58-05.1-02. Consolidation of township officers - Petition - Membership

58-05.1-02. Consolidation of township officers - Petition - Membership The board of township supervisors of a township shall propose a plan for the consolidation of the board of township officers with the officers of adjoining townships when three qualified electors or five percent of the qualified electors of the township, as determined by the number of qualified electors voting at the last annual township meeting, whichever is greater, petition the board. The township clerk, within fourteen days of receiving a petition, shall notify the board of township supervisors of each adjoining township of the proposal for consolidation and submit a copy of the proposal to the county auditor. The boards of township supervisors of each adjoining township shall respond to the proposal within thirty days. If the response of a board of township supervisors of an adjoining township indicates that the consolidation should be pursued, the clerk of the township proposing the consolidation shall call a meeting, or meetings if necessary, at a time and place agreed upon by the boards of each township. The chairman of the board of township supervisors of the township proposing the consolidation shall preside at the meeting. If requested by the board of township supervisors of the township proposing the consolidation, the board of township supervisors of each township shall submit a report of the assets, liabilities, and overall financial condition of each township for review by the other boards of township supervisors. If one or more boards of the townships responding to the proposal agreed to further pursue the proposed consolidation, the question of consolidation must be presented to the electors of each of the townships. However, no more than five adjoining townships may consolidate. Notice of the presentation of the question to the electors must be submitted to the county auditor by the board of township supervisors of the township proposing the consolidation. Upon receiving that notice, the county auditor shall assign an identifying number to the proposed multitownship board and notify the board of supervisors of each township of that number.