(1) (a) Within seven days after receipt of the rail district organizational commission's report, the district court shall direct the election committee, as provided in section 32-12-106 (2), to conduct an election on the date designated by the organizational commission for the purpose of deciding whether a rail district is to be formed, to provide an opportunity for the eligible electors to approve the proposed railroad facilities to be acquired, the maximum mill levy, and the services proposed for the rail district, and to elect the board of directors of the rail district.
(b) The court shall direct the election committee to publish notice of the election setting forth the list of proposed railroad facilities acquisitions, proposed services, and maximum mill levy and to conduct the election pursuant to articles 1 to 13 of title 1, C.R.S.
(Deleted by amendment, L. 92, p. 920, § 186, effective January 1, 1993.)
At the election, eligible electors shall "approve" or "disapprove" the formation of therail district, the railroad facilities proposed to be acquired, the services proposed, and the maximum mill levy and shall elect candidates to serve on the board of directors of the rail district. The candidate receiving the highest number of votes within each zone shall be elected, and the two candidates receiving the highest number of votes within the entire rail district shall be elected members at large. In the event of tie votes for the last available vacancy for the board, the committee shall determine by lot the person who shall be elected. No rail district may be formed, no facility acquired, no service established, and no maximum mill levy established unless approved by a majority of the eligible electors voting thereon in each county, or portion thereof, within the rail district.
Within seven days following the election, the committee shall certify the results ofthe election to the court. If a majority of the eligible electors in each county, or portion thereof, voting thereon approve formation, the court shall declare, by order entered of record, that the rail district is formed in the corporate name designated in the petition and shall designate those railroad facilities to be acquired, the services to be provided, and the maximum mill levy which were authorized by a majority of the eligible electors voting thereon in each county, or portion thereof, at the election. Upon the filing with the court of the oath of office of members elected to the board, the court, by order entered of record, shall declare the members of the board elected and qualified, and the formation shall be complete. At that time, the election committee shall be dissolved. The board shall be charged with acquiring, rehabilitating, and operating those approved facilities in accordance with this article.
The entry of an order forming a rail district shall finally and conclusively establish itsregular formation against all persons except the state of Colorado, which may commence an action in the nature of quo warranto, within thirty-five days after entry of such order, and not otherwise. The formation of the rail district shall not be directly or collaterally questioned in any suit, action, or proceeding, except as expressly authorized in this section.
All necessary expenses for the elections and other proceedings conducted pursuant tosections 32-12-106 and 32-12-107 and this section, including the expenses and reimbursements for the organizational commission, shall be paid from the bond or cash deposit required pursuant to section 32-12-105 (4) if the organization is not effected or by the rail district if the organization is effected.
Within fifteen days after the entry of the order forming a rail district, the clerk of thecourt shall file a copy of the decree with the board of county commissioners and the assessor of each county, or portion thereof, within the rail district and with the division of local government.
Source: L. 82: Entire article added, p. 507, § 1, effective April 23. L. 92: (1) to (4) amended, p. 920, § 186, effective January 1, 1993. L. 94: (1)(b) amended, p. 1644, § 72, effective May 31. L. 98: (1)(b) amended, p. 827, § 47, effective August 5. L. 2012: (5) amended, (SB 12-175), ch. 208, p. 882, § 151, effective July 1.