N.Y. General Municipal Law § 751: Commencing the proceeding

§ 751. Commencing the proceeding. 1. Two or more local government

entities, whether within the same county or different counties, may be

consolidated into a single local government entity if each of the local

government entities is contiguous to at least one of the other

consolidating local government entities and if together the local

government entities would form a consolidated local government entity of

a kind or class that is authorized under the laws of the state of New

York. The requirement that local government entities be contiguous to

consolidate does not apply to entities other than towns and villages.

2. Consolidation proceedings may be commenced by either:

(a) a joint resolution by the governing body or bodies of the local

government entities to be consolidated endorsing a proposed joint

consolidation agreement; or

(b) elector initiative.