An Act To Enable the Town of Livermore Falls To Withdraw from Androscoggin County and Join Franklin County

Mandate preamble. This measure requires one or more local units of government to expand or modify activities so as to necessitate additional expenditures from local revenues but does not provide funding for at least 90% of those expenditures. Pursuant to the Constitution of Maine, Article IX, Section 21, 2/3 of all of the members elected to each House have determined it necessary to enact this measure.

Sec. 1. Annexation. The Town of Livermore Falls is removed from Androscoggin County and annexed to and made part of Franklin County.

Sec. 2. Obligations to Androscoggin County. The existing bonded indebtedness of the Town of Livermore Falls to Androscoggin County must be determined in a just and equitable manner by the commissioners of Androscoggin County and the municipal officers of Livermore Falls upon the effective date of this Act.

Sec. 3. Obligations to Franklin County. All obligations of the Town of Livermore Falls to Franklin County begin and must be prorated as of the effective date of this Act.

Sec. 4. County seat. The Town of Farmington remains the county seat of Franklin County.

Sec. 5. County commissioner district. Upon the removal from Androscoggin County and the annexation to Franklin County, the Town of Livermore Falls becomes part of Franklin County Commissioner District No. 1.

Sec. 6. Referendum. This Act takes effect only for the purpose of submitting this Act to the legal voters of the Town of Livermore Falls at the regular town meeting in 2013 or at a special town meeting called for the purpose within 90 days of the approval of this Act. That special town meeting must be called, advertised and conducted according to the law relating to municipal elections except that the municipal officers of the town may not be required to prepare for posting, nor the town clerk to post, a new list of voters and for the purpose of registration of voters the registrar of voters must be in session on the secular day next preceding the special election. The town clerk shall prepare the required ballots, on which the clerk shall reduce the subject matter of this Act to the following question:

"Do you favor the removal of the Town of Livermore Falls from Androscoggin County and its annexation to Franklin County?"

The voters shall indicate by a cross or check mark placed against the word "Yes" or "No" their opinion of the same.

If the question is accepted by a majority of the legal voters voting at the town meeting called for the purpose of approving this Act and if the total number of votes cast for and against the acceptance of this question equals or exceeds 20% of the total vote for all candidates for Governor cast in the town at the most recent gubernatorial election, the Act must be submitted to the legal voters of Franklin County and to the legal voters of Androscoggin County at elections in Franklin County and Androscoggin County called for that purpose no later than June 2014.

The Franklin County Clerk and Androscoggin County Clerk shall prepare the required ballots, on which the clerk shall reduce the subject matter of this Act to the following question:

"Do you favor the annexation of the Town of Livermore Falls by Franklin County?"

The voters shall indicate by a cross or check mark placed against the word "Yes" or "No" their opinion of the same.

This Act takes effect if it is accepted by a majority of the legal voters voting at the election in both Franklin County and Androscoggin County and if the total number of votes cast for and against the acceptance of this Act equals or exceeds 20% of the total vote for all candidates for Governor cast in each of the counties at the most recent gubernatorial election.

The result of the vote in Franklin County must be declared by the commissioners of Franklin County and due certificate must be filed by the county clerk with the Secretary of State. The result of the vote in Androscoggin County must be declared by the commissioners of Androscoggin County and due certificate must be filed by the county clerk with the Secretary of State.

If the Town of Livermore Falls and Franklin County and Androscoggin County approve this Act, the Act takes effect July 1, 2014.