(A) In lieu of filing a petition under section 709.45 of the Revised Code, if the legislative authorities of each political subdivision that may be merged as provided in section 709.44 of the Revised Code agree to a merger and adopt, by a two-thirds vote of each legislative authority, an ordinance or resolution proposing a merger, no election of a commission to draw up a statement of conditions for merger of the political subdivisions shall be held. Instead, the legislative authorities of those political subdivisions shall have one hundred twenty days to enter into a merger agreement that specifies the conditions of the proposed merger, in identical ordinances or a resolution adopted by a simple majority vote of each legislative authority. At a minimum, the proposed merger agreement shall include all of the following:

(1) The names of the municipal corporations and township, if any, proposing the merger;

(2) The territorial boundaries of the resulting municipal corporation or township;

(3) The date that the proposed merger will take effect;

(4) A procedure for the efficient and timely transition to the resulting municipal corporation or township of specified services, functions, and responsibilities from each municipal corporation or township and its respective departments and agencies;

(5) A transition plan and schedule.

(B) The merger shall take effect as provided in division (C) of section 709.452 of the Revised Code. On the effective date of the merger, a municipal corporation merging into a township only has the rights, powers, and responsibilities afforded by law to townships, and all other authority ceases to exist.

Added by 129th General AssemblyFile No.28, HB 153, §101.01, eff. 9/29/2011.