2023 Montana Code Annotated › Title 7. Local Government › Chapter 12. Improvement Districts › Part 21. Rural Improvement Districts › 7-12-2193. Refunding bonds

7-12-2193. Refunding bonds.
(1) A county may issue special improvement district bonds for the purpose of providing the money needed to pay principal of and interest on outstanding special improvement district bonds. To issue bonds for that purpose, the board of county commissioners, at a regular meeting or a duly called special meeting, shall adopt a resolution setting forth:
(a) the facts regarding the outstanding bonds that are to be refunded;
(b) the reasons for issuing refunding bonds; and
(c) the term and details of the refunding bonds.
(2) If the refunding bonds are proposed to be issued in an amount greater than the amount of outstanding bonds to be refunded, the board may not authorize the issuance of the bonds until it has conducted a public hearing on the desirability of issuing the bonds, after published and mailed notice as provided in 7-12-2105(2), and found by resolution that the issuance of refunding bonds is in the best interest of the special improvement district.
(3) After the adoption of the required resolution or resolutions, the board may:
(a) sell the refunding bonds at a private negotiated sale; or
(b) at its option, give notice of the sale and sell the refunding bonds in the same manner that other special improvement district bonds are sold.
(4) Bonds may not be refunded by the issuance of refunding bonds unless:
(a) (i) the bonds to be refunded bear interest at a fixed rate or rates and the rate of interest offered on the refunding bonds is at least 1/2 of 1% a year less than the rate of interest on the bonds to be refunded;
(ii) the refunding bonds are to bear interest at a variable rate and the board of county commissioners determines that the issuance of variable rate refunding bonds is reasonably expected to result in less interest payable on the refunding bonds than the interest payable on the refunded bonds; or
(iii) the bonds to be refunded bear interest at a variable rate and the board determines that the issuance of fixed rate refunding bonds is in the best interest of the owners of property in the district and the county or the board determines that the issuance of variable rate refunding bonds based on a different index or formula than that of the refunded bonds is reasonably expected to result over the remaining term of the bonds to be refunded in an interest rate at least 1/2 of 1% a year less than the rate of interest on the refunded bonds;
(b) there is or will be on the next payment date default in the payment of bond principal or interest; or
(c) 50% or more of the installments of special assessments levied in the special improvement district and payable in a single fiscal year have been delinquent for at least 1 year.
(5) (a) Refunding bonds issued pursuant to this section may be issued to refund outstanding bonds in advance of the date on which the bonds mature or are subject to redemption, but the proceeds of the refunding bonds, less any accrued interest or premium received from their sale, must be deposited with other funds appropriated for the payment of the outstanding bonds in escrow with a suitable banking institution or trust company, which may be located either in or out of the state.
(b) Deposited funds must be invested in securities that are general obligations of the United States or securities the principal of and interest on which are guaranteed by the United States. The securities must mature or be callable at the option of the holder on the dates and bear interest at the rates and be payable on the dates as may be required to provide funds sufficient, with any cash deposited in the escrow account, to pay when due:
(i) the interest to accrue on each refunded bond to its maturity or redemption date, if called for redemption;
(ii) the principal on each refunded bond at maturity or upon the redemption date; and
(iii) any redemption premium.
(c) The escrow account must be irrevocably appropriated to the payment of the principal of an interest and redemption premium, if any, on the refunded bonds.
(d) Funds to the credit of the debt service fund for the payment of the refunded bonds and not required for the payment of principal or interest due prior to issuance of the refunding bonds may be appropriated by the board to the escrow account.
(e) The county may pay the reasonable costs and expenses of issuing the refunding bonds and of establishing and maintaining the escrow account.
(6) Refunding bonds may be issued under this section to pay principal of or interest on special improvement district bonds outstanding on April 30, 1985, only if:
(a) the proceeds of the refunding bonds do not redeem the outstanding bonds until one-third or more of the term for which the bonds were issued has expired;
(b) there is a deficiency in the bond account or interest account of the special improvement district fund from which the bonds are payable; or
(c) 50% or more of the installments of special assessments levied in the special improvement district and payable in a single fiscal year have been delinquent for at least 1 year.
History: En. Sec. 25, Ch. 665, L. 1985; amd. Sec. 2, Ch. 631, L. 1987; amd. Sec. 4, Ch. 449, L. 1989; amd. Sec. 5, Ch. 162, L. 2001; amd. Sec. 12, Ch. 451, L. 2005.