(2) After the formation of a district, the county board shall act as the district board if a petition is filed with the county board requesting that it do so. The petition may be presented by the district board or it may be presented by the landowners in the district. A petition presented by landowners shall be signed by landowners within the district owning not less than 50 percent of the front footage abutting the portion of highway included within the district. A copy of a landowners’ petition shall be sent to the district board before it is filed with the county board. When a county board becomes the governing body of a district under this subsection, the district board shall turn over to the county board the books, records, files, assets and obligations of the district and upon the delivery thereof, the county board shall become and thereafter act as the district board. [1971 c.514 §20b; 1987 c.158 §65]