2023 Indiana Code › Title 36. Local Government › Article 10. Recreation, Culture, and Community Facilities › Chapter 7.5. Township General Park and Recreation Law › 36-10-7.5-22. District Bonds for Land Acquisition or Improvements

Sec. 22. (a) To raise money to pay for land to be acquired for any of the purposes named in this chapter or to pay for an improvement authorized by this chapter, and in anticipation of the special benefit tax to be levied as provided in this chapter, the legislative body shall issue in the name of the township the bonds of the district. The bonds may not exceed in amount the total cost of all land to be acquired and all improvements described in the resolution, including all expenses necessarily incurred in connection with the proceedings, together with a sum sufficient to pay the costs of supervision and inspection during the period of construction of a work. The expenses to be covered in the bond issue include all expenses of every kind actually incurred preliminary to acquiring the land and the construction of the work, such as the cost of the necessary record, engineering expenses, publication of notices, preparation of bonds, and other necessary expenses. If more than one (1) resolution or proceeding of the legislative body under this chapter is confirmed whereby different parcels of land are to be acquired or more than one (1) contract for work is let by the executive at approximately the same time, the cost involved under all of the resolutions and proceedings may be included in one (1) issue of bonds.
(b) The bonds may be issued in any denomination not less than one thousand dollars ($1,000) each, in not less than five (5) nor more than forty (40) annual series. The bonds are payable one (1) series each year, beginning at a date after the receipt of taxes from a levy made for that purpose. The bonds are negotiable. The bonds may bear interest at any rate, payable semiannually. After adopting a resolution ordering bonds, the legislative body shall certify a copy of the resolution to the township's fiscal officer. The fiscal officer shall prepare the bonds, and the executive shall execute the bonds, attested by the fiscal officer.
(c) The bonds and the interest on the bonds are exempt from taxation as prescribed by IC 6-8-5-1. Bonds issued under this section are subject to the provisions of IC 5-1 and IC 6-1.1-20 relating to:
(1) the filing of a petition requesting the issuance of bonds;
(2) the right of:
(A) taxpayers and voters to remonstrate against the issuance of bonds in the case of a proposed bond issue described by IC 6-1.1-20-3.1(a); or
(B) voters to vote on the issuance of bonds in the case of a proposed bond issue described by IC 6-1.1-20-3.5(a);
(3) the appropriation of the proceeds of the bonds with the approval of the department of local government finance; and
(4) the sale of bonds at public sale for not less than the par value of the bonds.
(d) The legislative body may not have bonds of the district issued under this section that are payable by special taxation when the total issue for that purpose, including the bonds already issued or to be issued, exceeds two percent (2%) of the total adjusted value of the taxable property in the district as determined under IC 36-1-15. All bonds or obligations issued in violation of this subsection are void. The bonds are not obligations or indebtedness of the township but constitute an indebtedness of the district as a special taxing district. The bonds and interest are payable only out of a special tax levied upon all the property of the district as prescribed by this chapter. A bond must recite the terms upon the face of the bond, together with the purposes for which the bond is issued.
As added by P.L.157-1991, SEC.15. Amended by P.L.6-1997, SEC.238; P.L.90-2002, SEC.519; P.L.219-2007, SEC.145; P.L.146-2008, SEC.795.