A. Action By Council. When an initiative or referendum petition has been determined valid, the council shall promptly consider the proposed initiative measure or reconsider the referred measure. If the council fails to adopt a proposed initiative measure and fails to adopt a measure which is similar in substance within sixty days, or if the council fails to repeal the referred measure within thirty days after the date the petition was finally determined valid, it shall submit the proposed or referred measure to the qualified electors of the city as hereinafter prescribed. If at any time more than thirty days before a scheduled initiative or referendum election the council adopts the proposed initiative measure or adopts a measure which is similar in substance or if the council repeals a referred measure, the initiative or referendum proceedings shall terminate and the proposed or referred measure shall not be submitted to the voters.
B. Submission To Voters.
(1) Initiative. The vote of the city on a proposed measure shall be held at the regular city election or at the general election which next occurs more than forty days after the expiration of the sixty day period provided for consideration in section 7.05A, provided that the initiative petition was filed no less than 80 days prior to the deadline imposed by state law for the submission of ballot questions to the commissioner of elections.
(2) Referendum. The vote of the city on a referred measure shall be held at the regular city election or at the general election which next occurs more than forty days after the expiration of the thirty day period provided for reconsideration in section 7.05A, provided that the referendum petition was filed no less than 50 days prior to the deadline imposed by state law for the submission of ballot questions to the commissioner of elections. The council may provide for a special referendum election on a referred measure any time more than 120 days after the filing of the referendum petition with the city clerk.
C. Ballot. Copies of the proposed or referred measure shall be made available to the qualified electors at the polls and shall be advertised at the city's expense in the manner required for "questions" in section 376.5 of the Iowa Code. The subject matter and purpose of the referred or proposed measure shall be indicated on the ballot. (Ord. 15-4621, 5-19-2015)