or 222.275 shall be the county clerk of the county in which is located

222.250 or 222.275 shall be the county clerk of the county in which is located the administrative office of the city having the largest population of all cities proposed to be included in the consolidated city.

����� (3) If the proposed consolidation includes one or more unincorporated areas, the notice of the election called under ORS 222.250 shall include a map indicating the boundaries of each such area and indicating each incorporated city proposed to be included in the consolidated city. [1983 c.350 �41]

����� 222.270 Canvass of votes; joint convention of governing bodies; proclamation; report to Secretary of State; cost of election. (1) The chief elections officer shall canvass separately the votes cast in each city and in each unincorporated area on the question of consolidation and adoption of a city charter and permanent rate limit for operating taxes. The chief elections officer shall deliver a certified copy of the abstracts to the governing body of each of the cities.

����� (2) Not later than the 10th day after the chief elections officer has delivered the certified copies of the abstracts under subsection (1) of this section, the governing bodies of each of the cities to be included in the proposed city shall meet in joint convention at the usual place of meeting of the governing body of the city with the largest population as shown by the last federal census.

����� (3) The joint convention shall determine from the abstracts the results of the election on the question. The joint convention shall make an order proclaiming creation of the consolidated city and shall enter the order upon the joint convention�s minutes if a majority of the votes cast in the most populous city and a majority of the votes cast in another city or an unincorporated area proposed to be included in the proposed city favor creation of the city.

����� (4) Except as provided in ORS 222.210 (2), the consolidated city shall consist of the most populous city proposed to be included therein, each other city whose electors vote in favor of creating the consolidated city and each unincorporated area whose electors so vote. Its charter shall be the charter prepared by the charter commission and its permanent rate limit for operating taxes shall be the rate limit submitted to the electors at the election held under ORS 222.250 and 222.260.

����� (5) The officer performing the duties of clerk of the joint convention shall deliver to the Secretary of State a certified copy of the order proclaiming the election results and a certified copy of the charter adopted as the charter for the proposed city.

����� (6) If a consolidated city is created under subsection (3) of this section, the consolidated city shall pay the total cost of the election. If a consolidated city is not so created:

����� (a) Each city that would have been included in the proposed city shall pay a part of the total cost of holding the election on the proposed consolidation equal to the proportion that the number of persons registered to vote in the city holds to the number of persons registered to vote in all cities and unincorporated areas that would have been included in the proposed city; and

����� (b) Each county in which lies an unincorporated area that would have been included in the proposed city shall pay a part of the total cost of the election equal to the proportion that the number of persons registered to vote in the unincorporated area holds to the number of persons registered to vote in the total area that would have been included in the proposed city. [Amended by 1971 c.761 �7; 1981 c.173 �9; 1983 c.350 �42; 1985 c.702 �25; 1989 c.92 �37; 1997 c.541 �358]

����� 222.275 Second election on question of consolidation of certain areas or cities. (1) Electors of a city or area proposed to be included in a consolidated city may request a second election on the question of consolidation by filing a petition requesting the election as provided in this section, if:

����� (a) The majority of votes cast in the first election in the city or area for which the second election is requested was in favor of consolidation but the city or area is not contiguous to any other portion of the consolidated city; or

����� (b) The majority of votes cast in the election in the city or area is against consolidation but the city or area is contiguous to the consolidated city.

����� (2) Except as provided in subsection (4) of this section, the requirements for preparing, circulating and filing a petition under this section shall be as provided for an initiative petition under ORS 250.165 to 250.235. The petition must be signed by not less than 25 percent of the electors of the city or area.

����� (3) Except as provided in subsection (4) of this section and notwithstanding subsection (2) of this section, if ORS 250.155 makes ORS 250.165 to 250.235 inapplicable to a county, the requirements for preparing, circulating and filing a petition under this section shall be as provided for an initiative petition under the county charter or an ordinance adopted under the county charter.

����� (4) The petition must be filed with the county clerk of the county within which the largest portion of the city or area lies, not later than the 60th day after the date of the first election. The county clerk of the county in which the petition is filed immediately shall verify the signatures on the petition and forward the petition to the chief elections officer.

����� (5) If a petition is filed as provided in this section, the chief elections officer shall call a second election on the question of consolidation in the city or area on the next available election date in ORS 221.230 that is not sooner than the 61st day after the date on which the chief elections officer receives the verified petition.

����� (6) The results of the election shall be determined according to ORS 222.270. [1971 c.761 �11; 1979 c.316 �12; 1983 c.83 �25; 1983 c.350 �43; 1987 c.707 �5; 1989 c.923 �10; 1991 c.71 �6; 1993 c.713 �55]

����� 222.280 Election of officers; effective date of incorporation; certain annexations prohibited. (1) Not later than the 30th day after an election held under ORS 222.250, or after an election held under ORS 222.275, if such an election is held, the chief elections officer shall call a special election in the consolidated city for the purpose of electing the officers required by the charter adopted by the electors. The election shall be held on a date specified in ORS 221.230 that is not sooner than the 90th day after the date on which the election is called.

����� (2) The first city officers shall take office on the 10th day following the date on which their elections are proclaimed.

����� (3) On the date on which the first city officers take office, or at whatever subsequent time the charter of the consolidated city specifies, the city shall be one city, with the rights and privileges conferred by its charter adopted under ORS