HF 1241

as introduced - 84th Legislature (2005 - 2006) Posted on 12/15/2009 12:00am

A bill for an act
relating to local government; requiring the state
auditor to study and report on the feasibility of
consolidating counties along natural physical or
alternative political boundaries and on the usefulness
of establishing county service districts as an
alternative to consolidation; appropriating money.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

Section 1. new text begin STUDY ON CONSOLIDATING COUNTIES AND
RATIONALIZING OTHER INTERNAL BOUNDARIES.
new text end

new text begin The state auditor shall study the feasibility of
consolidating counties in the state. As part of the study, the
state auditor shall consider conforming county boundaries to
other existing physical or organizational boundaries including,
among others, watersheds and state judicial districts and shall
consider the economic implications that may result from the
consolidation. The study shall also include a consideration of
the rationalization of other internal boundaries of the state
such as highway maintenance and regional economic districts.
new text end

Sec. 2. new text begin COUNTY SERVICE DISTRICTS; STUDY.
new text end

new text begin Subdivision 1. new text end

new text begin Study. new text end

new text begin The state auditor shall study the
feasibility and usefulness of establishing 19 county service
districts as described in this section.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 2. new text end

new text begin District 1. new text end

new text begin District 1 is composed of Hennepin
County.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 3. new text end

new text begin District 2. new text end

new text begin District 2 is composed of Anoka
County.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 4. new text end

new text begin District 3. new text end

new text begin District 3 is composed of Ramsey
County.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 5. new text end

new text begin District 4. new text end

new text begin District 4 is composed of
Washington County.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 6. new text end

new text begin District 5. new text end

new text begin District 5 is composed of Dakota
County.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 7. new text end

new text begin District 6. new text end

new text begin District 6 is composed of the
counties of Carver and Scott.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 8. new text end

new text begin District 7. new text end

new text begin District 7 is composed of the
counties of Kandiyohi, McLeod, Meeker, Renville, Sibley, and
Wright.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 9. new text end

new text begin District 8. new text end

new text begin District 8 is composed of the
counties of Benton, Sherburne, and Stearns.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 10. new text end

new text begin District 9. new text end

new text begin District 9 is composed of the
counties of Aitkin, Cass, Crow Wing, Hubbard, Morrison, Todd,
and Wadena.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 11. new text end

new text begin District 10. new text end

new text begin District 10 is composed of the
counties of Chisago, Isanti, Kanabec, Mille Lacs, and Pine.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 12. new text end

new text begin District 11. new text end

new text begin District 11 is composed of the
counties of Carlton, Cook, Lake, and St. Louis.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 13. new text end

new text begin District 12. new text end

new text begin District 12 is composed of the
counties of Beltrami, Itasca, Koochiching, and Lake of the Woods.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 14. new text end

new text begin District 13. new text end

new text begin District 13 is composed of the
counties of Clearwater, Kittson, Mahnomen, Marshall, Norman,
Pennington, Polk, Red Lake, and Roseau.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 15. new text end

new text begin District 14. new text end

new text begin District 14 is composed of the
counties of Becker, Clay, Douglas, Grant, Otter Tail, and Wilkin.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 16. new text end

new text begin District 15. new text end

new text begin District 15 is composed of the
counties of Big Stone, Chippewa, Lac qui Parle, Pope, Stevens,
Swift, Traverse, and Yellow Medicine.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 17. new text end

new text begin District 16. new text end

new text begin District 16 is composed of the
counties of Cottonwood, Jackson, Lincoln, Lyon, Murray, Nobles,
Pipestone, Redwood, and Rock.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 18. new text end

new text begin District 17. new text end

new text begin District 17 is composed of the
counties of Blue Earth, Brown, Faribault, Le Sueur, Martin,
Nicollet, and Watonwan.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 19. new text end

new text begin District 18. new text end

new text begin District 18 is composed of the
counties of Dodge, Freeborn, Mower, Rice, Steele, and Waseca.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 20. new text end

new text begin District 19. new text end

new text begin District 19 is composed of the
counties of Fillmore, Goodhue, Houston, Olmsted, Winona, and
Wabasha.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 21. new text end

new text begin Multicounty districts. new text end

new text begin Counties in a county
service district composed of more than one county would
cooperate in the planning of and the provision of county
services and functions within the district to achieve economies
of scale, efficiency in the delivery of services, and the
elimination or reduction of duplication of functions and
services as feasible. The county boards of the counties in the
respective districts would appoint joint boards and advisory
committees to assist in carrying out the purposes of this
section. The county boards of a district, by resolution and
unanimous agreement, could delegate to a board the authority
that they deem necessary to carry out the function or functions
assigned to the board.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 22. new text end

new text begin Single county districts. new text end

new text begin A county that is a
single county service district would cooperate with other such
counties in the planning of and the provision of county services
for the purposes described in subdivision 21 where feasible.
The county boards could appoint joint boards and advisory
committees to assist in carrying out the purposes of this
section. The county boards of the districts, by resolution and
unanimous agreement, could delegate to a board the authority as
they deem necessary to carry out the function or functions
assigned to the board.
new text end

Sec. 3. new text begin REPORT DATE.
new text end

new text begin The state auditor shall report on the study to the
legislative committees with jurisdiction over local government
by January 1, 2006.
new text end

Sec. 4. new text begin APPROPRIATION.
new text end

new text begin $....... is appropriated from the general fund to the state
auditor for the purposes of section 1.
new text end