FIRST REGULAR SESSION
94TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
INTRODUCED BY REPRESENTATIVES ROORDA (Sponsor), PAGE, WILDBERGER, CASEY, HOLSMAN AND KOMO (Co-sponsors).
Read 1st time January 9, 2007 and copies ordered printed.
D. ADAM CRUMBLISS, Chief Clerk
AN ACT
To amend chapter 321, RSMo, by adding thereto one new section relating to fire protection district consolidation.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the state of Missouri, as follows:
Section A. Chapter 321, RSMo, is amended by adding thereto one new section, to be known as section 321.689, to read as follows:
321.689. 1. The board of directors of any fire protection district may consolidate with any adjacent fire protection district upon the passage of a joint resolution by each board desiring to consolidate. The joint resolution shall not become effective unless each board submits to the voters residing within the fire protection districts at a state general, primary, or special election a proposal to authorize the consolidation under this section.
2. The question for the consolidation authorized in this section shall be in substantially the following form:
Shall ...... (insert the name of the fire protection district) be consolidated into one fire protection district, to be known as the ...... (insert name of proposed consolidated fire protection district)?
If a majority of the votes cast on the question by the qualified voters voting thereon in each existing fire protection district are in favor of the question, then the consolidation shall become effective on January first of the year immediately following the approval of the consolidation, unless the consolidation is approved at a November election, in which case the consolidation shall become effective on January first of the second year following the approval of the consolidation. If a majority of the votes cast on the question by the qualified voters voting thereon in any of the existing fire protection districts desiring to consolidate are opposed to the question, then the consolidation shall not become effective unless and until the question is resubmitted within twelve months of the vote under this section to the qualified voters in the fire protection district opposed to the consolidation and such question is approved by a majority of the qualified voters voting on the question.
3. The board of directors of any consolidated fire protection district created under this section shall have six members, and shall consist of the existing board members of the fire protection districts that were consolidated. Upon the first occurrence of a vacancy in the membership of the board, the number of members on the board may be reduced from six to five upon approval by a majority of the remaining board members. The terms of office for board members shall be identical to the terms of office the board members were originally elected to serve before the consolidation.
4. Upon the approval of consolidation under this section, the consolidated district shall be a political subdivision of this state and a body corporate, with all the powers of like or similar corporations, and with all the powers, privileges, and duties of fire protection districts under this chapter. All properties, rights, assets, and liabilities of the fire protection districts which are consolidated, including outstanding bonds thereof if any, shall become the properties, rights, assets, and liabilities of the consolidated fire protection district.
5. The consolidated fire protection district shall levy the same taxes as levied in the fire protection district with the lowest tax levy before the consolidation.
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