elective officers of the
combined offices to serve until new officers have been elected at the general election in the
even-numbered year and have qualified for office. If the charter calls for the elimination of
an elective office, that elective officer’s term of office shall expire on the date specified in the
charter.
(4) Provide for the organization of city and county departments, agencies, or boards. The
organization plan may provide for the abolition or consolidation of a department, agency,
board, or commission and the assumption of its powers and duties by the governing body or
by another department, agency, board, or commission.
(5) Provide for a method for the governing body or another office to exercise the powers
and duties of the township trustees, in lieu of their election or appointment.
(6) Provide for a chief executive officer, a method of selecting that officer, the
compensation for that officer, a method of changing the compensation, and the powers and
duties of that officer.
(7) If the charter provides for a chief executive office, provide for the appointment of a
chief executive officer pro tem, the compensation for that officer, a method of changing the
compensation, and the manner in which that officer would exercise the powers and duties of
the chief executive officer.
(8) Providefortheappointmentofacitymanager,amethodfordeterminingandchanging
the compensation for the city manager, and the powers and duties of the city manager.
b. This subsection does not apply to the board of trustees of a county hospital or to the
board of trustees of a city hospital.