An Act To Authorize the Deorganization of the Town of Cooper The Majority of the Joint Standing Committee on State and Local Government pursuant to Resolve 2005, chapter 78, section 5, Reports the same Ought to Pass. Printed til) recydec.l paJl('f JOY J. O'BRIEN Secretary of the Senate
Maine Legislature, Session 122, LD 2030

Legislative Document 
No. 2030 
S.P.781 
In Senate, February 28, 2006 
An Act To Authorize the Deorganization of the Town of Cooper 
The Majority of the Joint Standing Committee on State and Local Government pursuant to 
Resolve 2005, chapter 78, section 5, Reports the same Ought to Pass. 
Printed til) recydec.l paJl('f 
JOY J. O'BRIEN 
Secretary of the Senate 
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: 
Sec. 1. 
Deorganization of Town of Cooper. The Town of Cooper in 
Washington 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 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. 
Withdrawal from School Union 107. 
The Town of Cooper is 
withdrawn from School Union No. 107. 
Sec. 4. Provision of education services. Notwithstanding any other law, this 
section entitles all kindergarten to grade 8 pupils in Cooper to attend school in Alexander 
or East Machias and all secondary school pupils to attend school within School Union 
No. 106 (Calais High School) or at Washington Academy in East Machias. Pupils must 
be provided transportation at state expense to those schools. 
Sec. 5. Assessment of taxes. The State Tax Assessor shall assess the real and 
personal property taxes in the Town of Cooper as of April 1, 2007, as provided in the 
Maine Revised Statutes, Title 36, chapter 115. 
Sec. 6. Referendum; certificate to Secretary of State. This Act takes effect 
days after its approval only for the purpose of permitting its submission by the 
municipal officers to the legal voters of the Town of Cooper by ballot at the next 
statewide 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 Cooper?" 
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 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 Cooper 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. 
Page I - 122LR3169(1)-1 
Sec. 7. Effective date. Sections 1 to 5 of this Act take effect on July 1, 2007 if 
deorganization is approved by the voters of the Town of Cooper pursuant to section 6 of 
this Act. 
SUMMARY 
This bill provides for the deorganization of the Town of Cooper in Washington 
County, subject to approval at local referendum.