Montana § 76-15-803 - Combination Or Division Of Districts

§ 76-15-803. Combination Or Division Of Districts

Combination or division of districts. (1) A petition may be filed with the department for the division of any district, for the combination of any two or more districts, or for the division of a district and the combination of any divided part of a district with any other district. Any or all of these actions may be initiated by the filing of a single petition with the department. The petition must be signed by a majority of the members of each of the governing bodies of the affected districts. The department shall prescribe the form for the petition. When a petition is filed, the department shall within 30 days give notice of a public hearing on the petition. All qualified electors within the affected districts and all other interested parties are entitled to attend the hearing and be heard. After the hearing, the department shall determine from the hearing record whether the proposed division, the combination, or the division and combination of territory is administratively practicable and feasible. In making the determination, the department shall give due regard to the legislative determinations set forth in 76-15-101 and 76-15-102 and to the considerations enumerated in 76-15-201 through 76-15-216 , to the extent applicable, relative to determining the practicability and feasibility of creating a district. (2) If the department determines that the proposed division, combination, or division and combination is administratively practicable and feasible, the department shall effect the proposed division, combination, or division and combination by filing with the secretary of state a statement certifying the changes made in the boundaries of the affected districts, together with any change in the name of the districts. If the determination is in the negative, the department shall make and record that determination and shall deny the petition. After 6 months from the denial of the petition, a new petition may be filed. (3) When a district is divided, the supervisors of the district shall allocate the property, rights, and liabilities (including contractual obligations) of the district among the resulting parts of the district, giving due consideration to the proportionate size of each divided part, the number of qualified electors and operating units, the degree and extent of soil erosion in the district, and other relevant factors. A statement of the allocation must be filed with the department within 30 days after the notification of the board's determination in favor of the division of the district. If the supervisors fail to make or to agree upon the allocation, the division must be made by the department after a hearing as the department considers necessary and with due regard for the standards set out in this subsection for making the allocations.