1. Whenever the question of merging two existing and contiguous home equity programs within a municipality or county or which are included within two or more such subdivisions is initiated by ordinance of the governing commissions of both programs proposed to be merged or by a petition signed by not less than five percent of the total registered voters within the area of each program proposed to be merged who voted in the last gubernatorial election, the registered voters of which are eligible to sign the petition, it shall be the duty of the election authority having jurisdiction over such municipality, municipalities or county to submit the question of merging the programs to the voters of each program at the regular election specified in the ordinance or petition initiating the question. A petition initiating a question described in this section shall be filed with the election authority having jurisdiction over the municipality, municipalities or county. The petition shall be filed in the manner provided in the general election law. An ordinance or petition initiating a question described in this section shall specify the election at which the question is to be submitted. The election on such question shall be held in accordance with general election law. Such question, and the ordinance or petition initiating the question, shall include a description of the area of the two programs, the name of the proposed merged home equity program and the maximum rate at which the merged home equity program shall be able to levy such property tax. All of that area within the geographic boundaries of the area of the two programs described in such question shall be included in the merged program, and no area outside the geographic boundaries of the area of the two programs described in such question shall be included in the merged program. If the election authority determines that the description cannot be included within the space limitations of the ballot, the election authority shall prepare large printed copies of a notice of the question, which shall be prominently displayed in the polling place of each district in which the question is to be submitted. Nothing shall prohibit two or more programs from jointly administering or contracting with each other or another entity for the purpose of administering the programs without merging the programs.

2. Whenever a majority of the voters on such public question in each existing program approve the merger of home equity programs as certified by the proper election authorities, the commissioners of each of the merged programs shall serve as the governing body of the merged home equity program.

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3. The commissioners serving at any one time shall reside within the area of the merged program. Upon creation of a merged program, a commissioner shall serve for the term for which he or she was appointed and until a successor is appointed and qualified. In municipalities with a population of three hundred thousand or more, all succeeding terms shall be for three years, or until a successor is appointed and qualified, and no commissioner may serve more than two consecutive terms. Commissioners shall serve without compensation except for reimbursement for reasonable expenses incurred in the performance of duties as a commissioner. A vacancy in the office of a member of the commission shall be filled in like manner as an original appointment. All proceedings and meetings of the governing commission shall be conducted in accordance with the provisions of chapter 610 as now or hereafter amended. Upon creation of a merged program, the members of each of the two programs merged into the merged program shall be members of the merged program, the guarantee funds of each shall be merged, and they shall be operated as a single program.