§ 12-41-301 - Purchase of land.
12-41-301. Purchase of land.
(a) (1) The county courts of the several counties in this state shall purchase a farm or tract of land within the boundaries of the county and provide for the erection on the farm or tract of land a house of correction.
(2) However, the farm or tract of land shall not be purchased unless the taxpayers of each township in the county shall petition the county court to provide for the purchase. No farm shall be purchased unless a majority of all the taxpayers of the county sign the petitions.
(b) (1) The county court may appoint three (3) discreet persons as commissioners, who shall be taxpayers and qualified voters of this state, to select and agree for the purchase of a farm or tract of land as provided in subsection (a) of this section.
(2) When the commissioners have made a selection and agreement concerning the farm or tract of land, they shall report their doings to the county court.
(3) If the court approves the selection and the stipulations of the commissioners concerning the payment for the land, then the court shall provide for the purchase of the land and take from the vendor of the land a good and sufficient deed of conveyance for the use of the county.
(4) The deed of conveyance shall be in such form and shall be taken in such manner as is provided by law in such cases.
(c) The farm or tract of land provided for in this section may be either improved or unimproved land, as the county court may in its discretion elect.
(d) The farm or tract of land provided for in this section shall consist of such number of acres as the county court may in its discretion determine.
(e) When the court determines to purchase the farm or tract of land, the court shall contract for the land on the most favorable terms possible to the county.
(f) The court shall pay for the farm, and for the erection of the house of correction, in the same manner that other public county improvements are paid for.