(A) The boards of directors of two or more watershed conservation districts may petition the board of commissioners of the soil and water conservation district for the watershed conservation districts to be consolidated into a single district but only if the new single watershed conservation district meets the provisions of Section 48-11-30. The petition must be signed by a majority of the board of directors of each of the affected watershed conservation districts. The board of commissioners shall deny the petition if the proposed watershed conservation district does not meet the provisions of Section 48-11-30.

(B) Within sixty days after receiving a petition that meets these requirements, the board of commissioners of the soil and water conservation district shall give due notice of and hold a public hearing on the proposed consolidation. After the hearing the board of commissioners shall determine whether the operation of the newly proposed single watershed conservation district is administratively practicable and feasible.

(C) If the board of commissioners determines that the operation of the new single watershed conservation district is administratively practicable and feasible, a referendum to approve or disapprove the consolidation of the watershed conservation districts must be held by the county election commission in the next scheduled countywide election in the counties in which the watershed is located. Applicable rules of the scheduled election apply to the referendum. Due notice of the referendum must be given by the county election commission. The notice must name the proposed watershed conservation district and describe its boundaries and state the authority for taxes to be levied each year for the purposes of the watershed conservation district. Only qualified electors residing in the proposed watershed conservation district may vote in the referendum.

(D) The county election commission shall tabulate the results of the referendum at the close of the polls, submit a written report of the results to the board of commissioners of the soil and water conservation district, and certify the results of the referendum to the clerks of court of the counties in which the district is situated. If a majority of the votes cast in the referendum are in favor of consolidation of the watershed conservation districts into the single district, upon proper recordation of the referendum results by the clerks of court of the counties, the watershed conservation district constitutes a governmental subdivision of this State and a public body corporate and politic and must be organized and shall function fully in accordance with this chapter. After recording the results the clerks of court shall notify the board of commissioners of the soil and water conservation district in writing that the watershed conservation district has been established. The board of commissioners shall submit to the department a copy of the notification from the clerks of court.

HISTORY: 1992 Act No. 408, Section 1; 1993 Act No. 181, Section 1202.