Mississippi § 51-8-53 - Annexation of adjacent area; services within annexed territory.

§ 51-8-53. Annexation of adjacent area; services within annexed territory.

Any area adjacent to any district created pursuant to this chapter may be annexed to and become a part of such district by the same procedure as prescribed for the original creation of the district. All costs incident to the publication of notice and all other costs incident to the hearings, election and proceedings shall be paid by the district. The district shall have the exclusive right to provide any of the services for which it was created in the annexed territory; however, if any part of the annexed territory is then being served by another corporate agency with any such service, the district shall, at the option of the other corporate agency, either relinquish its prior right to serve the area occupied by the corporate agency or acquire by purchase the facilities of such corporate agency, together with its franchise rights to serve such area. If the option is for the district to purchase, upon notification thereof, the district shall be obligated to buy and pay for, and the corporate agency shall be obligated to convey to the district, all its service facilities and franchise rights in the annexed area. Such property shall be acquired by the district in accordance with such terms and conditions as may be agreed upon, and the district shall have the authority to assume the operation of such entire system or facility and to assume and become liable for the payment of any notes, bonds or other obligations that are outstanding against said system or facility and payable from the revenues therefrom. If the district is notified to relinquish its prior right to serve the annexed area, the district shall grant the corporate agency a franchise to serve within the annexed territory; however, the corporate agency shall be entitled to serve only such customers or locations within the annexed area as it served on the date that such annexation became effective. The annexed territory shall become liable for any existing indebtedness of the district and be subject to any taxes levied by a local governing body under Section 51-8-43.