2023 Idaho Code › Title 42 - IRRIGATION AND DRAINAGE -- WATER RIGHTS AND RECLAMATION › Chapter 51 - GROUND WATER MANAGEMENT DISTRICTS › Section 42-5115 - ELECTION FOR INDEBTEDNESS — REFERENDUM PETITION.

42-5115. ELECTION FOR INDEBTEDNESS — REFERENDUM PETITION. Whenever the board shall by resolution adopted by a two-thirds (2/3) majority of the said board, determine that the interest of said district and the public interest or necessity demand the reconstruction, rehabilitation, replacement and improvement of any well or other related structures and works together with all necessary appurtenances related thereto, in order to preserve, restore, protect and maintain rights of storage, diversion and delivery of water necessary and appurtenant to the purposes for which such district and other like similarly situated districts were organized and shall set forth the amount of obligation or contract indebtedness proposed to be issued by the district under the provisions of this chapter, said board shall be required to order the submission of the proposition of issuing such contract indebtedness for the purposes set forth in said resolution to the vote of the qualified electors of the district as defined in section 42-5107, Idaho Code, at an election to be held, subject to the provisions of section 34-106, Idaho Code, for that purpose only if within fifteen (15) days after the passage of such resolution a referendum petition signed by legal voters equal in number to not less than ten per cent (10%) of the electors of the district, based upon the aggregate vote cast at the general election of officers of the district next preceding the filing of such referendum petition, shall be filed with the secretary of the district requesting that an election upon the issuance of such contract indebtedness be held and conducted under the provisions of this section. The resolution, in addition to such declaration of public interest or necessity, shall recite the objects and purposes for which the indebtedness is proposed to be incurred, the estimated cost of the reconstruction, rehabilitation, replacement or improvement as the case may be, the amount of principal of the indebtedness to be incurred therefor, and the sources of the revenues and assessments pledged to the payment of the indebtedness. The election upon the assessments shall be held at the same time as and shall be combined with any such election required to be held upon the indebtedness question pursuant to a referendum petition.
Any such election required to be held hereunder shall be called by resolution, which resolution shall also fix the date upon which such election shall be held, subject to the provisions of section 34-106, Idaho Code, the manner of holding the same and the method of voting for or against the incurring of the indebtedness. Such resolution shall also fix the compensation to be paid the officers of the election and shall designate the precincts and polling places and shall appoint for each polling place, from each precinct from the electors thereof, the officers of such election, which officers shall consist of three (3) judges, one (1) of whom shall act as clerk, who shall constitute a board of election for each polling place. The description of precincts may be made by reference to any order or orders of the board of county commissioners of the county or counties in which the district or any part thereof is situated, or by reference to any previous order, or resolution of the board or by detailed description of such precincts. Precincts established by the boards of the various counties may be consolidated for elections held hereunder. The resolution calling the election shall prescribe an official notice of election in accordance with the provisions of section 34-1406, Idaho Code.
The respective election boards shall conduct the election in their respective precincts in the manner prescribed by law for the holding of district elections to the extent the same shall apply and shall make their returns to the secretary of the district. At any regular or special meeting of the board held within ten (10) days following the date of such election, the returns thereof shall be canvassed and the results thereof declared.
In the event that no referendum petition is filed, or if so filed, if it shall appear from said returns that a two-thirds (2/3) majority of the qualified electors of the district who shall have voted on any proposition submitted hereunder at such election voted in favor of such proposition, the district shall thereupon be authorized to incur such indebtedness or obligations, or enter into such contracts, all for the purpose or purposes and object or objects provided for in the proposition submitted hereunder or in the resolution therefor, and in the amount so provided. Submission of the proposition of incurring such obligation or other indebtedness at such an election shall not prevent or prohibit submission of the same or other propositions at subsequent election or elections called for such purpose.
History:
[42-5115, added 1987, ch. 349, sec. 1, p. 771; am. 1995, ch. 118, sec. 87, p. 499.]