SENATE BILL NO. 809
November 13, 1997, Introduced by Senator NORTH and referred to the Committee on Government Operations. A bill to amend 1851 PA 156, entitled "An act to define the powers and duties of the county boards of commissioners of the several counties, and to confer upon them certain local, administrative and legislative powers; and to pre- scribe penalties for the violation of the provisions of this act," by amending section 16b (MCL 46.16b), as added by 1988 PA 37. THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT: 1 Sec. 16b. (1) Proceedings for consolidation of 2 or more 2 townships within the same county may SHALL be initiated by 3 filing a petition with the county board of commissioners signed 4 by a number of registered electors who are residents of the area 5 to be consolidated equal to at least 5% NOT LESS THAN 20% of 6 the total population of each of the affected townships. A peti- 7 tion under this section shall name INCLUDE ALL OF THE 8 FOLLOWING: 04031'97 TLG 2 1 (A) THE NAMES OF the townships proposed to be consolidated. 2 , state the 3 (B) THE name of the consolidated township. , designate the 4 (C) THE maximum initial authorized millage levy if the pro- 5 posed consolidated township is to be incorporated as a charter 6 township. , and 7 (D) A request that the county board of commissioners initi- 8 ate proceedings necessary for consolidation under this act. 9 (2) The county board of commissioners shall reject a peti- 10 tion for consolidation under this section if a proposition to 11 consolidate the identical townships has been voted on within the 12 2 years immediately preceding the filing of the petition. This 13 subsection does not prevent the consolidation of 2 or more town- 14 ships that were included in a proposed consolidation voted on in 15 the preceding 2 years, with or without additional territory, if 16 the prior proposition included 1 or more townships that are not 17 included in the later proposition. 18 (3) If the county board of commissioners finds that a peti- 19 tion does not conform to this act, the county board shall return 20 the petition to the person from whom it was received together 21 with a certified copy of the county board's resolution rejecting 22 the petition. If the county board of commissioners finds that 23 the petition is proper, the county board shall submit the propo- 24 sition to a vote of the electors of the affected townships and 25 shall specify a date for the election. 04031'97 Final page. TLG