331.237 - REFERENDUM -- EFFECTIVE DATE.

        331.237  REFERENDUM -- EFFECTIVE DATE.         1.  If a proposed charter for county government is received not      less than five working days before the filing deadline for candidates      for county offices specified in section 44.4 for the next general      election, the board shall direct the county commissioner of elections      to submit to the registered voters of the county at the next general      election the question of whether the proposed charter shall be      adopted.  A summary of the proposed charter or amendment shall be      published in the official county newspapers and in a newspaper of      general circulation in each participating city, if applicable, at      least ten but not more than twenty days before the date of the      election.  Except as otherwise provided in sections 331.247 and      331.260, if a majority of the votes cast on the question is in favor      of the proposal, the proposal is adopted.         2.  If a proposed charter for county government is adopted:         a.  The adopted charter shall take effect July 1 following the      general election at which it is approved unless the charter provides      a later effective date.  If the adopted charter calls for a change in      the form of government, officers to fill elective offices shall be      elected in the general election in the even-numbered year following      the adoption of the charter.  Those county officers holding office at      the time of the adoption of the charter shall continue in office      until the general election in the even-numbered year following the      adoption of the charter.  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      the general election in the even-numbered year.  If the charter calls      for the elimination of an elective office, that elective officer's      term of office shall expire on the date the adopted charter takes      effect.         b.  The adoption of the alternative form of county government      does not alter any right or liability of the county in effect at the      time of the election at which the charter was adopted.         c.  All departments and agencies shall continue to operate      until replaced.         d.  All ordinances or resolutions in effect remain effective      until amended or repealed, unless they are irreconcilable with the      adopted charter.         e.  Upon the effective date of the adopted charter, the county      shall adopt the alternative form by ordinance, and shall file a copy      with the secretary of state, and maintain available copies for public      inspection.         f.  The former governing bodies shall continue to perform      their duties until the new governing body is sworn into office, and      shall assist the new governing body in planning the transition to the      charter government.         3.  If a charter is submitted to the electorate but is not      adopted, another charter shall not be submitted to the electorate for      two years.  If a charter is adopted, it may be amended at any time.      If a charter is adopted, a proposed charter for another alternative      form of county government shall not be submitted to the electorate      for six years.         4.  Subsections 2 and 3 do not apply to the city-county      consolidated form of government or the community commonwealth form of      government.  
         Section History: Recent Form
         88 Acts, ch 1229, §9; 91 Acts, ch 129, §25; 91 Acts, ch 256,      §12--14; 94 Acts, ch 1180, §45, 46; 95 Acts, ch 67, §53; 2004 Acts,      ch 1066, § 9, 10, 31         Referred to in § 331.235, 331.244, 373.4