TITLE 31

COUNTIES AND COUNTY LAW

CHAPTER 39

AMBULANCE SERVICE

31-3922.  dissolution. Dissolution of any ambulance service district organized under the provisions of section 31-3911, Idaho Code, may be initiated by a petition signed by at least twenty-five percent (25%) of the qualified electors within the ambulance service district, requesting dissolution of the ambulance service district, in the following manner:

(1)  The petition shall first be presented to the board of county commissioners of each county in which the ambulance service district is situated, signed by the requisite number of qualified electors, which petition shall clearly designate the boundaries of the ambulance service district and shall state the name of the district and shall be accompanied by a map thereof. The petition, together with all maps and other papers filed therewith, shall, at proper hours, be open to public inspection in the office of the clerk of the board of county commissioners between the date of said filing and the date of the election on the question of districts as provided in this section. The petition may be in one (1) or in several papers. When such petition is presented to the board of county commissioners and filed in the office of the clerk of the board, the said board shall set a time for hearing of such petition, which time shall not be less than four (4) nor more than six (6) weeks from the date of the presenting and filing of said petition. A notice of the time of such hearing shall be published by said board, once a week for three (3) successive weeks previous to the time set for such hearing, in a newspaper published within the county in which said district is situated. Said notice shall give the boundaries of the ambulance service district and shall state that a petition has been filed to dissolve the same and that, on the date fixed for the hearing, any taxpayer within the district may appear at the hearing and testify and present exhibits upon any issue pertaining to the proposed dissolution of the ambulance service district or may object to or support the proposed dissolution.

(2)  After hearing and considering any and all testimony and other evidence made either in favor of or in opposition to the dissolution of the ambulance service district, if the board of county commissioners makes a sufficient factual finding that the majority of the residents of the ambulance service district will receive no benefit by continuing the existence of the ambulance service district, the county commissioners shall make an order granting the petition, with or without modification. If the board of county commissioners, after hearing and considering all testimony and other evidence either in favor of or in opposition to the dissolution of the ambulance service district, cannot make a sufficient factual finding that the majority of the residents of the ambulance service district will receive no benefit by continuing the existence of the ambulance service district, the county commissioners shall make an order denying the petition. After the county commissioners have entered their order approving or denying such petition, the clerk of the board of county commissioners shall cause to be published a notice of election to be held in such proposed ambulance service district for the purpose of determining whether or not the same shall be dissolved. Such notice shall plainly and clearly designate the boundaries of the ambulance service district, its name, and that the election is to be held to decide the question of whether the ambulance service district shall be maintained or dissolved. Such notice shall be published once each week in a newspaper published within the county for three (3) successive publications prior to such election.

(3)  Such notice shall require the electors to cast ballots that shall contain the words "… ambulance service district dissolved, yes" or "… ambulance service district dissolved, no" or words equivalent thereto. No person shall be entitled to vote at any election held under the provisions of this chapter unless he shall possess all the qualifications required of electors under the general laws of the state and be a resident of the district.

(4)  If a majority of the electors voting at such election shall vote to dissolve the ambulance service district, the board of county commissioners shall, after certifying the results of such election, enter an order upon the minutes of its official proceedings dissolving said ambulance service district, and such district shall thereupon be dissolved.

(5)  The property of such district shall remain the property of the county in which such district is located and any money remaining in the fund of such district shall be expended in the maintenance and repair of the highways of such district, whether such highways at the time of the dissolution are in the incorporated territory or in unincorporated territory.

(6)  If the district is situated in two (2) or more counties, each board of county commissioners shall coordinate the hearing date and the publications of notice so that only one (1) hearing need be held. Unless otherwise agreed to by each board of county commissioners involved, the hearing shall be held at the administrative offices of the district, and the boards of county commissioners are hereby specifically authorized to act in a joint manner for such purposes. If an election is called, the boards of county commissioners shall provide that the election be held on the same day in each county, and the boards of county commissioners shall coordinate the canvass of the votes cast and make one (1) joint announcement. If a majority of votes in any county are against the dissolution of the district, such rejection shall void the dissolution of the district in all counties.

History:

[31-3922, added 2020, ch. 209, sec. 20, p. 614.]