Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
Barbee Lakes Conservancy District board is calling a special meeting Wednesday to certify a petition asking that the district be dissolved.
According to a news release provided by board secretary Scott Fox, the timing for a freeholder election to make the dissolution permanent also will be established at the 6:30 p.m. meeting in the Barbee Conservation Club.
The district was created in 1994 to establish a sewage system. Tax collection stopped in 1999.
Conservation districts are governed by Article 33 of the Indiana Code. IC14-33-16 tells how a conservation district can be dissolved, specifically due to lack of a construction project.
If no improvements have begun within six years, the district may be dissolved.
Freeholders of a district must present a petition for dissolution showing the name and residence of each signature.
The petition to dissolve the district must have the same amount of signatures used to establish a district. The Kosciusko County Circuit Court should immediately be advised of the petition.
Within 10 days after the board certifies signatures to the court, the board will decide on a place to hold an election not less than 15 and no more than 30 days after the publication of notice.
The voting place must open at 9 a.m. and remain open for balloting continuously until 9 p.m. local time.
Notice of the time, place, and purpose for the election must be given on the same day of each week for two consecutive weeks in a newspaper of general circulation published in the district.
A freeholder of the district may vote absentee by written ballot. A written ballot vote must be signed and mailed or delivered to the district office. Ballots voted by absentees are valid if delivered or received before the scheduled date of the election.
A majority of all votes cast determines the issue of dissolution of the district, as long as the total votes cast at least equals the number of freeholders petitioning for the election.
Board members are Barry Hecker, Don Harris, Scott Fox, Bart Brugh and Dick Long.
