Missouri § 190.470 - Alternate consolidation — petition, election — board appointed, requirements.

§ 190.470. Alternate consolidation — petition, election — board appointed, requirements.

1.  As an alternative to the procedure provided in section 190.465, two or more 911 central dispatch centers that are organized under sections 190.327 to 190.329 or section 190.335 and funded by public taxes may consolidate into one 911 central dispatch center by following the procedures set forth in this section.

2.  If the consolidation of existing 911 central dispatch centers is desired, a number of voters residing in the existing 911 central dispatch centers' service areas equal to ten percent of the votes cast for governor in those service areas in the preceding gubernatorial election may file with the county clerk in which the territory or greater part of the proposed consolidated 911 central dispatch center service area will be situated a petition requesting consolidation of two or more 911 central dispatch centers.

3.  The petition shall be in the following form:

4.  An alternative procedure of consolidation may be followed if each of the boards of directors of the existing 911 central dispatch centers passes a resolution in the following form:

5.  Upon the filing of a petition or resolution with the county clerk from each of the service areas of the 911 central dispatch centers to be consolidated, the clerk shall present the petition or resolution to the commissioners of the county commission having jurisdiction, who shall order the submission of the question to voters within the affected 911 central dispatch center service areas.  The filing of a petition shall be no later than twelve months after any original voter's signature contained therein.

6.  The notice of election shall contain the names of the existing 911 central dispatch centers to be included in the consolidated 911 central dispatch center.

7.  The question shall be submitted in substantially the following form:

8.  If the question of consolidation of the 911 central dispatch centers receives a majority of the votes cast in each service area, the county commissions having joint jurisdiction shall each enter an order declaring the proposition passed.

9.  Within thirty days after the 911 central dispatch center has been declared consolidated, the respective county commissions having jurisdiction shall jointly meet to appoint a new seven-person board consisting of the agencies and professions listed in subsection 9 of section 190.335, and shall ensure geographic representation by appointing no more than four members from any one county having jurisdiction within the consolidated area for the newly consolidated 911 central dispatch center.

10.  Within thirty days after the appointment of the initial board of directors of the newly consolidated 911 central dispatch center, the board of directors shall meet at a time and place designated by the county commissions.  At the first meeting, the newly appointed board of directors shall choose a name for the consolidated 911 central dispatch center and shall notify the clerks of the county commission of each county within which the newly consolidated 911 central dispatch center's service area now subsumes.

11.  Starting with the April election in the year after the appointment of the initial board of directors, one member shall be subject to running at large as chair for a four-year term.  Four members shall be selected by lot to run for two-year terms, and two members shall be selected by lot to run for four-year terms.  Thereafter, all terms shall be four-year terms.

12.  On the thirtieth day following the appointment of the initial board of directors, the existing 911 central dispatch centers shall cease to exist and the consolidated 911 central dispatch center shall assume all of the powers and duties exercised by the 911 central dispatch centers.  All assets and obligations of the existing 911 central dispatch centers shall become the assets and obligations of the newly consolidated 911 central dispatch center.

13.  In any county that has a single board established under this chapter^* or under section 321.243, if a consolidation under this section only affects existing 911 central dispatch centers located wholly within such county, the existing board shall vote as to whether the existing board shall continue to exist.  Upon a majority vote for approval of the existing board continuing to exist, subsections 9 to 12 of this section shall not apply, and the existing board shall continue to exist and have the powers set forth under the applicable section or sections within this chapter^* or under section 321.243.  Upon a majority vote in disapproval of the existing board continuing to exist, all applicable subsections of this section shall apply to the consolidation.  A tied vote shall be considered a disapproval of the existing board continuing to exist.

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(L. 2018 H.B. 1456)

*Words "chapter 190" appear in original rolls.