An Act To Create the Washburn Water and Sewer District
Maine Legislature, Session 122, LD 1744
Committee: Utilities and Energy
Sponsors: MARTIN

Legislative Document 
No. 1744 
S.P.661 
In Senate, December 30, 2005 
An Act To Create the Washburn Water and Sewer District 
Approved for introduction by a majority ofthe Legislative Council pursuant to Joint Rule 
203. 
Received by the Secretary of the Senate on December 28,2005. Referred to the Committee 
on Utilities and Energy pursuant to Joint Rule 308.2 and ordered printed pursuant to Joint Rule 
401. 
Presented by Senator MARTIN of Aroostook. 
Printed on recycled paper 
JOY J. O'BRIEN 
Secretary of the Senate 
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: 
PART A 
Sec. A-I. Territorial limits; corporate name. Pursuant to the Maine Revised 
Statutes, Title 35-A, chapter 64, the Town of Washburn and its inhabitants constitute a 
standard district under the name Washburn Water and Sewer District, referred to in this 
Act as "the district." 
Sec. A-2. 
Powers; authority; duties. 
The district has all the powers and 
authority and is subject to all the requirements and restrictions provided in the Maine 
Revised Statutes, Title 35-A, chapter 64. 
Sec. A-3. Additional powers. The district is authorized to provide water and 
sewage treatment and collection systems for public purposes and for the health, comfort 
and convenience of the residents of the Town of Washburn. 
Sec. A-4. Number of trustees. The board of trustees of the district is composed 
of 3 trustees. A trustee must be a resident of the district and reside in a household to 
which the district's service is provided. 
Sec. A-S. Terms of trustees. Trustees are elected to 3-year terms. 
Sec. A-6. Authorized to acquire property and franchise of Washburn 
Water and Sewer Department. The district, through its trustees, may acquire by 
purchase the plants, properties, assets, franchises, rights and privileges owned by the 
Washburn Water and Sewer Department, including all lands, waters, water rights, 
reservoirs, pipes, machinery, fixtures, hydrants, tools and all apparatus and appliances 
used or usable in supplying water in the area of the district. 
The sale and transfer by the Washburn Water and Sewer Department to the district of 
its plants, properties, assets, franchises, rights and privileges; the assumption by the 
district of all of the outstanding debts, obligations and liabilities of the district pursuant to 
this section; and the subsequent use of the plants, properties, assets, franchises, rights and 
privileges by the district within the limits of the district are subject to the approval of the 
Public Utilities Commission as may be required by the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 35-
A, Part 1. 
Sec. A-7. Referendum; effective date. This Act takes effect when approved 
only for the purpose of permitting its submission to the legal voters within the territory 
described in section 1 of this Act at an election called for that purpose and held within 2 
years of the effective date of this Act. The election must be called, advertised and 
conducted according to the law relating to municipal elections, except that the registrar of 
voters is not required to prepare or the clerk to post a new list of voters. For the purpose 
of registration of voters, the registrar of voters must be in session the secular day 
preceding the election. 
The subject matter of this Act is reduced to the following 
question: 
"Do you favor creating the Washburn Water and Sewer District and 
permitting it to acquire assets of the Washburn Water and Sewer 
Department?" 
Page I - 122LR2S96(t)-t 
The voters shall indicate by a cross or check mark placed against the word "Yes" or 
"No" their opinion of the same. 
The results must be declared by the municipal officers of the Town of Washburn and 
due certificate of the results filed by the clerk with the Secretary of State. 
This Act takes effect for all other purposes immediately upon its approval by a 
majority of the legal voters voting at the election. 
Failure to achieve the necessary 
approval in any referendum does not prohibit subsequent referenda consistent with this 
section, provided the referenda are held within 2 years of the effective date of this Act. 
PARTB 
Sec. B-1. Existing trustees. The trustees of the Washburn Water and Sewer 
Department holding office on the effective date of this Act hold office as trustees for the 
terms for which they were elected and, as each term expires, one trustee must be elected 
by the registered voters of the district at the next annual meeting of the district to serve 
for a term of 3 years. If a vacancy arises, it must be filled for the remainder of the 
unexpired term. 
SUMMARY 
This bill establishes the Washburn Water and Sewer District.