(a) The initial step in the creation of a unified government shall be the creation of a charter commission. The charter commission may be initiated either by a proclamation of the chief executive officer of the county or by resolution of the county legislative body. Such proclamation must be ratified by the county legislative body, or the resolution of the county legislative body must be adopted by a majority vote of all members constituting the county legislative body. The proclamation or resolution shall provide that a charter commission is established to propose to the people the unification of all governmental and corporate functions of the county and its principal city and the creation of a unified government for the administration of the unified functions. Any proclamation under this section shall also identify and appoint the eight (8) individual members of the charter commission pursuant to subsection (c). Any resolution under this section shall authorize or direct the chief executive officer of the county to appoint the eight (8) individual members of the charter commission pursuant to subsection (c) within a specified period of time, not to exceed thirty (30) days. The proclamation or resolution shall fix the time and place for the county clerk to convene the initial meeting of the charter commission, and shall fix the date by which the charter commission must certify and file copies of the proposed charter with the county clerk and the clerks of the city legislative body of each municipality in the county. Within five (5) days from the effective date of the proclamation or resolution, the clerk of the county legislative body shall certify a copy of the proclamation or resolution to the clerk of the city legislative body of the principal city within the county and to the clerk of the city legislative body of each smaller city within the county. The county proclamation or resolution shall become void unless the city legislative body of the principal city ratifies a substantially similar proclamation or adopts a substantially similar resolution within sixty (60) days of receipt of the certified county proclamation or resolution. The proclamation of the mayor of the principal city shall also identify and appoint the eight (8) individual members of the charter commission pursuant to subsection (c). The resolution of the principal city shall authorize or direct the mayor of the principal city to appoint the eight (8) individual members of the charter commission pursuant to subsection (c) within a specified period of time not to exceed thirty (30) days. The mayor and city legislative body of the principal city may also initiate the creation of a charter commission by complying with the provisions of this subsection (a) applicable to the chief executive officer of the county and the county legislative body. The county may validate the charter commission by complying with the provisions of this subsection (a) applicable to the mayor and the city legislative body of the principal city.

(b) Within thirty (30) days of ratification of a substantially similar proclamation or the adoption of a substantially similar resolution by the city legislative body of the principal city or by the county legislative body, as applicable, as set forth in subsection (a), the mayor of each smaller city within the county shall appoint one (1) member of the charter commission; provided, that the failure of the mayor of any smaller city to timely appoint such member shall not delay or prohibit the convening of the charter commission or in any way affect the right of the county and principal city to proceed in all respects under this chapter.

(c) The charter commission shall be composed of eight (8) charter commissioners appointed by the chief executive officer of the county, eight (8) charter commissioners appointed by the mayor of the principal city, and one (1) charter commissioner appointed by the mayor of any smaller city within the county electing to participate by the timely appointment of a charter commission member. At least one (1) charter commissioner from the principal city and at least one (1) charter commissioner from the county shall be an official or employee of the appointing participating governmental unit.

(d) The county clerk shall call and convene members of the charter commission to hold an organizational meeting at such time and place as are provided in the certified proclamations or resolutions adopted in accordance with this section.

(e) Any vacancy occurring in the office of a charter commissioner shall be filled by the governmental entity making the original appointment in the same manner as the original appointment.

(f) The charter commission shall elect from its membership a chair, a chair pro tempore, a secretary and such other officers as it may deem necessary.