reglab/housing_qa huggingface dataset:
AR Code § 14-121-1009 (2020)
2020 Arkansas Code|Title 14 - Local Government|Subtitle 7 - Water and Soil Improvement Districts|Chapter 121 - Drainage Improvement Districts Generally|Subchapter 10 - Dissolution or Abolition of Districts|§ 14-121-1009. Procedure when construction of improvement abandoned and all indebtedness paid

 (a) The board of commissioners of any drainage district in this state, when they may deem it inadvisable or impracticable and not for the best interests of the property owners of the district to construct the improvements contemplated by the organization of the district, may, when all indebtedness of the district has been fully paid, file a petition in the court in which the district was organized praying the court to abolish the district. In the petition the commissioners shall set up the reasons why they are of the opinion the district should be abolished.  (b)  (1) Upon the filing of the petition, the court shall direct the clerk to give notice by publication in some newspaper in the county or counties in which the property in the district lies, for not less than two (2) consecutive weekly publications.  (2) The notice shall set out the purpose of the petition and the day set for the hearing thereof.    (c) The court shall fix a day for the hearing of the petition and shall hear the evidence thereon.  (d)  (1) If the court is of the opinion that it is for the best interests of the property owners of the district that the petition be granted, it shall abolish the district.  (2) If the court is of the opinion that it is for the best interests of the property owners that the organization of the district be continued, then it shall overrule the petition.    (e) The overruling of one petition for the abandonment of a district shall not be a bar to the filing of another petition for that purpose.
AR Code § 14-121-1010 (2020)
2020 Arkansas Code|Title 14 - Local Government|Subtitle 7 - Water and Soil Improvement Districts|Chapter 121 - Drainage Improvement Districts Generally|Subchapter 10 - Dissolution or Abolition of Districts|§ 14-121-1010. Procedures when improvements are abandoned, no maintenance assurances are given, and all indebtedness is paid

 (a)  (1) The board of commissioners of any drainage district in this state, when they may deem it inadvisable or impracticable and not for the best interests of the property owners of the district for the district to continue in operation, when all indebtedness of the district has been fully paid and if no assurance of continued operation and maintenance has been given to the United States or the state, may file a petition in the court in which the district was organized praying the court to abolish the district.  (2)  (A) In the petition the commissioners shall set out the reasons why they are of the opinion that the district should be abolished.  (B) In addition, the petition shall contain a current financial statement of the district and a plan of distribution of any money held by the district consistent with the district's prior assessment of benefits.      (b)  (1) Upon the filing of the petition, the court shall direct the clerk to give notice by publication in some newspaper in the county or counties in which the property in the district lies for not less than two (2) consecutive weekly publications.  (2) The notice shall set out the purpose of the petition, the plan of distribution, and the day set for the hearing on the petition.    (c) The court shall fix a day for the hearing of the petition and shall hear the evidence on the petition.  (d)  (1) If the court is of the opinion that it is in the best interests of the property owners of the district that the petition be granted, it shall by order approve the plan of distribution and, upon proper distribution of funds, abolish the district.  (2) If the court is of the opinion that it is in the best interests of the property owners that the organization of the district be continued, then it shall overrule the petition.    (e) The overruling of one (1) petition for the abandonment of a district shall not be a bar to the filing of another petition for that purpose.
AR Code § 14-121-1101 (2020)
2020 Arkansas Code|Title 14 - Local Government|Subtitle 7 - Water and Soil Improvement Districts|Chapter 121 - Drainage Improvement Districts Generally|Subchapter 11 - Drainage Districts|§ 14-121-1101. Legislative determination

 It is found and declared as a matter of legislative determination that the organization and administration of those drainage districts authorized under this chapter, as amended, as separate and distinct entities and the operation and maintenance of the drainage levees and projects for which the districts were originally created places an undue burden on the districts, causes an unnecessary duplication of work, and increases the cost of construction, operation, and maintenance of the districts and their facilities. Further, the organization and administration of those drainage districts authorized under this chapter, as amended, as separate and distinct entities and the operation and maintenance of the drainage levees and projects for which the districts were originally created can be greatly benefited by the merger of drainage districts with other similar drainage districts, levees, and drainage projects, and merger will create economies of scale to achieve a significant savings in administrative and operational costs.
AR Code § 14-121-1102 (2020)
2020 Arkansas Code|Title 14 - Local Government|Subtitle 7 - Water and Soil Improvement Districts|Chapter 121 - Drainage Improvement Districts Generally|Subchapter 11 - Drainage Districts|§ 14-121-1102. Definitions

 As used in this subchapter:   (1) In cases where the drainage district contains lands in more than one (1) county, “county court”, “county judge”, and “county clerk” shall be construed to mean “circuit court”, “circuit judge”, and “circuit clerk”, respectively, of the judicial circuit containing the majority in assessed value of the lands of the merged district; and  (2) “Drainage district” includes any drainage district organized under Acts 1909, No. 279, codified as §§ 14-121-101, 14-121-102, 14-121-104, 14-121-105, 14-121-201 — 14-121-205, 14-121-207, 14-121-301, 14-121-304, 14-121-305, 14-121-307, 14-121-310, 14-121-311, 14-121-313, 14-121-401 — 14-121-406, 14-121-408, 14-121-411, 14-121-412, 14-121-422 — 14-121-432, 14-121-440 — 14-121-442, 14-121-802 — 14-121-805, and 14-121-808 and any drainage district organized under other acts which have been reorganized under Acts 1909, No. 279, as provided for by § 14-121-207.
AR Code § 14-121-1103 (2020)
2020 Arkansas Code|Title 14 - Local Government|Subtitle 7 - Water and Soil Improvement Districts|Chapter 121 - Drainage Improvement Districts Generally|Subchapter 11 - Drainage Districts|§ 14-121-1103. Subchapter cumulative

 This subchapter shall be construed to be cumulative to existing laws relating to drainage districts and shall not repeal any existing law unless the law is in direct conflict with this subchapter. It is the purpose of this subchapter to permit the merger by one (1) or more drainage districts of the duties, obligations, and purposes for which the districts were originally created under the provisions of this chapter and amendments thereto.
AR Code § 14-121-1104 (2020)
2020 Arkansas Code|Title 14 - Local Government|Subtitle 7 - Water and Soil Improvement Districts|Chapter 121 - Drainage Improvement Districts Generally|Subchapter 11 - Drainage Districts|§ 14-121-1104. Authority to merge

 (a) Any drainage district may merge all its required duties, obligations, and purposes whereby it carries out drainage projects with the duties, obligations, and purposes required of any other drainage district if it follows the terms and procedures of this subchapter in order to merge with the other drainage district.  (b) In order to effect the merger, the drainage district may:  (1) Combine into one (1) operation the organization and administration of the drainage districts and the operation and maintenance of the drainage levees and projects for which the districts were originally created;  (2) Levy and collect one (1) assessment for construction, operation, and maintenance of any and all operations and projects coming under the management and control of various districts prior to the merger and operations commenced by the district subsequent to merger;  (3) Use the funds arising from the assessments so levied for the payment of any obligation incurred in the construction, operation, or maintenance of any operation or project merged; and  (4) Cause an assessment of benefits to be made of the benefits arising from the merged construction, operation, and maintenance for which the districts were originally created and for those arising from the merged district.
AR Code § 14-121-1105 (2020)
2020 Arkansas Code|Title 14 - Local Government|Subtitle 7 - Water and Soil Improvement Districts|Chapter 121 - Drainage Improvement Districts Generally|Subchapter 11 - Drainage Districts|§ 14-121-1105. Merger procedure

 (a) No drainage district coming within the provisions of this subchapter shall exercise any of its powers conferred by this subchapter or merge the operation and maintenance of a levee or project for which the district was originally created with those of another drainage district's operations or maintenance until:  (1) The board of directors of each merging district shall have determined by a proper resolution, adopted by two-thirds (2/3) of the members of the board of directors of the district, that the merger would be in the best interest of the district and of the landowners; and  (2) A special meeting of the landowners and bondholders of the district shall have been held at which the question of merger shall have been presented and for the purpose of hearing support for or objections to the merger.    (b) Notice of the hearing shall be given by the secretary of the district by publication of a notice for at least two (2) consecutive weekly insertions in a newspaper published and having a bona fide circulation in each county within the district. This notice shall state:  (1) The time and place at which the board of directors shall meet for the purpose of hearing support for or objections to the merger;  (2) That the meeting shall be open to the public; and  (3) That at such meeting any landowner or bondholder of the district may offer support for or objection to the action of the board in adopting the resolution.    (c)  (1) At the time and place specified in the notice, the board of directors shall meet at the office of the district for the purpose of the hearing.  (2) The district shall furnish a stenographer who shall take and transcribe all the testimony introduced before the board.  (3) The board shall keep a true and perfect record of its proceedings at the meeting, which shall be filed as a public record in the office of the district.  (4) A copy of the record certified by the secretary of the district shall be competent evidence in all courts of this state.  (5) After consideration of all comments in support of or in objection to the merger, if any, the board of directors, by proper resolution duly adopted by two-thirds (2/3) of the members of the board of directors, shall declare its decision regarding the merger of the district.  (6) Any landowner or bondholder aggrieved by the decision of the board may have the findings reviewed by the circuit court of the county in which the district has its domicile.  (7) The appeal shall be perfected in thirty (30) days.  (8) The review shall be heard by the court on the evidence introduced before the board of directors at the meeting aforesaid, and no additional or different evidence shall be admissible.  (9) Appeals to the Supreme Court from the decision of the circuit court shall be perfected in thirty (30) days.
AR Code § 14-121-1106 (2020)
2020 Arkansas Code|Title 14 - Local Government|Subtitle 7 - Water and Soil Improvement Districts|Chapter 121 - Drainage Improvement Districts Generally|Subchapter 11 - Drainage Districts|§ 14-121-1106. Board of directors for merged districts

 (a) Upon the merger's becoming effective, the new board of directors of the merged drainage district shall consist of one (1) member from each of the merging districts' boards of directors to be selected by each board and named in its resolution of merger, but in no event shall a new board of directors consist of less than three (3) members. In the event only two (2) districts have merged, the merging district with the majority of the value of real property within the merged district shall be entitled to name two (2) members to the board.  (b) Each of these members of the board shall take the oath of office required by Arkansas Constitution, Article 19, § 20, and shall also swear that he or she will not directly or indirectly be interested in any contract made by the board and that he or she will well and truly assess all benefits resulting from the improvement and all damages caused thereby.  (c) Any member failing to take the oath within thirty (30) days after his or her appointment shall be deemed to have declined, and his or her place shall be filled by the county judge.  (d) All vacancies on the board shall be filled by the county judge, but if a majority in value of the owners of real property in the merged district shall petition for the appointment of particular persons as members of the board, it shall be the duty of the county judge to appoint the persons so designated.  (e) The county judge shall remove any member of the board on the petition of a majority in value of the owners of real property in the district. He or she may remove any member and appoint his or her successor upon proof of incompetency or neglect of duty, but the charges shall be in writing, and the charged member shall have the right to be heard in his or her defense and to appeal to the circuit court.  (f) The board of directors provided for in this subchapter shall receive as compensation the sum of twenty-five dollars ($25.00) each day for attending meetings of the board, together with their necessary expenses.  (g) Actions by the board of directors of any merged district affected by this section shall be by a majority vote of the membership of the board.
AR Code § 14-121-1108 (2020)
2020 Arkansas Code|Title 14 - Local Government|Subtitle 7 - Water and Soil Improvement Districts|Chapter 121 - Drainage Improvement Districts Generally|Subchapter 11 - Drainage Districts|§ 14-121-1108. Merger and use of assets — Prior liabilities and obligations

 (a) Any drainage district which shall merge the duties, obligations, and purposes for which it was originally created with those of another district under the provisions of this subchapter shall merge all assets held by it and arising from any projects and shall also assume all liabilities of the district whether created for purposes for which the district was originally created or those assumed by it under the provisions of this subchapter.  (b)  (1) The assets may be used by the merged district for any and all purposes now or hereafter authorized by law, and the liabilities of the merged district may be paid with funds arising from any source.  (2) However, if at the time of the merger, a merging drainage district has remaining cash balances which were dedicated to specific projects that remain uncompleted at the time of the merger, then those balances shall be spent only on the specific uncompleted projects, or if the district has made assessments which were dedicated for the construction of a specific project or improvement, then those assessments shall be used only on the specific projects within the boundaries of the former drainage district from which the assessments were made.    (c) All the provisions, rights, securities, pledges, covenants, and limitations contained in the instrument creating the liability shall not be affected by the merger but shall apply with the same force and effect as provided in the original creation of the liability.  (d) All bonds or notes heretofore issued by the drainage district shall not be affected by this merger, but they shall bear the same rate of interest as now provided and shall be due and payable at the time and place provided in the original issue of the bonds or notes.
AR Code § 14-121-1109 (2020)
2020 Arkansas Code|Title 14 - Local Government|Subtitle 7 - Water and Soil Improvement Districts|Chapter 121 - Drainage Improvement Districts Generally|Subchapter 11 - Drainage Districts|§ 14-121-1109. Valid indebtedness unimpaired

 No merger of a district under the terms of this subchapter shall impair or deny any creditor of the merging districts the right to the collection of its bona fide and valid indebtedness existing against the districts, but the creditors of the districts shall be subject to the provisions of this subchapter in connection with the presentation, allowance, or other adjudication with reference to their claim.
AR Code § 14-121-1110 (2020)
2020 Arkansas Code|Title 14 - Local Government|Subtitle 7 - Water and Soil Improvement Districts|Chapter 121 - Drainage Improvement Districts Generally|Subchapter 11 - Drainage Districts|§ 14-121-1110. Claims against district

 (a) All claims against the district existing at the time of the merger of the district shall be presented to the board of directors duly itemized and verified as is required in actions of account. If not presented to the board of directors of the district within six (6) months from the date of the effectiveness of the merger, the claims shall forever be barred.  (b)  (1) Within ten (10) days from the allowance or disallowance of any claim presented, the claim shall be filed by the board in the county court with an endorsement thereon as their allowance or disallowance of the same, and within thirty (30) days from the filing of the claim or account in the county court, the county court shall make its order either approving, rejecting, or modifying the actions of the board with reference to any such indebtedness.  (2) Within the time allowed by law for appeal from orders of the county court, either the district, any landowner in the district, or any party claiming to be a creditor of the district may either appeal from the order of the county court to the circuit court or may institute an action against the district in any court of competent jurisdiction for the determination of the existence and amount of the claim.
AR Code § 14-122-101 (2020)
2020 Arkansas Code|Title 14 - Local Government|Subtitle 7 - Water and Soil Improvement Districts|Chapter 122 - Municipal Drainage Improvement Districts|Subchapter 1 - General Provisions|§ 14-122-101. Chapter cumulative

 This chapter shall be construed to be cumulative of existing laws relating to the creation, operation, and existence of municipal improvement districts and shall not repeal any existing law unless that law is in direct conflict herewith, it being the intent of this chapter to provide additional authority to municipalities for creation of improvement districts and to authorize and enumerate additional powers for those districts.
AR Code § 14-122-102 (2020)
2020 Arkansas Code|Title 14 - Local Government|Subtitle 7 - Water and Soil Improvement Districts|Chapter 122 - Municipal Drainage Improvement Districts|Subchapter 1 - General Provisions|§ 14-122-102. Creation of drainage improvement districts by certain cities

 Any city of the first class in this state having a mayor-council form of government, may, by ordinance of the governing body, create a drainage improvement district in that city encompassing all or any part of the territory within the limits of the city.
AR Code § 14-122-103 (2020)
2020 Arkansas Code|Title 14 - Local Government|Subtitle 7 - Water and Soil Improvement Districts|Chapter 122 - Municipal Drainage Improvement Districts|Subchapter 1 - General Provisions|§ 14-122-103. Publication of notice of adoption of ordinance

 When the governing body of any city enacts an ordinance pursuant to the authority granted herein, creating a drainage improvement district encompassing all or any part of the territory within the limits of the city, the governing body shall cause a notice of the adoption of the ordinance and a complete copy of the ordinance enacted to be published in a newspaper of general circulation in the district within seven (7) days after the enactment thereof.
AR Code § 14-122-104 (2020)
2020 Arkansas Code|Title 14 - Local Government|Subtitle 7 - Water and Soil Improvement Districts|Chapter 122 - Municipal Drainage Improvement Districts|Subchapter 1 - General Provisions|§ 14-122-104. Filing referendum petitions — Special election

 If petitions signed by not less than fifteen percent (15%) of the qualified electors voting on the office of mayor in the city at the last preceding general election are filed with the city clerk of the city within forty-five (45) days after the enactment of the ordinance creating the municipal drainage improvement district requesting that the ordinance be referred to a vote of the qualified electors of the district, the petitions shall be referred to the people at a special election to be called by the mayor of the municipality in accordance with § 7-11-201 et seq. to be held not more than ninety (90) days after the proclamation.
AR Code § 14-122-105 (2020)
2020 Arkansas Code|Title 14 - Local Government|Subtitle 7 - Water and Soil Improvement Districts|Chapter 122 - Municipal Drainage Improvement Districts|Subchapter 1 - General Provisions|§ 14-122-105. Establishment of drainage improvement district — Conditions

 If referendum petitions are not filed within the time prescribed herein or if such petitions are filed and the electors voting at the special election held thereon do not reject the ordinance, the governing body of the municipality shall proceed to establish the drainage improvement district proposed in the ordinance in the manner and for the purposes provided in this chapter.
AR Code § 14-122-106 (2020)
2020 Arkansas Code|Title 14 - Local Government|Subtitle 7 - Water and Soil Improvement Districts|Chapter 122 - Municipal Drainage Improvement Districts|Subchapter 1 - General Provisions|§ 14-122-106. District board of commissioners — Members

 (a) The board of commissioners for the district, consisting of five (5) owners of real property in the district or officers or stockholders of a corporation owning real property within the district shall be appointed as follows:  (1) Four (4) commissioners shall be appointed by the governing body of the city, and if the district includes all territory within the corporate limits of the city no more than one (1) member of the board shall be appointed from each of the wards in the city;  (2) One (1) commissioner shall be appointed by the mayor of the city from the district at large.    (b) Any vacancy occurring on the board shall be filled in the same manner herein prescribed for the initial appointments.  (c) The members of the board shall receive no compensation for their services but may be reimbursed for their actual expenses incurred in the performance of their duties.  (d) The governing body of the city shall have the authority to remove any member of the board by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the membership of the governing body for cause, after a hearing thereon at which the board member proposed to be removed and all other interested parties shall be given an opportunity to be heard.
AR Code § 14-122-107 (2020)
2020 Arkansas Code|Title 14 - Local Government|Subtitle 7 - Water and Soil Improvement Districts|Chapter 122 - Municipal Drainage Improvement Districts|Subchapter 1 - General Provisions|§ 14-122-107. Board meeting and organization — Formulation and filing of plans

 The board shall meet as soon as is practicable after appointment and qualification of its members, shall elect a chairman, a secretary, and such other officials as it deems necessary to carry out its responsibilities, and shall form plans for the improvement of drainage facilities in the district and obtain estimates of the cost thereof. The plan formed by the board shall be filed in the office of the city clerk.