When used in this chapter, the following terms, words or phrases shall have the following meaning:

(1) "District" means any mosquito control district formed pursuant to this chapter.

(2) "Board" or "district board" means the board of trustees governing the district.

(3) "County commissioners" means the governing body of the county.

(4) "Unit" means all unincorporated territory in a proposed district in one county, regarded as an entity, or each city in a proposed district, likewise regarded as an entity.

(5) "Territory" means any city or county or portion of either or both city or county having a population of not less than one hundred persons.

(6) "Person" means any individual, firm, partnership, corporation, company, association, or joint stock association, and the legal successor thereof.

Any number of units of a territory within the state of Washington in Adams, Benton, Franklin, Grant, Kittitas, Walla Walla and Yakima counties or any other county may be organized as a mosquito control district under the provisions of this chapter.

A petition to form a district may consist of any number of separate instruments which shall be presented at a regular meeting of the county commissioners of the county in which the greater area of the proposed district is located. Petitions shall be signed by registered voters of each unit of the proposed district, equal in number to not less than ten percent of the votes cast in each unit respectively for the office of governor at the last gubernatorial election prior to the time of presenting the petition.

Before a city can be included as a part of the proposed district its governing body shall have requested that the city be included by resolution, duly authenticated.

The petition shall set forth and describe the boundaries of the proposed district and it shall request that it be organized as a mosquito control district. Upon receipt of such a petition, the auditor of the county in which the greater area of the proposed district is located shall be charged with the responsibility of examining the same and certifying to the sufficiency of the signatures thereon. For the purpose of examining the signatures on such petitions, the auditor shall be permitted access to the voters' registration books of each city and county located in the proposed district and may appoint the respective county auditors and city clerks thereof as his or her deputies. No person may withdraw his or her name from a petition after it has been filed with the auditor. Within thirty days following the receipt of such petition, the auditor shall transmit the same to the board of commissioners of the county in which the greater area of the proposed district is located, together with his or her certificate as to the sufficiency thereof.

Upon receipt of a duly certified petition, the board of commissioners shall cause the text of the petition to be published once a week for at least three consecutive weeks in one or more newspapers of general circulation within the county where the petition is presented and at each city a portion of which is included in the proposed district. If any portion of the proposed district lies in another county, the petition and notice shall be likewise published in that county.

Only one copy of the petition need be published even though the district embraces more than one unit. No more than five of the names attached to the petition need appear in the publication of the petition and notice, but the number of signers shall be stated.

With the publication of the petition there shall be published a notice of the time of the meeting of the county commissioners when the petition will be considered, stating that all persons interested may appear and be heard.

Such districts may also be organized upon the adoption by the county commissioners of a resolution of intention so to do, in lieu of the procedure hereinbefore provided for the presentation of petitions. In the event the county commissioners adopt a resolution of intention, such resolution shall describe the boundaries of the proposed district and shall set a time and place at which they will consider the organization of the district, and shall state that all persons interested may appear and be heard. Such resolution of intention shall be published in the same manner and for the same length of time as a petition.

At the time stated in the notice of the filing of the petition or the time mentioned in the resolution of intention, the county commissioners shall consider the organization of the district and hear those appearing and all protests and objections to it. The commissioners may adjourn the hearing from time to time, not exceeding two months in all.

No defect in the contents of the petition or in the title to or form of the notice or signatures, or lack of signatures thereto, shall vitiate any proceedings if the petition has a sufficient number of qualified signatures.

On the final hearing the county commissioners shall make such changes in the proposed boundaries as are advisable, and shall define and establish the boundaries.

If the county commissioners deem it proper to include any territory not proposed for inclusion within the proposed boundaries, they shall first cause notice of intention to do so to be mailed to each owner of land in the territory whose name appears as owner on the last completed assessment roll of the county in which the territory lies, addressed to the owner at his or her address given on the assessment roll, or if no address is given, to his or her last known address; or if it is not known, at the county seat of the county in which his or her land lies. The notice shall describe the territory and shall fix a time, not less than two weeks from the date of mailing, when all persons interested may appear before the county commissioners and be heard.

The boundaries of a district lying in a city shall not be altered unless the governing board of the city, by resolution, consents to the alteration.

Upon the hearing of the petition the county commissioners shall determine whether the public necessity or welfare of the proposed territory and of its inhabitants requires the formation of the district, and shall also determine whether the petition complies with the provisions of this chapter, and for that purpose shall hear all competent and relevant testimony offered.

If, from the testimony given before the county commissioners, it appears to that board that the public necessity or welfare requires the formation of the district, it shall, by an order entered on its minutes, declare that to be its finding, and shall further declare and order that the territory within the boundaries so fixed and determined be organized as a district, under an appropriate name to be selected by the county commissioners, subject to approval of the voters of the district as hereinafter provided. The name shall contain the words "mosquito control district."

At the time of the declaration establishing and naming the district, the county commissioners shall by resolution call a special election to be held not less than thirty days and not more than sixty days from the date thereof, and shall cause to be published a notice of such election at least once a week for three consecutive weeks in a newspaper of general circulation in the county, setting forth the hours during which the polls will be open, the boundaries of the proposed district as finally adopted, and the object of the election. If any portion of the proposed district lies in another county, a notice of such election shall likewise be published in that county.

The election on the formation of the mosquito control district shall be conducted by the auditor of the county in which the greater area of the proposed district is located in accordance with the general election laws of the state and the results thereof shall be canvassed by that county's canvassing board. For the purpose of conducting an election under this section, the auditor of the county in which the greater area of the proposed district is located may appoint the auditor of any county or the city clerk of any city lying wholly or partially within the proposed district as his or her deputies. No person shall be entitled to vote at such election unless he or she is a qualified voter under the laws of the state in effect at the time of such election and has resided within the mosquito control district for at least thirty days preceding the date of the election. The ballot proposition shall be in substantially the following form:

If a majority of the persons voting on the proposition shall vote in favor thereof, the mosquito control district shall thereupon be established and the county commissioners of the county in which the greater area of the district is situated shall immediately file for record in the office of the county auditor of each county in which any portion of the land embraced in the district is situated, and shall also forward to the county commissioners of each of the other counties, if any, in which any portion of the district is situated, and also shall file with the secretary of state, a certified copy of the order of the county commissioners. From and after the date of the filing of the certified copy with the secretary of state, the district named therein is organized as a district, with all the rights, privileges, and powers set forth in this chapter, or necessarily incident thereto.

If a majority of the persons voting on the proposition shall vote in favor thereof, all expenses of the election shall be paid by the mosquito control district when organized. If the proposition fails to receive a majority of votes in favor, the expenses of the election shall be borne by the respective counties in which the district is located in proportion to the number of votes cast in said counties.

At the same election there shall be submitted to the voters residing within the district, for their approval or rejection, a proposition authorizing the mosquito control district, if formed, to levy at the earliest time permitted by law on all taxable property located within the mosquito control district a general tax, for one year, of up to twenty-five cents per thousand dollars of assessed value in excess of any constitutional or statutory limitation for authorized purposes of the mosquito control district. The proposition shall be expressed on the ballots in substantially the following form:

Such proposition to be effective must be approved by a majority of at least three-fifths of the persons voting on the proposition to levy such tax in the manner set forth in Article VII, section 2(a) of the Constitution of this state, as amended by Amendment 59 and as thereafter amended.

Severability—Effective dates and termination dates—Construction—1973 1st ex.s. c 195: See notes following RCW 84.52.043.

Within thirty days after the filing with the secretary of state of the certified copy of the order of formation, a governing board of trustees for the district shall be appointed. The district board shall be appointed as follows:

(1) If the district is situated in one county only and consists wholly of unincorporated territory, five members shall be appointed by the county commissioners of the county.

(2) If the district is situated entirely in one county and includes both incorporated and unincorporated territory one member shall be appointed from each commissioner district lying wholly or partly within the district by the county commissioners of the county, and one member from each city, the whole or part of which is situated in the district, by the governing body of the city; but if the district board created consists of less than five members, the county commissioners shall appoint from the district at large enough additional members to make a board of five members.

(3) If the district is situated in two or more counties and is comprised wholly of incorporated territory, one member shall be appointed from each commissioner district of each county or portion of a county situated in the district by the county commissioners; but if the district board created consists of less than five members, the county commissioners of the county in which the greater area of the district is situated shall appoint from the district at large enough additional members to make a board of five members.

(4) If the district is situated in two or more counties and consists of both incorporated and unincorporated territory, one member shall be appointed by the county commissioners of each of the counties from that portion of the district lying within each commissioner district within its jurisdiction; and one member from each city, a portion of which is situated in the district by the governing body of the city; but if the board created consists of less than five members, the county commissioners in which the greater area of the district is situated shall appoint from the district at large enough additional members to make a board of five members.

The district board shall be called "The board of trustees of . . . . . . mosquito control district."

Each member of the board appointed by the governing body of a city shall be an elector of the city from which he or she is appointed and a resident of that portion of the city which is in the district.

Each member appointed from a county or portion of a county shall be an elector of the county and a resident of that portion of the county which is in the district.

Each member appointed at large shall be an elector of the district.

The members of the first board in any district shall classify themselves by lot at their first meeting so that:

(1) If the total membership is an even number, the terms of one-half the members will expire at the end of one year, and the terms of the remainder at the end of two years, from the second day of the calendar year next succeeding their appointment.

(2) If the total membership is an odd number, the terms of a bare majority of the members will expire at the end of one year, and the terms of the remainder at the end of two years, from the second day of the calendar year next succeeding their appointment.

The term of each subsequent member is two years from and after the expiration of the term of his or her predecessor.

In event of the resignation, death, or disability of any member, his or her successor shall be appointed by the governing body which appointed him or her.

The members of the first district board shall meet on the first Monday subsequent to thirty days after the filing with the secretary of state of the certificate of incorporation of the district. They shall organize by the election of one of their members as president and one as secretary.

The members of the district board shall serve without compensation; but the necessary expenses of each member for actual traveling in connection with meetings or business of the board may be allowed and paid.

The secretary shall receive such compensation as shall be fixed by the district board.

The district board shall provide for the time and place of holding its regular meetings, and the manner of calling them, and shall establish rules for its proceedings.

Special meetings may be called by three members, notice of which shall be given to each member at least twenty-four hours before the meeting.

All of its sessions, whether regular or special, shall be open to the public.

A majority of the members shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business.

A mosquito control district organized under this chapter may:

(1) Take all necessary or proper steps for the extermination of mosquitoes.

(2) Subject to the paramount control of the county or city in which they exist, abate as nuisances all stagnant pools of water and other breeding places for mosquitoes.

(3) If necessary or proper, in the furtherance of the objects of this chapter, build, construct, repair, and maintain necessary dikes, levees, cuts, canals, or ditches upon any land, and acquire by purchase, condemnation, or by other lawful means, in the name of the district, any lands, rights-of-way, easements, property, or material necessary for any of those purposes.

(4) Make contracts to indemnify or compensate any owner of land or other property for any injury or damage necessarily caused by the use or taking of property for dikes, levees, cuts, canals, or ditches.

(5)(a) Enter upon without hindrance any lands within the district and adjacent thereto for the purpose of inspection to ascertain whether breeding places of mosquitoes exist upon such lands; or to abate public nuisances in accordance with this chapter; or to ascertain if notices to abate the breeding of mosquitoes upon such lands have been complied with; or to treat using integrated pest management, as defined in RCW 17.15.010, methods in places where mosquitoes are found or are likely to exist upon such lands.

(b) For land adjacent to land within the district, a district must give prior written notice to the property owner of the district's intent to enter upon the land for the purposes specified in (a) of this subsection.

(6) Sell or lease any land, rights-of-way, easements, property or material acquired by the district.

(7) Issue warrants payable at the time stated therein to evidence the obligation to repay money borrowed or any other obligation incurred by the district, warrants so issued to draw interest at a rate fixed by the board payable annually or semiannually as the board may prescribe.

(8) Make contracts with the United States, or any state, municipality, or any department of those entities for carrying out the general purpose for which the district is formed.

(9) Acquire by gift, devise, bequest, lease, or purchase, real and personal property necessary or convenient for its purposes.

(10) Make contracts, employ engineers, health officers, sanitarians, physicians, laboratory personnel, attorneys, and other technical or professional assistants; and publish information or literature and do any and all other things necessary or incident to the powers granted by, and to carry out the projects specified in this chapter.

(11) Subject to management considerations identified during consultation with the landowner, cut or remove shrubbery or undergrowth as necessary or proper in order to carry out this chapter.

Any breeding place for mosquitoes which exists by reason of any use made of the land on which it is found or of any artificial change in its natural condition is a public nuisance: PROVIDED, That conditions or usage of land which are beyond the control of the landowner or are not contrary to normal, accepted practices of water usage in the district, shall not be considered a public nuisance.

The nuisance may be abated in any action or proceeding, or by any remedy provided by law.

A board established pursuant to RCW 17.28.110 may adopt, by resolution, a policy declaring that the control of mosquitoes within the district is the responsibility of the owner of the land from which the mosquitoes originate. To protect the public health or welfare, the board may, in accordance with policies and standards established by the board following a public hearing, adopt a regulation requiring owners of land within the district to perform such acts as may be necessary to control mosquitoes.

(1) Whenever the board finds that the owner has not taken prompt and sufficient action to comply with regulations adopted pursuant to RCW 17.28.175 to control mosquitoes originating from the owner's land, the board shall notify the owner that a violation of this chapter exists. The notice shall be in writing and sent by certified mail, or served by personal service. The notice shall provide a reasonable time period for action to be taken to control mosquitoes. If the board deems that a public nuisance or threat to public health or welfare caused by the mosquito infestation is sufficiently severe, it may require immediate control action to be taken within forty-eight hours following the time that notification is reasonably expected to have been received by the owner or agent by certified mail or personal service.

(2) If the owner does not take sufficient action to control mosquitoes in accordance with the notice, the board may control them, or cause their being controlled, at the expense of the owner. The amount of such expense shall constitute a lien against the property and may be enforced by proceedings on such lien. The owner shall be liable for payment of the expenses, and nothing in this chapter shall be construed to prevent collection of any judgment on account thereof by any means available pursuant to law, in substitution for enforcement of the lien. Necessary costs and expenses, including reasonable attorneys' fees, incurred by the board in carrying out this section, may be recovered at the same time, as a part of the action filed under this section. The venue in proceedings for reimbursement of expenses brought pursuant to this section, including those involving governmental entities, shall be the county in which the real property that is the subject of the action is situated.

Any person who obstructs, hinders, or interferes with the entry upon any land within the district of any officer or employee of the district in the performance of his or her duty, and any person who obstructs, interferes with, molests, or damages any work performed by the district, is guilty of a misdemeanor.

A mosquito control district may, prior to the receipt of taxes raised by levy, borrow money or issue warrants of the district in anticipation of revenue, and such warrants shall be redeemed from the first money available from such taxes.

A mosquito control district shall have the power to levy additional taxes in excess of the constitutional and/or statutory limitations for any of the authorized purposes of such district, not in excess of fifty cents per thousand dollars of assessed value per year when authorized so to do by the electors of such district by a three-fifths majority of those voting on the proposition in the manner set forth in Article VII, section 2(a) of the Constitution of this state, as amended by Amendment 59 and as thereafter amended at such time as may be fixed by the board of trustees for the district, which special election may be called by the board of trustees of the district, at which special election the proposition of authorizing such excess levy shall be submitted in such form as to enable the voters favoring the proposition to vote "Yes" and those opposing thereto to vote "No". Nothing herein shall be construed to prevent holding the foregoing special election at the same time as that fixed for a general election.

Severability—Effective dates and termination dates—Construction—1973 1st ex.s. c 195: See notes following RCW 84.52.043.

For the purpose of property taxation and the levying of property taxes the boundaries of the mosquito control district shall be the established official boundary of such district existing on the first day of September of the year in which the levy is made, and no such levy shall be made for any mosquito control district whose boundaries are not duly established on the first day of September of such year.

It is hereby declared that whenever the public necessity or welfare has required the formation of a mosquito control district, the abatement or extermination of mosquitoes within the district is of direct, economic benefit to the land located within such district and is necessary for the protection of the public health, safety and welfare of those residing therein.

The board of trustees shall annually determine the amount of money necessary to carry on the operations of the district and shall classify the property therein in proportion to the benefits to be derived from the operations of the district and in accordance with such classification shall apportion and assess the several lots, blocks, tracts, and parcels of land or other property within the district, which assessment shall be collected with the general taxes of the county or counties. A mosquito control district must use the assessed value applicable to forestland, farm and agricultural land, or open space land, under chapter 84.33 or 84.34 RCW, when the land has been designated as such and the assessed value is used as a component in determining the district assessment. If a district uses a fractional amount of assessed value as a component in determining the district assessment, then a fractional amount of the value applicable to forestland, farm and agricultural land, or open space land, under chapter 84.33 or 84.34 RCW, shall be used.

The board of trustees in assessing the property within the district and the rights, duties and liabilities of property owners therein shall be governed, insofar as is consistent with this chapter, by the provisions for county road improvement districts as set forth in RCW 36.88.090 through 36.88.110.

The provisions of chapters 84.56 and 84.64 RCW and RCW 36.29.180 governing liens, collection, payment of assessments, delinquent assessments, interest and penalties, lien foreclosure and foreclosed property shall govern such matters as applied to mosquito control districts.

The county treasurer shall collect all mosquito control district assessments, and the duties and responsibilities herein imposed upon him or her shall be among the duties and responsibilities of his or her office for which his or her bond is given as county treasurer. The collection and disposition of revenue from such assessments and the depositary thereof shall be the same as for tax revenues of such districts as provided in RCW 17.28.270.

A mosquito control district shall have the power to issue general obligation bonds and to pledge the full faith and credit of the district to the payment thereof, for authorized capital purposes of the mosquito control district, and to provide for the retirement thereof by excess property tax levies whenever a proposition authorizing both the issuance of such bonds and the imposition of such excess levies has been approved by the voters of the district, at an election held pursuant to RCW 39.36.050, by three-fifths of the persons voting on said proposition at said election at which such election the total number of persons voting on such bond proposition shall constitute not less than forty percent of the total number of votes cast within the area of said mosquito control district at the last preceding county or state general election. Mosquito control districts may become indebted for capital purposes up to an amount equal to one and one-fourth percent of the value of the taxable property in the district, as the term "value of the taxable property" is defined in RCW 39.36.015.

Such bonds shall never be issued to run for a longer period than ten years from the date of issue and shall be issued and sold in accordance with chapter 39.46 RCW.

Purpose—1984 c 186: See note following RCW 39.46.110.

Liberal construction—Severability—1983 c 167: See RCW 39.46.010 and note following.

Severability—Effective dates and termination dates—Construction—1973 1st ex.s. c 195: See notes following RCW 84.52.043.

Purpose—1970 ex.s. c 56: See note following RCW 39.52.020.

Validation—Saving—Severability—1969 ex.s. c 232: See notes following RCW 39.52.020.

All taxes levied under this chapter shall be computed and entered on the county assessment roll and collected at the same time and in the same manner as other county taxes. When collected, the taxes shall be paid into the county treasury for the use of the district.

If the district is in more than one county the treasury of the county in which the district is organized is the depository of all funds of the district.

The treasurers of the other counties shall, at any time, not oftener than twice each year, upon the order of the district board settle with the district board and pay over to the treasurer of the county where the district is organized all money in their possession belonging to the district. The last named treasurer shall give a receipt for the money and place it to the credit of the district.

The funds shall only be withdrawn from the county treasury depository upon the warrant of the district board signed by its president or acting president, and countersigned by its secretary.

Any part or all of the taxes collected for use of the district may be used for matching funds made available to the district by county, state, or federal governmental agencies.

All expenses of any special election conducted pursuant to the provisions of this chapter shall be paid by the mosquito control district.

It shall be the duty of the assessor of each county lying wholly or partially within the district to certify annually to the board the aggregate assessed valuation of all taxable property in his or her county situated in any mosquito control district as the same appears from the last assessment roll of his or her county.

Any territory contiguous to a district may be annexed to the district.

If the territory to be annexed is in a city, consent to the annexation shall first be obtained from the governing body of the city. An authenticated copy of the resolution or order of that body consenting to the annexation shall be attached to the annexation petition.

The district board, upon receiving a written petition for annexation containing a description of the territory sought to be annexed, signed by registered voters in said territory equal in number to at least ten percent of the number of votes cast in the territory for the office of governor at the last gubernatorial election prior to the time the petition is presented, shall set the petition for hearing. It shall publish notice of the hearing along with a copy of the petition, stating the time and place set for the hearing, in each county in which any part of the district or of the territory is situated, and in each city situated wholly or in part in the territory. Not more than five of the names attached to the petition need appear in the publication, but the number of signers shall be stated.

At the time set for the hearing the district board shall hear persons appearing in behalf of the petition and all protests and objections to it. The district board may adjourn the hearing from time to time, but not exceeding two months in all.

On the final hearing the district board shall make such changes as it believes advisable in the boundaries of the territory, and shall define and establish the boundaries. It shall also determine whether the petition meets the requirements of this chapter.

If upon the hearing the district board finds that the petition and the proceedings thereon meet the requirements of this chapter and that it is desirable and to the interests of the district and of the territory proposed to be annexed that the territory, with boundaries as fixed and determined by the district board, or any portion of it, should be annexed to the district, the board shall order the boundaries of the district changed to include the territory, or portion of the territory, subject to approval of the electors of the territory proposed to be annexed. The election to be conducted and the returns canvassed and declared insofar as is practicable in accordance with the requirements of this chapter for the formation of a district. The expenses of such election shall be borne by the mosquito control district regardless of the outcome of the election.

The order of annexation shall describe the boundaries of the annexed territory and that portion of the boundary of the district which coincides with any boundary of the territory. If necessary in making this order, the board may have any portion of the boundaries surveyed.

If more than one petition for the annexation of the territory has been presented, the district board may in one order include in the district any number of separate territories.

The order of annexation shall be entered in the minutes of the board and certified copies shall be filed with the secretary of state and with the county clerk and county auditor of each county in which the district or any part of it is situated.

From and after the date of the filing and recording of the certified copies of the order, the territory described in the order is a part of the district, with all the rights, privileges, and powers set forth in this act and those necessarily incident thereto.

After the annexation of territory to a district, the district board shall consist of the number of members and shall be appointed in the manner prescribed by this chapter for a district formed originally with boundaries embracing the annexed territory. However, the members of the district board in office at the time of the annexation shall continue to serve as members during the remainder of the terms for which they were appointed.

Whenever in the judgment of the district board it is for the best interests of the district that it be consolidated with one or more other districts, it may, by a two-thirds vote of its members, adopt a resolution reciting that fact and declaring the advisability of such consolidation and the willingness of the board to consolidate. The resolution shall be sent to the board of each district with which consolidation is proposed.

The board of each district to which a proposal of consolidation is sent shall consider said proposal and give notice of its decision to the proposing board.

Should it appear that two-thirds of the members of each of the boards of districts proposed to be consolidated favor consolidation each of said boards shall then, by a vote of not less than two-thirds of its members adopt a concurrent resolution in favor of consolidation, declaring its willingness to consolidate, specifying a name for the consolidated district. Immediately upon the adoption of said concurrent resolution a copy of same signed by not less than two-thirds of the members of each board shall be forwarded to the county commissioners of the county in which all of or a major portion of the land of all, the districts consolidated are situated.

When the concurrent resolution for consolidation has been adopted, each board of the districts proposed for consolidation shall forthwith call a special election in its district in which shall be presented to the electors of the districts the question whether the consolidation shall be effected.

The election shall be conducted and the returns canvassed and declared insofar as is practicable in accordance with the requirements of this chapter for the formation of a district.

The board of each district shall declare the returns of the election in its district, and shall certify the results to the county commissioners of the county in which all the districts, or the major portion of the land of all the districts, are situated.

Should not less than two-thirds of the votes of each of the respective districts proposed to be consolidated favor consolidation the county commissioners shall immediately:

(1) Enter an order on its minutes consolidating all of the districts proposed for consolidation into one district with name as specified in the concurrent resolution.

(2) Transmit a certified copy of the order to the county commissioners of any other county in which any portion of the consolidated district is situated.

(3) Record a copy in the office of the county auditor of each of the counties in which any portion of the consolidated district is situated.

(4) File a copy in the office of the secretary of state.

After the transmission, recording and filing of the order, the territory in the districts entering into the consolidation proposal forms a single consolidated district.

After the consolidation, the board of the consolidated district shall consist of the number and shall be appointed in the manner prescribed by this chapter for a district originally formed.

The terms of the members of the district boards of the several districts consolidated who are in office at the time of consolidation shall terminate at the time the consolidation becomes effective.

The consolidated district has all the rights, powers, duties, privileges and obligations of a district formed originally under the provisions of this chapter.

If at the time of consolidation there is outstanding an indebtedness of any of the former districts included in the consolidated district, that indebtedness shall be paid in the manner provided for the payment of indebtedness upon dissolution of a district.

A consolidated district shall not be liable for any indebtedness of any of the former districts included in it which was outstanding at the time of consolidation.

No property in any of the former districts shall be taxed to pay any indebtedness of any other former district existing at the date of the consolidation.

The district may at any time be dissolved upon the vote of two-thirds of the qualified electors in the district at a special election called by the district board upon the question. The question shall be submitted as, "Shall the district be dissolved?", or words to that effect.

Notice of the election shall be published at least once a week for at least four weeks prior to the date of the election in a newspaper of general circulation in each county of the district.

Should two-thirds or more of the votes at the election favor dissolution the district board shall certify that fact to the secretary of state. Upon receipt of such certification the secretary of state shall issue his or her certificate reciting that the district (naming it) has been dissolved, and shall transmit to and file a copy with the county clerk of each county in which any portion of the district is situated.

After the date of the certificate of the secretary of state, the district is dissolved.

If the district at the time of dissolution was wholly within unincorporated territory in one county, its property vests in that county.

If the district at the time of dissolution was situated wholly within the boundaries of a single city, its property vests in that city.

If the district at the time of dissolution comprised only unincorporated territory in two or more counties, its property vests in those counties in proportion to the assessed value of each county's property within the boundaries of the district as shown on the last equalized county assessment roll.

If the district at the time of dissolution comprised both incorporated and unincorporated territory, its property vests in each unit in proportion as its assessed property value lies within the boundaries of the district: PROVIDED, HOWEVER, That any real property, easements, or rights-of-way vest in the city in which they are situated or in the county in which they are situated.

If, at the time of election to dissolve, a district has outstanding any indebtedness, the vote to dissolve the district dissolves it for all purposes except the levy and collection of taxes for the payment of the indebtedness, and expenses of assessing, levying, and collecting such taxes.

Until the indebtedness is paid, the county commissioners of the county in which the greater portion of the district was situated shall act as the ex officio district board and shall levy taxes and perform such functions as may be necessary in order to pay the indebtedness.

If any part, or parts, of this chapter shall be held unconstitutional, the remaining provisions shall be given full force and effect, as completely as if the part held unconstitutional had not been included therein, if any such remaining part can then be administered in furtherance of the purposes of this chapter.