Section 331.237. Referendum — effective date.

  1.  If a proposed charter for county government is received not less than five working days before the filing deadline for candidates for county offices specified in section 44.4 for the next general election, the board shall direct the county commissioner of elections to submit to the registered voters of the county at the next general election the question of whether the proposed charter shall be adopted. A summary of the proposed charter or amendment shall be published in the official county newspapers and in a newspaper of general circulation in each participating city, if applicable, at least ten but not more than twenty days before the date of the election. Except as otherwise provided in sections 331.247 and 331.260, if a majority of the votes cast on the question is in favor of the proposal, the proposal is adopted.

  2.  If a proposed charter for county government is adopted:

  a.  The adopted charter shall take effect July 1 following the general election at which it is approved unless the charter provides a later effective date. If the adopted charter calls for a change in the form of government, officers to fill elective offices shall be elected in the general election in the even-numbered year following the adoption of the charter. Those county officers holding office at the time of the adoption of the charter shall continue in office until the general election in the even-numbered year following the adoption of the charter. If the charter provides that one or more elective offices are combined, the board of supervisors shall appoint one of the elective officers of the combined offices to serve until the general election in the even-numbered year. If the charter calls for the elimination of an elective office, that elective officer’s term of office shall expire on the date the adopted charter takes effect.

  b.  The adoption of the alternative form of county government does not alter any right or liability of the county in effect at the time of the election at which the charter was adopted.

  c.  All departments and agencies shall continue to operate until replaced.

  d.  All ordinances or resolutions in effect remain effective until amended or repealed, unless they are irreconcilable with the adopted charter.

  e.  Upon the effective date of the adopted charter, the county shall adopt the alternative form by ordinance, and shall file a copy with the secretary of state, and maintain available copies for public inspection.

  f.  The former governing bodies shall continue to perform their duties until the new governing body is sworn into office, and shall assist the new governing body in planning the transition to the charter government.

  3.  If a charter is submitted to the electorate but is not adopted, another charter shall not be submitted to the electorate for two years. If a charter is adopted, it may be amended at any time. If a charter is adopted, a proposed charter for another alternative form of county government shall not be submitted to the electorate for six years.

  4.  Subsections 2 and 3 do not apply to the city-county consolidated form of government or the community commonwealth form of government.

88 Acts, ch 1229, §9

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91 Acts, ch 129, §25

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91 Acts, ch 256, §12 – 14

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94 Acts, ch 1180, §45, 46

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95 Acts, ch 67, §53

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2004 Acts, ch 1066, §9, 10, 31