(a)

(1) The planning commission shall be authorized to prepare a plan for the consolidation of such county school systems.

(2) The plan as agreed upon by a majority of the planning commission shall be submitted to the department of education for appraisal.

(3) The recommendations that the department sees fit to make shall be considered by the planning commission and the plan of consolidation may be revised in the light of the recommendations.

(b)

(1) Before presentation of any proposed plan of consolidation to the department, the planning commission shall hold at least one (1) public hearing duly advertised at least one (1) week prior to the hearing in a newspaper or newspapers of general circulation in each of the counties involved.

(2) A record shall be kept of the public hearing in each county and a copy filed with the department.

(c) In developing any consolidation plan, the planning commission shall consider and provide for the following:

(1) Administrative organization of the proposed consolidated system;

(2) A method to ensure no diminution in the level of the educational service in the schools in any of the county systems involved;

(3) Appropriate means for the transfer of all assets and liabilities, including title to all school property, real and personal, of the county systems to the consolidated system;

(4) Plans for disposition of existing bonded indebtedness, which shall not impair the rights of any of the bond holders;

(5) Plans for the preservation of the existing pension rights of all teachers and nonteaching personnel in the respective systems;

(6) Plans for preserving the existing tenure rights, sick leave rights and salary schedule rights, of all teachers and nonteaching personnel in the respective systems;

(7) Appropriate plans for contributions by counties to the consolidated system for the operation of a unified system of schools during the period of transition following consolidation, which period shall not exceed three (3) years;

(8) Appropriate plans for reapportionment after each federal decennial census of districts for election of members of the consolidated school board; and

(9) Any other matter deemed by the planning commission to be pertinent.