331.262 - ADOPTION OF CHARTER -- EFFECT.

        331.262  ADOPTION OF CHARTER -- EFFECT.         1.  As a political subdivision of the state, the community      commonwealth unit of local government shall have the statutory and      constitutional status of a county and of a city to the extent the      community commonwealth governing body assumes the powers and duties      of cities as those powers and duties relate to the delivery of      services.  For each service provided by the community commonwealth,      the community commonwealth shall assume the same statutory rights,      powers, and duties relating to the provision of the service as if the      member city were itself providing the service to its citizens.         On its effective date, the community commonwealth charter operates      to replace the existing county government structure.  The governments      of participating cities shall remain in existence to render those      services not transferred to the community commonwealth government.         2.  The adoption of the community commonwealth form of government      does not alter any right or liability of the county or member city in      effect at the time of the election at which the charter was adopted.         3.  All departments and agencies of the county and of each member      city shall continue to operate until their authority to operate is      superseded by action of the governing body.         4.  All ordinances or resolutions in effect remain effective until      amended or repealed, unless they are irreconcilable with the adopted      charter.         5.  Upon the effective date of the adopted charter, the county      shall adopt the community commonwealth form of government by      ordinance, and shall file a copy with the secretary of state and      maintain available copies for public inspection.         6.  Members of the governing body of the county and of each member      city shall continue in office until the members of the governing body      of the community commonwealth have been elected and sworn into      office, at which time the offices of the former governing bodies      shall be abolished, and the terms of the members of the former      governing bodies shall be terminated.  During the period between the      effective date of the charter and the election and qualification of      the elected members of the new governing body, the former governing      bodies of each member city and of the county shall continue to      perform their duties and shall assist in planning the transition to      the community commonwealth form of government.         7.  If a community commonwealth charter is submitted to the      electorate but is not adopted, another charter shall not be submitted      to the electorate for at least two years from the date of the      election at which the charter was rejected.  If a community      commonwealth charter is adopted, a proposed charter for another      alternative form of county government shall not be submitted to the      electorate for at least six years from the date of the election at      which the charter was adopted.         8.  If a community commonwealth charter is adopted, the charter      may be amended at any time.  The charter shall be amended in the      manner provided in section 331.247, subsection 7.         9.  A city or county wishing to terminate its membership in the      community commonwealth government must do so pursuant to the existing      charter procedure under this chapter or chapter 372, whichever is      applicable.         A city or county may join an existing community commonwealth      government by resolution of the board or council, whichever is      applicable, or upon petition of eligible electors of the city or      county, whichever is applicable, equal in number to at least      twenty-five percent of the persons who voted at the last general      election for the office of governor or president of the United      States, whichever is fewer.  Within fifteen days after receiving a      valid petition, the applicable governing body shall adopt a      resolution in favor of participation and shall immediately forward      the resolution to the governing body of the community commonwealth.      If a majority of the community commonwealth governing body approves      the resolution, the question of joining the community commonwealth      shall be submitted to the electorate of the petitioning city or      county within sixty days after approval of the resolution.  
         Section History: Recent Form
         91 Acts, ch 256, §34; 2004 Acts, ch 1066, §28, 31         Referred to in § 28E.40, 331.231, 372.1