§ 30-A §7207 — Public hearing and meeting on deorganization procedure

Maine § 30-A §7207

• Jurisdiction: Maine
• Title 30-A: MUNICIPALITIES AND COUNTIES
• Part 3: PLANTATIONS AND UNORGANIZED PLACES
• Ch. 302: DEORGANIZATION OF MUNICIPALITIES AND PLANTATIONS

Text

The local committee may incorporate the comments and suggestions received from the commission into the deorganization procedure. The local committee shall immediately notify the municipal officers and the county commissioners of the county where the municipality considering deorganization is located when the deorganization procedure has been completed.
1.
Public hearing.
The municipal officers shall hold a public hearing on the proposed deorganization procedure at least 14, but not more than 30, days before the municipal meeting or election called by the municipal officers under subsection 2.
2.
Deorganization approval vote.
After receiving notice from the local committee that the deorganization procedure is complete, the municipal officers shall immediately call and hold a special meeting in the manner provided for the calling and holding of town meetings or city elections to vote on the proposed deorganization. The municipal officers shall also publish notice of the meeting in a newspaper of general circulation in the area. One notice shall be published as close as possible to the 14th day before the meeting, and the 2nd notice shall be published as close as possible to the 7th day before the meeting. If a majority of the voters approve the deorganization procedure as presented or amended, the local deorganization committee shall send a copy of the proposed procedure to the commission and to the executive director who shall forward the comments to the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over local government matters. If the deorganization procedure approved at the hearing is not different from the one provided to the commission under section 7205, the local deorganization committee shall notify the commission that the voters approved the procedure as presented by the committee.
2-A.
Advisory referendum in unorganized territory.
After receiving notice from the local committee that the deorganization procedure is complete, the county commissioners may hold an advisory referendum on the deorganization in the unorganized territory in the county according to the procedures provided in this subsection. The county commissioners may not hold an advisory referendum until a system for identifying voters in the unorganized territory is established. Any advisory referendum must be held within 60 days of the receipt of notice from the municipality that the deorganization process is complete.
3.
Commission review.
The commission shall review the deorganization procedure. If it is different from the procedure presented to the commission under section 7205, the commission shall send a copy of its comments on the amended procedure to the local deorganization committee, the municipal officers and the executive director who shall forward the comments to the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over state and local government matters.

Legislative History

PL 1989, c. 216, §2 (NEW). PL 2003, c. 297, §§4,5 (AMD).