3. a. The governing body of a sparsely populated municipality may adopt, by two-thirds vote of its full membership, an ordinance proposing the municipality's consolidation into a contiguous municipality.
b. The clerk of a municipality that adopts an ordinance pursuant to subsection a. of this section shall forward a copy of the ordinance to the governing body of the absorbing municipality and to the director within seven days of the effective date of the ordinance.
c. If the governing body of the absorbing municipality consents to the consolidation it shall, within 120 days after receipt of the ordinance adopted by the governing body of the sparsely populated municipality pursuant to subsection a. of this section, adopt an ordinance consenting to consolidation with the sparsely populated municipality by a two-thirds vote of the full membership of the governing body and shall forward a copy of the ordinance to the director and the clerk of the sparsely populated municipality.