Before issuing any bonds under the provisions of this chapter, the municipality or other authority shall, by resolution spread upon the minutes, declare its intention to issue such bonds for the purposes authorized by this chapter and shall state in said resolution the amount of bonds proposed to be issued and shall likewise fix in said resolution the date upon which the said municipality or other authority proposes to direct the issuance of such bonds. Notice of such intention shall be published once a week for at least three (3) consecutive weeks in a newspaper published or having a general circulation in the municipality or the governmental subdivision issuing the bonds, with the first publication of said notice to be made not less than twenty-one (21) days prior to the date fixed in the resolution for the issuance of said bonds and the last publication to be made not more than seven (7) days prior to such date. If, on or before the date specified in the resolution, twenty percent (20%) of the qualified electors of the municipality or other governmental subdivision shall file a written protest against the issuance of such bonds, then an election upon the issuance thereof shall be called, and held, as is hereby provided. If no such protest shall be filed, then the said municipality or other authority may issue such bonds without an election on the question of the issuance thereof at any time within a period of two (2) years after the date specified in the resolution.