2023 Illinois Compiled Statutes › Chapter 60 - TOWNSHIPS › 60 ILCS 1/ - Township Code. › Article 24 - Dissolution Of Townships in McHenry County

(60 ILCS 1/Art. 24 heading)
ARTICLE 24.  DISSOLUTION OF
TOWNSHIPS IN
MCHENRY COUNTY
(Source: P.A. 101-230, eff. 8-9-19.)
(60 ILCS 1/24-10)
Sec. 24-10. Definition. As used in this Article, "electors" means the registered voters of any single township in McHenry County.
(Source: P.A. 101-230, eff. 8-9-19.)
(60 ILCS 1/24-15)
Sec. 24-15. Dissolving a township in McHenry County. By resolution, the board of trustees of any township located in McHenry County may submit a proposition to dissolve the township to the electors of that township at the election next following in accordance with the general election law. The ballot shall be as provided for in Section 24-30.
(Source: P.A. 101-230, eff. 8-9-19.)
(60 ILCS 1/24-20)
Sec. 24-20. Petition requirements; notice.
(a) Subject to the petition requirements of Section 28-3 of the Election Code, petitions for a referendum to dissolve a township located in McHenry County must be filed with the governing board of the township, the county board of McHenry County, and the McHenry County Clerk not less than 122 days prior to any election held throughout the township.  Petitions must include:
(1)   the name of the dissolving township;
(2)   the date of dissolution; and
(3)    signatures of a number of electors as follows:     (A) for any township, the number of signatures shall be the larger of (i) 5% of the total ballots cast in the township in the immediately preceding election that is of an election type comparable to the election for which the petition is being filed, or (ii) 250 signatures. All signatures gathered under this paragraph (3) must be signed within 180 days prior to the filing of a petition.
(b) The proposed date of dissolution shall be at least 90 days after the date of the election at which the referendum is to be voted upon.
(c) If a valid petition is filed under subsection (a), then the McHenry County Clerk shall, by publication in one or more newspapers of general circulation within the county and on the county's website, not less than 90 days prior to the election at which the referendum is to be voted on, give notice in substantially the following form:
NOTICE OF PETITION TO DISSOLVE (dissolving township).
Residents of (dissolving township) and McHenry County are     notified that a petition has been filed with (dissolving township) and McHenry County requesting a referendum to dissolve (dissolving township) on (date of dissolution) with all real and personal property, and any other assets, together with all personnel, contractual obligations, and liabilities being transferred to McHenry County.
(Source: P.A. 101-230, eff. 8-9-19.)
(60 ILCS 1/24-25)
Sec. 24-25. Ballot placement. A petition that meets the requirements of Section 24-20 shall be placed on the ballot in the form provided for in Section 24-30 at the election next following.
(Source: P.A. 101-230, eff. 8-9-19.)
(60 ILCS 1/24-30)
Sec. 24-30. Referendum; voting.
(a) Subject to the requirements of Section 16-7 of the Election Code, the referendum described in Section 24-25 shall be in substantially the following form on the ballot:
--------------------------------------------------------------
Shall the (dissolving
township), together with any road
districts wholly within the                   YES
boundaries of (dissolving
township), be dissolved on (date          --------------
of dissolution) with all of
the township and road district
property, assets, personnel,                   NO
obligations, and liabilities being
transferred to McHenry County?
--------------------------------------------------------------
(b)  The referendum is approved when a majority of those voting in the election from the dissolving township approve the referendum.
(Source: P.A. 101-230, eff. 8-9-19.)
(60 ILCS 1/24-35)
Sec. 24-35. Dissolution; transfer of rights and duties. When the dissolution of a township has been approved under Section 24-30:
(1)   On or before the date of dissolution, all real     and personal property, and any other assets, together with all personnel, contractual obligations, and liabilities of the dissolving township and road districts wholly within the boundaries of the dissolving township shall be transferred to McHenry County. All funds of the dissolved township and dissolved road districts shall be used solely on behalf of the residents of the geographic area within the boundaries of the dissolved township.
After the transfer of property to the county under     this paragraph, all park land, cemetery land, buildings, and facilities within the geographic area of the dissolving township must be utilized for the primary benefit of the geographic area of the dissolving township. Proceeds from the sale of the park land, cemetery land, buildings, or facilities after transfer to the county must be utilized for the sole benefit of the geographic area of the dissolved township.
(2)   On the date of dissolution, the dissolving     township is dissolved.
(3)   On and after the date of dissolution, all     rights and duties of the dissolved township may be exercised by the McHenry County Board solely on behalf of the residents of the geographic area within the boundaries of the dissolved township. The duties that may be exercised by the county include, but are not limited to, the administration of a dissolved township's general assistance program, maintenance and operation of a dissolved township's cemeteries, and the Chief County Assessment officer of McHenry County exercising the duties of the township assessor.
(4) The McHenry County Board shall not extend a     property tax levy that is greater than 90% of the property tax levy extended by the dissolved township or road districts for the duties taken on by McHenry County. This property tax levy may not be extended outside the boundaries of the dissolved township. In all subsequent years, this levy shall be bound by the provisions of the Property Tax Extension Limitation Law.
A tax levy extended under this paragraph may be used     for the purposes allowed by the statute authorizing the tax levy or to pay liabilities of the dissolved township or dissolved road districts that were transferred to the county under paragraph (1). The taxpayers within the boundaries of the dissolved township are responsible to pay any liabilities transferred to the county: the county shall reduce spending within the boundaries of the former township in the amount necessary to pay off any liabilities transferred to the county under paragraph (1) that are not covered by the assets enumerated in paragraph (1) or taxes under this paragraph.
(5) All road districts wholly within the boundaries     of the dissolving township are dissolved on the date of dissolution of the dissolving township, and all powers and responsibilities of each road district are transferred to McHenry County except as provided in paragraph (6).
(6) The county board of McHenry County shall give     written notice to each municipality whose governing board meets within the boundaries of a dissolving township that the municipality may make an offer, on or before 60 days after the date of dissolution of the dissolving township, that the municipality will assume all of the powers and responsibilities of a road district or road districts wholly inside the dissolving township. The notice shall be sent to each municipality on or before 30 days after the date of dissolution of the township. Any eligible municipality may, with consent of its governing board, make an offer to assume all of the powers and responsibilities of the dissolving township's road district or road districts.  A municipality may offer to assume the powers and responsibilities only for a limited period of time. If one or more offers are received by McHenry County on or before 60 days after the date of dissolution of the dissolving township, the county board of McHenry County shall select the best offer or offers that the board determines would be in the best interest and welfare of the affected resident population.  If no municipality makes an offer or if no satisfactory offer is made, the powers and duties of the dissolving township's road district or road districts are retained by McHenry County. The municipality that assumes the powers and duties of the dissolving township's road district or road districts shall not extend a road district property tax levy under Division 5 of Article 6 of the Illinois Highway Code that is greater than 90% of the road district property tax levy that was extended by the county on behalf of the dissolving township's road district or road districts for the duties taken on by the municipality.
(7) On the date of dissolution of the township or     road district, elected and appointed township officers and road commissioners shall cease to hold office. An elected or appointed township official or township road commissioner shall not be compensated for any other duties performed after the dissolution of the township or road district that they represented. An elected township official or township road commissioner shall not have legal recourse relating to the ceasing of their elected or appointed positions upon the ceasing of their position.
(Source: P.A. 101-230, eff. 8-9-19.)