1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to taxation; authorizing the creation of an Isanti Area Joint Operating 
1.3 	Fire District. 
1.4 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.5 	Section 1. ISANTI AREA JOINT OPERATING FIRE DISTRICT.
 1.6 		Subdivision 1.Agreement. The city of Isanti, and one or more of the townships of 
1.7 	Athens, Stanford, Bradford, Isanti, and Oxford may, by action of their city council and 
1.8 	town boards, establish the Isanti Area Joint Operating Fire District. The district shall 
1.9 	provide fire protection services throughout its territory and may exercise all the powers 
1.10 	of the city and towns that relate to fire protection anywhere within its territory. The 
1.11 	district shall be governed by a board, which shall exercise the authority of the district and 
1.12 	manage its affairs, including appointment of a fire chief and such other actions as it deems 
1.13 	appropriate. Any other contiguous town or statutory city may join the district with the 
1.14 	agreement of the cities and towns that comprise the district at the time of its application to 
1.15 	join by majority vote of the district board. Action to join the district may be taken by the 
1.16 	city council or town board of the city or town.
1.17 		Subd. 2.Membership. The district board shall consist of one elected member 
1.18 	appointed by the city council or town board of each city or town in the district. Each 
1.19 	member appointed by the city council or town board will have individual voting authority. 
1.20 	The chief or designee of the district may serve as a non-voting member of the board.
1.21 		Subd. 3.Officers. The district shall elect from among its voting members a chair 
1.22 	and vice chair. The chair shall act as the presiding officer at all district board meetings, 
1.23 	unless the chair is not present, in which case the vice chair shall preside.
2.1 		Subd. 4.Terms. Members shall serve one-year terms ending the first Monday in 
2.2 	January. Vacancies on the board shall be filled in the manner as its original members.
2.3 		Subd. 5.Meetings. The board shall hold monthly meetings at a time and location to 
2.4 	be set by the board, with notice provided in accordance with Minnesota Statutes, section 
2.5 	13D.04. The district may, by board resolution, determine to hold more or fewer meetings, 
2.6 	or to change the location and or time of the meetings.
2.7 		Subd. 6.Tax. The district may impose a property tax on real property in the district 
2.8 	in an amount sufficient to discharge its operating expenses and debt payable in each year. 
2.9 	The tax shall be disregarded in the calculation of any levies or limits on levies provided by 
2.10 	Minnesota Statutes, chapter 275, or any other law. A city or town that joins the district may 
2.11 	not incur expenses or debt for fire protection services for territory included in the district.
2.12 		Subd. 7.Withdrawal. Upon two years' notice, a city or town may withdraw from the 
2.13 	district. Its territory shall remain subject to taxation for debt incurred prior to its withdrawal.
2.14 		Subd. 8.Nullification of prior joint powers agreement. If the fire district is 
2.15 	established in subdivision 1, then the Isanti Area Joint Operating Fire District joint 
2.16 	powers agreement made effective in 2005 is hereby nullified and shall be of no further 
2.17 	force or effect.