municipality /-palˈi-ti/ noun

1. A self-governing town or district
2. Its governing body
3. A district governed like a city
4. (in France and other European countries) an area representing the smallest administrative unit, governed jointly by a mayor and an elected council, a commune

municipalizāˈtion or municipalisāˈtion noun

municˈipalize or municˈipalise transitive verb

1. To make into a municipality
2. To bring under municipal control or ownership

municˈipally adverb