Article 3. County Consolidation Review Commission of California Government Code >> Division 1. >> Title 3. >> Chapter 3.5. >> Article 3.

Upon receipt of notice pursuant to Section 23520, the Governor shall create a County Consolidation Review Commission to review the proposed county consolidation and appoint two residents of each affected county to be members of the commission and one member who shall not be a resident of any affected county.

Within 10 days after notice of appointment and acceptance by the last appointed member, the members of the commission shall meet at the principal administrative office of the principal county and organize by electing from their number a chairman. They shall also appoint a secretary who shall not be a member of the commission. Thereafter the members of the commission may meet at such times and places as they select. A majority of the commissioners shall constitute a quorum for purposes of transacting business and making the determinations required by this article. The commission shall conduct a public hearing to receive information regarding its determinations, and to hear submissions of any interested persons and any protests and objections to the proposed county consolidation. Notices of the hearing shall be published pursuant to Section 6061 in a newspaper of general circulation in each affected county. In addition, the commission shall cause mailed notice of the hearing to be given to each of the chief petitioners, if any, at least two weeks prior to the date fixed for the hearing.

The hearing may be continued from time to time during the course of the commission's review.

By citation or subpoena signed by its chairman and secretary, the commission may compel the attendance of such persons and the production of such books, papers and other documents before it as it deems necessary for the performance of its duties.

All officers and employees of each affected county shall cooperate with, perform any functions required by, and produce any books, records or other documents of the county requested by the commission and necessary for the performance of the commission's duties.

The commission shall determine:
  (a) The fiscal impact of the proposed consolidation on the affected counties.
  (b) A procedure for the orderly and timely transition of services, functions, and responsibilities from each affected county to the consolidated county.
  (c) The division of the proposed consolidated county into five supervisorial districts.
  (d) The division of the proposed consolidated county into a convenient and necessary number of road and school districts, the territory of which shall be defined.
  (e) The county officers to be elected at the election provided for in Section 23550.
  (f) The location of the county seat of the proposed consolidated county.

In determining the fiscal impact of the proposed consolidation, the commission shall consider:
  (a) The cost of providing services in the consolidated county.
  (b) Projected revenues available to the consolidated county.
  (c) Projected economics of scale to result from consolidation.

Members of the commission shall receive as compensation a per diem not to exceed fifty dollars ($50) a day for every day they are actually employed together with their actual expenses incurred in performing their duties. If consolidation is effected all expenses of the commission, together with the reasonable costs of stationery, postage, and incidental expenses shall be borne by the consolidated county, or by each affected county, in equal shares, if the consolidation is not effected.

The commission shall adopt a resolution making its determinations and transmit its report to the board of supervisors of each affected county within 180 days after notice of appointment and acceptance by the last appointed member, and shall be signed and attested to by each member of the commission. The determinations of the commission shall become the terms and conditions for consolidation and as such shall be final and binding on each affected county if the consolidated county is legally established as provided in this chapter.