Montana Code Annotated 2023

TITLE 7. LOCAL GOVERNMENT

CHAPTER 3. ALTERNATIVE FORMS OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Part 1. General Provisions

Special Requirements If Consolidation Recommended

7-3-143. Special requirements if consolidation recommended. (1) Whenever county-municipal consolidation is recommended, a petition, in addition to the material required in 7-3-142, must contain a consolidation plan which:

(a) provides for adjustment of existing bonded indebtedness and other obligations in a manner which assures a fair and equitable burden of taxation for debt service;

(b) provides for establishment of subordinate service districts;

(c) provides for the transfer or other disposition of property and other rights, claims, assets, and franchises of the local governments consolidated under its proposal;

(d) provides the official name of the consolidated local government; and

(e) (i) provides for the transfer, reorganization, abolition, adjustment of boundaries, or absorption of all existing boards, bureaus, special districts, subordinate service districts, local improvement districts, agencies, and political subdivisions of the consolidated governments, excluding school districts and nonconsolidated municipalities; or

(ii) grants the legislative body of the consolidated government the authority to transfer, reorganize, abolish, adjust boundaries (and may provide a method for adjusting boundaries), or absorb existing boards, bureaus, special districts, subordinate service districts, local improvement districts, agencies, and political subdivisions of the consolidated governments, excluding school districts and nonconsolidated municipalities, with or without referendum requirements.

(2) The consolidation plan may include other provisions that are consistent with state law.

(3) Whenever amendments to an existing consolidation plan are recommended, a petition must contain a certificate containing amendments to the consolidation plan.

History: En. Sec. 8, Ch. 675, L. 1979; amd. Sec. 26, Ch. 697, L. 1983.