Upon receipt of a petition with the required number of verified signatures, the municipal officers shall call and hold a public hearing. The purpose of the public hearing is to allow municipal residents, officers and residents in the secession territory to discuss secession. The public hearing must be conducted by a moderator elected in the manner provided for in section 2524, except that no other official vote may be taken at the public hearing. The public hearing must be conducted in accordance with the following. [1999, c. 381, §2 (NEW).]