In 1953, Article XI, Section 9, of the Tennessee Constitution was amended to permit the General Assembly to "...provide for the consolidation of any or all of the governmental and corporate functions now or hereafter vested in municipal corporations with the governmental and corporate functions now or hereafter vested in the counties in which such municipal corporations are located."  The General Assembly has devised two statutory processes through which counties may consolidate with the cities within them: the metropolitan government charter process codified in T.C.A. §§ 7-1-101 through 7-3-316, and the unification government charter process codified at T.C.A. §§ 7-21-101 through 7-21-408.