Sec. 7-195. Consolidation of governments.
Sec. 7-195. Consolidation of governments. (a) As used in this section and sections
7-196 to 7-201, inclusive, "unit of local government" means a town or political subdivision thereof and "political subdivision" means a city, borough or district within a town.
(b) The consolidation of the government of any town with the government or governments of one or more political subdivisions therein shall be effected in the manner
hereinafter prescribed. A proposal to consolidate setting forth the units of local government to be consolidated may be adopted by a majority vote of the entire membership
of the legislative body of any unit of local government or, when the legislative body is
the town meeting, by a majority vote of those present and voting. Upon adoption of
such proposal, a copy thereof shall be transmitted to the legislative body of each other
unit of local government included in the proposed consolidation, which legislative body
shall, within thirty days of the adoption of the proposal, accept or reject the proposal.
Acceptance shall be by resolution adopted by at least a majority vote of the entire membership of the legislative body of each such other unit or, when the legislative body is
the town meeting, by a majority vote of those present and voting, a copy of which
resolution shall forthwith be filed with the town clerk.
(c) In addition to the method of initiating a consolidation set forth above, such
action may also be initiated by petition. Such petition shall set forth the units of local
government to be consolidated and shall be signed by not less than ten per cent of the
electors of each political subdivision included in the proposed consolidation and by not
less than ten per cent of the electors of the town, if any, residing outside the boundaries
of any such political subdivision; provided, if a lesser number of signatures on such
petition is required by any existing special act, such number shall be sufficient for the
purposes of this section. Prior to the obtaining of any signatures on such petition, a copy
thereof shall be filed with the town clerk and a period of ninety days from the date of
such filing shall be allowed for the obtaining of the required signatures. Within not more
than ninety days from the filing of the copy of the petition with the town clerk, the signed
petition shall be filed with the town clerk, who shall proceed forthwith to determine its
sufficiency by comparing the names thereon with those contained in the registry list of
the town and shall certify its sufficiency or insufficiency to the presiding officer of the
legislative body of the town; provided a separate petition may be signed by the electors
of each political subdivision included within the proposed consolidation and by the
electors residing outside the boundaries of any such political subdivision, in which case
the clerk of each such political subdivision shall determine the sufficiency of the petition
so far as such political subdivision is concerned and shall certify such sufficiency or
insufficiency to the clerk of the town, who shall transmit the certification to the presiding
officer of the legislative body of the town.
(1957, P.A. 465, S. 9; 1971, P.A. 55; P.A. 80-474, S. 1, 4.)
History: 1971 act required passage by two-thirds majority of those present and voting when legislative body is town
meeting; P.A. 80-474 amended Subsec. (b) to require adoption and acceptance of consolidation by simple majority rather
than two-thirds majority.
Cited. 152 C. 676. District means geographical subdivision, inhabitants of which are invested with power to discharge
some function of government. 155 C. 573. Since districts in consolidated city of Norwich are not units of local government
but subdivisions of city, changes in city charter affecting them were properly made by amendment and not by consolidation
procedures hereunder. Id. Cited. 171 C. 74. Cited. 179 C. 589. Cited. 184 C. 30. Cited. 188 C. 276. Cited. 208 C. 543.
Watertown and Oakville Fire districts are units of local government and consolidation with Watertown is governed by
sections 7-195 to 7-201. 28 CS 413.
Subsec. (b):
Cited. 195 C. 524.