ARTICLE 4. CHARTER REVIEW COMMITTEE.

§7A-4-1. Study by charter review committee and draft of proposed charter.

(a) The charter review committee shall study matters relating to the feasibility of consolidation.

(b) The charter review committee shall further address in the charter the powers and authority of the proposed consolidated local government, including, but not limited to:

(1) The territory encompassed by the consolidated local government, including all affected municipalities, counties and metro governments, or parts thereof, to be included in the boundaries of the consolidated local government;

(2) The fiscal impact of the proposed consolidation on the affected municipalities, counties and metro governments including:

(A) The cost of providing services by the consolidated local government;

(B) Projected revenues available to the consolidated local government based upon proposed classifications and tax structures; and

(C) Projected economies of scale resulting from consolidation;

(3) The name of the proposed consolidated local government;

(4) The seat of the proposed consolidated local government;

(5) The representation plan based upon population for the territory encompassed by the consolidation consistent with state and federal law to include consideration of under represented areas and minorities;

(6) The creation of the governing body of the proposed consolidated local government, including an odd number of governing officers of not less than five, their qualifications for holding office, titles, powers, duties, terms of office, manner of election, compensation, method of removal, role of Constitutional officers in new government and other pertinent matters consistent with state and federal law;

(7) The effective date of the charter once consolidation is approved by the electorate;

(8) A procedure for the efficient and timely transition of specified services, functions and responsibilities from each affected municipality, county and metro government and its respective departments and agencies to the consolidated local government to occur within two years from the date the charter becomes effective; and

(9) The method by which a consolidated local government may dissolve after existing for a minimum of six years.

(c) The charter review committee shall complete its study and draft a proposed charter within two years from the date of its organizational meeting.

(d) With regard to a proposed metro consolidation, the metro charter review committee may utilize one of the plans for organizing a municipal government described in section two, article three, chapter eight of this code in the charter for the metro government, but is not limited to these forms of government.

§7A-4-2. Public hearings.

(a) The charter review committee shall hold a public hearing within three months of the organizational meeting or reconvening, a public hearing within six months of its organizational meeting or reconvening and a public hearing within eleven months of its organizational meeting or reconvening prior to finalizing its draft of the proposed charter. The committee is authorized to hold additional public hearings.

(b) The date, time, place and agenda of the public hearing shall be published as a Class II legal advertisement in a newspaper of general circulation in the affected areas.

§7A-4-3. Approval of proposed charter and submission to governing bodies.

(a) Following its final public hearing, the charter review committee shall vote on the proposed charter.

(b) Once approved by a majority vote of the charter review committee, the proposed charter shall be submitted within ten days to the governing bodies of the affected municipalities, counties and metro governments to be voted upon by the electorate.