§7A-1-4. Authority to consolidate.

(a) A municipality, county or metro government in this state is authorized to form a consolidated local government with another municipality, county or metro government upon approval by the voters of the affected areas.

(b) The Legislature has the Constitutional authority to permit municipalities to consolidate pursuant to section thirty-nine-a, article VI of the West Virginia Constitution permitting home rule for municipalities. Pursuant to section thirteen, article IX of the West Virginia Constitution permitting reformation of county commissions, the Legislature has the authority to permit counties to consolidate and municipalities and counties to consolidate to create a new executive or legislative tribunal, or both, in the form of a metro government that performs both the duties of a municipality and a county.