Section 3-14-19 - Abandonment of commission-manager government. - New Mexico Statutes

3-14-19. Abandonment of commission-manager government.

A.     Within ten days of the verification of a petition submitted to the municipal clerk and signed by thirty percent of the qualified electors of the municipality, the commission shall adopt an election resolution calling for the holding of a special election within ninety days of verification to vote on the question of abandoning the commission-manager form of government.   

B.     If a majority of the votes cast at the special election favor abandonment of the commission-manager form of government, the form of government reverts to that form of government existing immediately preceding the adoption of the commission-manager form of government after the election and taking office of the new officers, and the commission shall within ten days after the filing of the certificate of canvass in the minute book adopt an election resolution calling for the holding of a special election within one hundred twenty days of such filing to elect new officers.   

C.     The election shall be held in the same manner as regular municipal elections are held as provided in the Municipal Election Code [Chapter 3, Articles 8 and 9 NMSA 1978]. The mayor and one-half of the members of the governing body shall hold office until the next regular municipal election and the remaining one-half of the members of the governing body shall hold office until the succeeding regular municipal election. The terms of the members of the governing body shall be determined by lot after their election.   

D.     No election shall be held upon the question of abandoning the commission-manager form of government within two years after an election has been held adopting the commission-manager form of government or confirming its continued existence.