1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to local government; providing a process for
1.3 	combining the offices of county auditor and treasurer,
1.4 	and making certain county offices appointive in Lac
1.5 	qui Parle County.
1.6 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.7 	Section 1. LAC QUI PARLE COUNTY; AUDITOR AND TREASURER
1.8 	MAY BE COMBINED, MADE APPOINTED; RECORDER MAY BE APPOINTED.
 1.9 		Subdivision 1.Authority to combine, make offices
1.10 	appointive. Notwithstanding Minnesota Statutes, section 382.01,
1.11 	upon adoption of a resolution by the Lac qui Parle County Board
1.12 	of Commissioners, the offices of county auditor and county
1.13 	treasurer are combined, and the combined office of
1.14 	auditor-treasurer and the office of county recorder are not
1.15 	elective but must be filled by appointment by the county board
1.16 	as provided in the resolution.
1.17 		Subd. 2.Board controls; may change as long as duties
1.18 	done. Upon adoption of a resolution by the Lac qui Parle County
1.19 	Board of Commissioners and subject to subdivisions 3 and 4, the
1.20 	duties of the elected officials required by statute whose
1.21 	offices are made appointive as authorized by this section must
1.22 	be discharged by the Board of Commissioners of Lac qui Parle
1.23 	County acting through a department head appointed by the board
1.24 	for that purpose.  A reorganization, reallocation, or delegation
1.25 	or other administrative change or transfer does not diminish,
2.1 	prohibit, or avoid the discharge of duties required by statute.
2.2 		Subd. 3.Incumbents to complete term. The person elected
2.3 	at the last general election to a position made appointed under
2.4 	this section must serve in that capacity and perform the duties,
2.5 	functions, and responsibilities required by statute until the
2.6 	completion of the term of office to which the person was elected
2.7 	or until a vacancy occurs in the office, whichever occurs
2.8 	earlier.
2.9 		Subd. 4.Publishing resolution; petition,
2.10 	referendum. The county board may provide for combining the
2.11 	offices of auditor and treasurer and the appointment of the
2.12 	county auditor-treasurer and the county recorder as permitted in
2.13 	this section if the resolution to make the offices appointed is
2.14 	approved by 80 percent of the members of the county board.
2.15 	Before the adoption of the resolution, the county board must
2.16 	publish a resolution notifying the public of its intent to
2.17 	consider adopting the option once each week for two consecutive
2.18 	weeks in the official publication of the county.  Following the
2.19 	publication, the county board shall provide an opportunity at
2.20 	its next regular meeting for public comment relating to the
2.21 	option, prior to formally adopting the option.  The resolution
2.22 	may be implemented without the submission of the question to the
2.23 	voters of the county unless, within 30 days after the second
2.24 	publication of the resolution, a petition requesting a
2.25 	referendum, signed by at least ten percent of the registered
2.26 	voters of the county, is filed with the county auditor.  If a
2.27 	petition is filed, the resolution may be implemented unless
2.28 	disapproved by a majority of the voters of the county voting on
2.29 	the question at a regular or special election.
2.30 		Subd. 5.Effective date; local approval. This section is
2.31 	effective the day after the governing body of Lac qui Parle
2.32 	County and its chief clerical officer timely complete their
2.33 	compliance with Minnesota Statutes, section 645.021,
2.34 	subdivisions 2 and 3.