§7001. Organization of unincorporated townships
1. Census. Any unincorporated township may, by petition of 20% or more of the voters of the township, require the county commissioners to determine from the Federal Decennial Census or by actual enumeration whether the township has 200 inhabitants or more. The county commissioners shall report the result of the census to the Secretary of State who shall record it.
[PL 1987, c. 737, Pt. A, §2 (NEW); PL 1987, c. 737, Pt. C, §106 (NEW); PL 1989, c. 6 (AMD); PL 1989, c. 9, §2 (AMD); PL 1989, c. 104, Pt. C, §§8, 10 (AMD).]
2. Organization of township with population of 200 or more. If the report made under subsection 1 indicates that the township has a population of 200 or more, the county commissioners shall, with the consent of a majority of the petitioners under subsection 1, issue their warrant to an inhabitant of the unincorporated township, commanding that inhabitant to notify the voters of the unincorporated township, to assemble on a day and at a place named in the warrant, to choose a moderator, clerk, 3 assessors, treasurer, collector of taxes, constable, school committee and other necessary plantation officers.
A. The person selected by the commissioners shall give notice of the meeting by posting an attested copy of the warrant for the meeting in 2 public and conspicuous places in the township at least 14 days before the day of meeting. The warrant, with the inhabitant's return on it, shall be returned to the meeting and the officers shall be chosen and sworn. [PL 1987, c. 737, Pt. A, §2 (NEW); PL 1987, c. 737, Pt. C, §106 (NEW); PL 1989, c. 6 (AMD); PL 1989, c. 9, §2 (AMD); PL 1989, c. 104, Pt. C, §§8, 10 (AMD).]
[PL 1987, c. 737, Pt. A, §2 (NEW); PL 1987, c. 737, Pt. C, §106 (NEW); PL 1989, c. 6 (AMD); PL 1989, c. 9, §2 (AMD); PL 1989, c. 104, Pt. C, §§8, 10 (AMD).]
3. Alternative method. Any unincorporated or unorganized place containing any number of inhabitants may be organized under this subsection. One or more of the county commissioners, on written application signed by at least 3 voters of any unincorporated or unorganized place in their county, may issue a warrant to one of the 3 voters, requiring that voter to announce a meeting of the voters of the unincorporated or unorganized place residing within the limits described in the warrant. When a state or county tax is assessed to the unincorporated or unorganized place, the Treasurer of State or the county commissioners, without application by the voters, may issue their warrant to an inhabitant of the unincorporated or unorganized place. In either case the warrant, notice of meeting and proceedings shall be the same as provided in subsection 2.
[PL 1987, c. 737, Pt. A, §2 (NEW); PL 1987, c. 737, Pt. C, §106 (NEW); PL 1989, c. 6 (AMD); PL 1989, c. 9, §2 (AMD); PL 1989, c. 104, Pt. C, §§8, 10 (AMD).]
4. Organization meeting. At the time and place appointed for meetings for the organization of plantations under subsections 2 and 3, a moderator shall be chosen by ballot by the voters present to preside at the meeting. The person to whom the warrant was directed shall preside until the moderator is chosen and sworn by that person. A clerk, 3 assessors, treasurer and school committee shall be chosen by ballot and sworn by the moderator or a dedimus justice. Other plantation officers may be chosen by ballot or other method agreed on by vote of the meeting and shall be sworn by the moderator or a dedimus justice.
[PL 1989, c. 104, Pt. A, §53 (AMD); PL 1989, c. 104, Pt. C, §10 (AMD).]
5. Documents recorded with Secretary of State. When a plantation is organized, the clerk and assessors shall send to the Secretary of State:
A. A certified copy of all proceedings performed in organizing the plantation, including:
(1) The petition, if any;
(2) The warrant issued for the organizational meeting and the return on the warrant; and
(3) The record of the organizational meeting; and [PL 1987, c. 737, Pt. A, §2 (NEW); PL 1987, c. 737, Pt. C, §106 (NEW); PL 1989, c. 6 (AMD); PL 1989, c. 9, §2 (AMD); PL 1989, c. 104, Pt. C, §§8, 10 (AMD).]
B. A written description of the limits of the plantation. [PL 1987, c. 737, Pt. A, §2 (NEW); PL 1987, c. 737, Pt. C, §106 (NEW); PL 1989, c. 6 (AMD); PL 1989, c. 9, §2 (AMD); PL 1989, c. 104, Pt. C, §§8, 10 (AMD).]
The Secretary of State shall record these documents. Upon recording, all laws applicable to organized plantations apply to plantations organized under this chapter.
[PL 1987, c. 737, Pt. A, §2 (NEW); PL 1987, c. 737, Pt. C, §106 (NEW); PL 1989, c. 6 (AMD); PL 1989, c. 9, §2 (AMD); PL 1989, c. 104, Pt. C, §§8, 10 (AMD).]
SECTION HISTORY
PL 1987, c. 737, §§A2,C106 (NEW). PL 1989, c. 6 (AMD). PL 1989, c. 9, §2 (AMD). PL 1989, c. 104, §§A53,C8,C10 (AMD).