24-139. Dissolution of districts; procedure; protest petition; election; jurisdiction of city and county; district's assets and bonded indebtedness. (a) Whenever a petition requesting the dissolution of a drainage district, signed by a number equal to at least 5% of the qualified voters of the district, is presented to the board of county commissioners, the board shall call and hold a public hearing on the proposal to dissolve the district. Notice of the hearing shall be published once each week for two consecutive weeks in the official county newspaper. After the public hearing, if the board determines and finds it is in the best interests of the affected landowners in the district, the board shall adopt a resolution dissolving the district. The resolution shall be published once in the official county newspaper.

The dissolution shall be effective upon the date of publication of the resolution unless within 60 days of publication a petition protesting the dissolution, signed by a number equal to at least 5% of the qualified voters of the district, is filed with the county election officer. If a petition is filed, the district shall not be dissolved until the proposal is submitted to and approved by a majority of qualified voters of the district voting thereon at the next drainage district election.

(b) After a district is dissolved pursuant to this section, the board of county commissioners shall issue a certificate of dissolution to the governing body of the dissolved drainage district and to the governing body of any city in which the dissolved drainage district may have extended.

(c) If any portion of the dissolved drainage district is located within a city, the governing body of the city shall assume jurisdiction over that portion of the dissolved district located within the city. The governing body of the city shall maintain and operate the necessary works of the portion of the dissolved district located within the city.

The board of county commissioners of the county in which the dissolved drainage district is located shall assume jurisdiction over that portion of the district located within the unincorporated areas of the county. The board of county commissioners shall maintain and operate the necessary works of that portion of the district located within the unincorporated areas of the county.

If the dissolved drainage district has any outstanding bonded indebtedness, the property within the dissolved drainage district shall remain liable for the payment of such bonds and interest thereon until the same have been retired.

(d) Upon dissolution, the chairperson of the governing body of the drainage district shall certify the amount of moneys of the dissolved drainage district that is attributable to that portion of the dissolved district located within the city. After certification, the chairperson shall transfer that amount to the city treasurer. The balance shall be transferred to the county treasurer.

History: L. 1983, ch. 117, § 1; July 1.