Nebraska § 14-1206 - Bridges; purchase or lease; how conducted.

§ 14-1206. Bridges; purchase or lease; how conducted.

(1) If any city of the metropolitan class desires to purchase, lease, or sublease any existing bridge and shall have received any such authority as may be necessary from the government of the United States, the city council may determine the fair value of such bridge, the appraised value of which shall not exceed two million dollars, including all interests of any nature in such bridge, and may by written resolution tentatively offer the owners of such bridge jointly the price so determined.

(2) If all such owners within ninety days thereafter shall file with the city clerk of such city a duly authorized and properly executed written tentative acceptance of such offer, binding themselves to accept such offer and to assign such lease or sublease or convey good and complete title by warranty deed when and if the necessary funds shall be provided for such offer, then upon the filing of such acceptance, the city council may submit to the electors of such city, at a special election called for that purpose or at any general election within one hundred and twenty days after the filing of such acceptance, the question whether such purchase shall be made at the price stated on the ballot and the city council be authorized to issue bonds of the kind or kinds stated in the proposition and in any such amount as may be required to provide the necessary funds. The proposition so submitted shall be carried if the majority of the electors voting on such proposition shall vote in favor of such proposition.

(3) No election and no vote of electors shall be required upon the question of acquiring by purchase, lease, or sublease any existing bridge or issuing revenue bonds, in an amount not to exceed two million dollars as authorized by section 14-1217, for the acquisition by purchase, lease, or sublease of any existing bridge, if the city council determines by a vote of a majority of its members to dispense with such election or vote of electors as to such question.

(4) If the proposition shall be carried at the election, or if the city council determines to dispense with such election, the tentative acceptance of the owners of such bridge shall then become final and binding upon such owners and may be enforced in any court of competent jurisdiction.

(5) Such purchase may also be made subject to existing mortgages and the assumption of outstanding bonds.

(6) If repairs, reconditioning, or reconstruction shall be necessary to place any bridge so purchased or to be purchased in safe, efficient, or convenient condition, the city council may issue additional revenue bonds to provide funds for such purpose in an amount not to exceed fifteen percent of the purchase price of such bridge.

(7) Any proposition submitted to the electors shall be published on three consecutive days in the official newspaper of the city to be completed not less than ten days before the date of the election.

(8) If the city council determines to dispense with such election or vote of the electors, or if a proposition is submitted to a vote of the electors and carried at such election, the city council may exercise all power and authority reasonably necessary and incidental to the exercise of the powers granted in this section.