HF 2536

as introduced - 81st Legislature (1999 - 2000) Posted on 12/15/2009 12:00am

  1.1                          A bill for an act 
  1.2             relating to local government; authorizing the cities 
  1.3             of Excelsior, Shorewood, Deephaven, Tonka Bay, and 
  1.4             Greenwood to establish a special fire protection 
  1.5             district. 
  1.6   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.7      Section 1.  [AREA FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT.] 
  1.8      Subdivision 1.  [AGREEMENT.] The cities of Excelsior, 
  1.9   Shorewood, Deephaven, Tonka Bay, and Greenwood may establish an 
  1.10  area fire protection district.  To join the district, each city 
  1.11  council must pass a resolution and the resolution must be 
  1.12  approved by the voters of the city at a general election.  The 
  1.13  district shall provide fire protection services throughout the 
  1.14  territory of the district and may exercise all the powers of the 
  1.15  cities that relate to fire protection service anywhere within 
  1.16  its territory.  Any other contiguous home rule charter or 
  1.17  statutory city may join the district with the agreement of the 
  1.18  cities that comprise the district at the time of its application 
  1.19  to join. 
  1.20     Subd. 2.  [BOARD.] The district shall be governed by a 
  1.21  board composed of up to two members appointed by the city 
  1.22  council of each city in the district.  A district board member 
  1.23  may, but is not required to, be a member of a city council.  
  1.24  Except as provided in this section, members shall serve two-year 
  1.25  terms ending the first Monday in January and until their 
  2.1   successors are appointed and qualified.  Of the members first 
  2.2   appointed, as far as possible, the terms of one-half expire on 
  2.3   the first Monday in January in the first year following their 
  2.4   appointment and one-half the first Monday in January in the 
  2.5   second year.  The terms of those initially appointed must be 
  2.6   determined by lot.  If additional members are added because an 
  2.7   additional city joins the district, the members' terms must be 
  2.8   fixed so that, as far as possible, the terms of one-half of all 
  2.9   the members expire on the same date. 
  2.10     Subd. 3.  [TAX.] The district may impose a property tax on 
  2.11  taxable real and personal property in the district in an amount 
  2.12  sufficient to discharge its operating expenses and debt payable 
  2.13  in each year.  The district may set a separate levy for each 
  2.14  member city based on the costs of providing services to that 
  2.15  city.  The Hennepin county auditor and treasurer shall collect 
  2.16  the tax and pay it to the district. 
  2.17     Subd. 4.  [PUBLIC INDEBTEDNESS.] The district may incur 
  2.18  debt in the manner provided for a municipality by Minnesota 
  2.19  Statutes, chapter 475, when necessary to accomplish a duty 
  2.20  charged to it. 
  2.21     Subd. 5.  [WITHDRAWAL.] Upon two years' notice, a city may 
  2.22  withdraw from the district.  Its territory remains subject to 
  2.23  taxation for debt incurred prior to its withdrawal pursuant to 
  2.24  Minnesota Statutes, chapter 475. 
  2.25     Subd. 6.  [EFFECTIVE DATE.] This section is effective in 
  2.26  the cities of Excelsior, Shorewood, Deephaven, Tonka Bay, and 
  2.27  Greenwood the day after compliance with Minnesota Statutes, 
  2.28  section 645.021, subdivision 3, by the governing body of each.