Missouri § 321.120 - Election before decree becomes conclusive — decree to determine number of directors — ballot form — successor directors, terms — may increase number of directors, exception — ballot, form — terms.

§ 321.120. Election before decree becomes conclusive — decree to determine number of directors — ballot form — successor directors, terms — may increase number of directors, exception — ballot, form — terms.

1.  The decree of incorporation shall not become final and conclusive until it has been submitted to an election of the voters residing within the boundaries described in such decree, and until it has been assented to by a majority vote of the voters of the district voting on the question.  The decree shall also provide for the holding of the election to vote on the proposition of incorporating the district, and to select three or five persons to act as the first board of directors, and shall fix the date for holding the election.

2.  The question shall be submitted in substantially the following form:

3.  The proposition of electing the first board of directors or the election of subsequent directors may be submitted on a separate ballot or on the same ballot which contains any other proposition of the fire protection district.  The ballot to be used for the election of a director or directors shall be substantially in the following form:

4.  If a majority of the voters voting on the proposition or propositions voted in favor of the proposition to incorporate the district, then the court shall enter its further order declaring the decree of incorporation to be final and conclusive.  In the event, however, that the court finds that a majority of the voters voting thereon voted against the proposition to incorporate the district, then the court shall enter its further order declaring the decree of incorporation to be void and of no effect.  If the court enters an order declaring the decree of incorporation to be final and conclusive, it shall at the same time designate the first board of directors of the district who have been elected by the voters voting thereon.  If a board of three members is elected, the person receiving the third highest number of votes shall hold office for a term of two years, the person receiving the second highest number of votes shall hold office for a term of four years, and the person receiving the highest number of votes shall hold office for a term of six years from the date of the election of the first board of directors and until their successors are duly elected and qualified.  If a board of five members is elected, the person who received the highest number of votes shall hold office for a term of six years, the persons who received the second and third highest numbers of votes shall hold office for terms of four years and the persons who received the fourth and fifth highest numbers of votes shall hold office for terms of two years and until their successors are duly elected and qualified.  Thereafter, members of the board shall be elected to serve terms of six years and until their successors are duly elected and qualified.  The court shall at the same time enter an order of record declaring the result of the election on the proposition, if any, to incur bonded indebtedness.

5.  Notwithstanding the provisions of subsections 1 to 4 of this section to the contrary, upon a motion by the board of directors in districts where there are three-member boards, and upon approval by the voters in the district, the number of directors may be increased to five, except that in any county of the first classification with a population of more than nine hundred thousand inhabitants such increase in the number of directors shall apply only in the event of a consolidation of existing districts.  The ballot to be used for the approval of the voters to increase the number of members on the board of directors of the fire protection district shall be substantially in the following form:

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6.  Members of the board of directors in office on the date of an election pursuant to subsection 5 of this section to elect additional members to the board of directors shall serve the term to which they were elected or appointed and until their successors are elected and qualified.

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(L. 1947 V. I p. 432 § 12, A.L. 1969 H.B. 322, A.L. 1977 H.B. 216, A.L. 1978 H.B. 971, S.B. 628, A.L. 1981 S.B. 166, A.L. 1990 H.B. 1395 & 1448, S.B. 862, A.L. 1993 H.B. 373, A.L. 1995 H.B. 452, et al., A.L. 2003 H.B. 511, A.L. 2005 H.B. 58 merged with S.B. 210, A.L. 2011 S.B. 226)

---- end of effective  28 Aug 2011 ----

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