An Act To Authorize the Deorganization of the Town of Atkinson
Maine Legislature, Session 121, LD 1671
Committee: State and Local Government
Sponsors: ANNIS, DAVIS

Legislative Document 
No. 1671 
H.P.1247 
House of Representatives, December 19, 2003 
An Act To Authorize the Deorganization of the Town of Atkinson 
Approved for introduction by a majority of the Legislative Council pursuant to Joint Rule 
203. 
Received by the Clerk of the House on December 16, 2003. Referred to the Committee on 
State and Local Government pursuant to Joint Rule 308.2 and ordered printed pursuant to Joint 
Rule 401. 
Presented by Representative ANNIS of Dover-Foxcroft. 
Cosponsored by Senator: DAVIS of Piscataquis. 
Printed on recycled paper 
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MILLICENT M. MacFARLAND 
Clerk 
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: 
Sec. 1. Deorganization of Town of Atkinson. 
Notwithstanding any 
contrary requirement of the l>laine Fp'!ised Statutes, Title 30-A, 
chapter 302, if, in accordance with Title 30-A, section 7207, a 
majority of the voters in 
t~e Town 
of Atkinson approve the 
deorganization procedure developed in accordance with Title 30-A, 
section 7205 and if the deoraanization is approved by the voters 
of the Town of Atkinson pursuant to section 4 of this Act, the 
Town of Atkinson in Piscatiquis County is deorganized, except 
that the corporate existence, powers, duties and liabilities of 
the town survive for the purposes of prosecuting and defending 
all pending suits to which the town is, or may be, a party and 
all 
needful 
process 
arising 
out 
of 
any 
suits, 
including 
provisions for the payment of all or any judgments or debts that 
may 
be 
rendered against the 
town or exist in favor 
of 
any 
creditor. 
Sec. 2. Unexpended school funds. 
The treasurer of the Town of 
Atkinson or any other person who has custody of the funds of the 
town shall pay to the Treasurer of State all unexpended school 
funds that, together with the credits due the town for school 
purposes, are to be used by the State Tax Assessor to settle any 
school obligations contracted by the town before deorganization. 
Any unexpended school funds remaining with the Treasurer of State 
after all the obligations have been met must be added to the 
Unorganized Territory Education and Services Fund, as established 
in the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 36, chapter 115. 
Sec. 3. Assessment of taxes. 
The State Tax 
Assessor shall 
assess the real and personal property taxes 
in the Town 
of 
Atkinson as of April 1, 2005, as provided in the Maine Revised 
Statutes, Title 36, chapter 115. 
Sec. 4. Referendum: certificate to Secretary of State. 
This Act 
takes effect 90 days after its approval only for the purpose of 
permitting its submission by the municipal officers to the legal 
voters of the Town of Atkinson by ballot at the next general 
election to be held in November. 
This election must be called, 
advertised and conducted according to the Maine Revised Statutes, 
Title 30-A, sections 2528 and 2532. 
The town clerk shall prepare 
the required ballots on which the clerk shall reduce the subject 
matter of this Act to the following question: 
"Do you favor the deorganization of the Town of Atkinson?" 
The voters shall indicate their opinion on this question by 
a cross or check mark placed against the word "Yes" or "No." 
Before becoming effective, this Act must be approved by at least 
2/3 of the legal voters voting at the election, and the total 
number of votes cast for and against the acceptance of this 
Page l-LR2224(1) 
Act at the election must equal or exceed 50% of the total number 
of votes cast in the town for Governor at the last gubernatorial 
election. 
The municipal officers of the Town of Atkinson shall declare 
the result of the vote. 
The town clerk shall file a certificate 
of the election result with the Secretary of State within 10 days 
from the date of the election. 
Sec. 5. Effective date. 
Sections 1 to 3 of this Act take effect 
on July 1, 2005 if deorganization is approved by the voters of 
the Town of Atkinson pursuant to section 4 of this Act. 
SUMMARY 
This bill authorizes 
the deorganization of 
the 
Town 
of 
Atkinson if, in accordance with the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 
30-A, section 7207, a majority of the voters in the town approves 
the deorganization procedure developed in accordance with Title 
30-A, section 7205 and if the deorganization is approved by the 
voters of the town at the next statewide election to be held in 
November.