§7205. Deorganization procedure
The local committee, with the assistance of the commission, shall develop a deorganization procedure which, at a minimum, shall consist of the following components.
[PL 1989, c. 216, §2 (NEW).]
1.
Effective date.
The deorganization procedure shall establish a date on which deorganization will be effective.
[PL 1989, c. 216, §2 (NEW).]
2.
Provision of educational services.
The deorganization procedure shall provide for educational services, including school transportation services for all students in the municipality for which deorganization is proposed.
A.
The Commissioner of Education is responsible for implementing this subsection for incorporation in the deorganization procedure.
[PL 1989, c. 216, §2 (NEW); PL 1989, c. 700, Pt. A, §130 (AMD).]
B.
The allowable tuition rate for students sent from one municipality to another in the former school administrative district shall be determined under Title 20‑A, section 5805, subsection 1, except that it is not subject to the state per pupil average limitation in Title 20‑A, section 5805, subsection 2.
[PL 1989, c. 216, §2 (NEW).]
C.
School transportation services are subject to Title 20‑A, chapter 215.
[PL 1989, c. 216, §2 (NEW).]
[PL 1989, c. 216, §2 (NEW); PL 1989, c. 700, Pt. A, §130 (AMD).]
3.
Distribution of financial liabilities and assets.
The deorganization procedure must provide for the distribution of all financial and other intangible liabilities and assets of the municipality, including liabilities and assets held by the municipality in any other political subdivision that are affected by the deorganization. These assets and liabilities include, but are not limited to, outstanding bonds, notes and any other contractual obligations that extend beyond the proposed date of deorganization. The service of all bonded indebtedness or other debt backed by a pledge of the full faith and credit duly authorized by the legal voters of the deorganizing municipality prior to deorganization remains the responsibility of the residents of the municipality and may not be transferred in whole or in part to the residents of a geographic area outside the boundaries of the deorganizing municipality unless that debt is properly reissued.
A.
The commission is responsible for determining these assets and liabilities and incorporating these provisions in the deorganization procedure.
[PL 1989, c. 216, §2 (NEW).]
B.
Distribution of these assets and liabilities must be in accordance with chapter 303.
[PL 2003, c. 297, §2 (AMD).]
[PL 2003, c. 297, §2 (AMD).]
4.
Distribution of tangible assets and liabilities.
The deorganization procedure shall provide for the distribution of all real and personal property and other tangible assets of the municipality, including real and personal property held by the municipality in any other political subdivision that is affected by the deorganization.
A.
The State Tax Assessor is responsible for the identification of all real and personal municipal property in the municipality and the appropriate distribution of this property.
[PL 1989, c. 216, §2 (NEW).]
[PL 1989, c. 216, §2 (NEW).]
5.
Comprehensive land use planning and zoning.
For municipalities not under the jurisdiction of the Maine Land Use Planning Commission, the Maine Land Use Planning Commission shall prepare a zoning map of the municipality within one year of the effective date of deorganization.
[PL 1989, c. 216, §2 (NEW); PL 2011, c. 682, §38 (REV).]
6.
Information about municipality.
The deorganization procedure shall include, at a minimum, the following information:
A.
An explanation of the road network and costs to the municipality for road construction and maintenance for the most recent fiscal year;
[PL 1989, c. 216, §2 (NEW).]
B.
Population information, consisting of population changes since the latest Federal Decennial Census and any other population information, including ages of the population, numbers of households and similar information;
[PL 1989, c. 216, §2 (NEW).]
C.
Personal income, including individual and household income and changes in personal income derived from the United States Bureau of Census data and state agency estimates;
[PL 1989, c. 216, §2 (NEW).]
D.
Property tax assessments and revenues, including amounts of land subject to reduced tax assessments and changes in tax rates and property valuation;
[PL 1989, c. 216, §2 (NEW).]
E.
An explanation of the current services provided by the municipality and the impact of deorganization on these services; and
[PL 1989, c. 216, §2 (NEW).]
F.
The status of leadership in the municipality, including municipal officers, school board members, planning board members, road commissioners, social welfare officials and similar officials.
[PL 1989, c. 216, §2 (NEW).]
In developing the deorganization procedure, the local committee shall work closely with the commission. The local committee shall submit the proposed deorganization procedure to the commission for review within 90 days of the meeting at which the voters approved the formulation of a deorganization procedure. If the local committee fails to develop a deorganization procedure within this period, the commission shall develop a procedure for the municipality and perform the duties of the local committee in submitting the procedure to the voters of the municipality.
[PL 1989, c. 216, §2 (NEW).]
7.
Fiscal impact assessment.
The municipality seeking to deorganize shall prepare a report that identifies and analyzes the service and tax burden effects on the deorganizing municipality, surrounding municipalities and the unorganized territory that is associated with the deorganization. The report must include:
A.
The principal reason or reasons the inhabitants of the municipality are considering deorganization;
[PL 2003, c. 297, §3 (NEW).]
B.
An assessment of the government services being provided to the residents of the deorganizing municipality, including education, water and sewer service, fire protection, police protection, street improvements and maintenance, administrative services and recreational facilities and the effect deorganization will have on the provision of those services to the residents of the deorganizing municipality;
[PL 2003, c. 297, §3 (NEW).]
C.
An inventory of the municipally owned assets and a complete accounting of the municipality's debt and the financial plan for retiring that debt;
[PL 2003, c. 297, §3 (NEW).]
D.
The fiscal and service delivery effects of deorganization on surrounding municipalities, special districts, the county and the communities within the county, including the unorganized territory; and
[PL 2003, c. 297, §3 (NEW).]
E.
Any alternatives to deorganization that have been considered to address the cause of the deorganization effort.
[PL 2003, c. 297, §3 (NEW).]
[PL 2003, c. 297, §3 (NEW).]
SECTION HISTORY
PL 1989, c. 216, §2 (NEW). PL 1989, c. 700, §A130 (AMD). PL 2003, c. 297, §§2,3 (AMD). PL 2011, c. 682, §38 (REV).