CHAPTER 8812. VICTORIA COUNTY GROUNDWATER CONSERVATION DISTRICT
SPECIAL DISTRICT LOCAL LAWS CODE
TITLE 6. WATER AND WASTEWATER
SUBTITLE H. DISTRICTS GOVERNING GROUNDWATER
CHAPTER 8812. VICTORIA COUNTY GROUNDWATER
CONSERVATION DISTRICT
For contingent expiration of this chapter, see Sec. 8812.003.
SUBCHAPTER A. GENERAL PROVISIONS
Sec. 8812.001. DEFINITIONS. In this chapter:
(1) "Board" means the board of directors of the district.
(2) "Director" means a member of the board.
(3) "District" means the Victoria County Groundwater
Conservation District.
Added by Acts 2005, 79th Leg., Ch.
661, Sec. 1, eff. September 1, 2005.
Sec. 8812.002. NATURE OF DISTRICT. The district is a
groundwater conservation district in Victoria County created
under and essential to accomplish the purposes of Section 59,
Article XVI, Texas Constitution.
Added by Acts 2005, 79th Leg., Ch.
661, Sec. 1, eff. September 1, 2005.
Sec. 8812.003. CONFIRMATION ELECTION REQUIRED. If the creation
of the district is not confirmed at a confirmation election held
before September 1, 2010:
(1) the district is dissolved on September 1, 2010, except that:
(A) any debts incurred shall be paid;
(B) any assets that remain after the payment of debts shall be
transferred to Victoria County; and
(C) the organization of the district shall be maintained until
all debts are paid and remaining assets are transferred; and
(2) this chapter expires on September 1, 2013.
Added by Acts 2005, 79th Leg., Ch.
661, Sec. 1, eff. September 1, 2005.
Sec. 8812.004. INITIAL DISTRICT TERRITORY. The initial
boundaries of the district are coextensive with the boundaries of
Victoria County, Texas.
Added by Acts 2005, 79th Leg., Ch.
661, Sec. 1, eff. September 1, 2005.
Sec. 8812.005. APPLICABILITY OF OTHER GROUNDWATER CONSERVATION
DISTRICT LAW. Except as otherwise provided by this chapter,
Chapter 36, Water Code, applies to the district.
Added by Acts 2005, 79th Leg., Ch.
661, Sec. 1, eff. September 1, 2005.
SUBCHAPTER A-1. TEMPORARY PROVISIONS
For expiration of this subchapter, see Sec. 8812.026
Sec. 8812.021. APPOINTMENT OF TEMPORARY DIRECTORS. (a) Not
later than the 10th day after September 1, 2005, the Victoria
County Commissioners Court shall appoint five temporary directors
as follows:
(1) one temporary director shall be appointed from each of the
four commissioner precincts in the county to represent the
precinct in which the temporary director resides; and
(2) one temporary director who resides in the district shall be
appointed to represent the district at large.
(b) If there is a vacancy on the temporary board of directors of
the district, the remaining temporary directors shall select a
qualified person to fill the vacancy. If, at any time, there are
fewer than three qualified temporary directors, the Victoria
County Commissioners Court shall appoint the necessary number of
persons to fill all vacancies on the board.
(c) To be eligible to serve as a temporary director, a person
must be a resident of Victoria County and at least 18 years of
age.
(d) Temporary directors serve until the earlier of:
(1) the time the temporary directors become initial directors as
provided by Section 8812.024; or
(2) the date this chapter expires under Section 8812.003.
Added by Acts 2005, 79th Leg., Ch.
661, Sec. 1, eff. September 1, 2005.
Sec. 8812.022. ORGANIZATIONAL MEETING OF TEMPORARY DIRECTORS.
As soon as practicable after all the temporary directors have
qualified under Section 36.055, Water Code, a majority of the
temporary directors shall convene the organizational meeting of
the district at a location within the district agreeable to a
majority of the directors. If an agreement on location cannot be
reached, the organizational meeting shall be at the Victoria
County Courthouse. At the meeting, the temporary directors shall
elect a chair, vice chair, and secretary from among the temporary
directors.
Added by Acts 2005, 79th Leg., Ch.
661, Sec. 1, eff. September 1, 2005.
Sec. 8812.023. CONFIRMATION ELECTION. (a) Not later than the
30th day after September 1, 2005, the temporary board shall order
an election to be held not later than the 120th day after
September 1, 2005, to confirm the creation of the district.
(b) Section 41.001(a), Election Code, does not apply to a
confirmation election held as provided by this section.
(c) The ballot for the election must be printed to permit voting
for or against the following proposition: "The creation of the
Victoria County Groundwater Conservation District and the
imposition of an ad valorem tax in the district at a rate not to
exceed two cents for each $100 of assessed valuation."
(d) The temporary board may include any other proposition on the
ballot that it considers necessary.
(e) Except as provided by this section, a confirmation election
must be conducted as provided by Section 36.017(b)-(i), Water
Code, and the Election Code. The provision of Section 36.017(d),
Water Code, relating to the election of permanent directors does
not apply to a confirmation election under this section.
(f) If the creation of the district is not confirmed at a
confirmation election held under this section, the board may hold
another confirmation election not sooner than the first
anniversary of the most recent confirmation election.
Added by Acts 2005, 79th Leg., Ch.
661, Sec. 1, eff. September 1, 2005.
Sec. 8812.024. INITIAL DIRECTORS. (a) If creation of the
district is confirmed at an election held under Section 8812.023,
the temporary directors of the district become the initial
directors of the district and serve on the board of directors
until permanent directors are elected under Section 8812.025.
(b) The directors for county commissioner precincts one and
three serve until the first regularly scheduled election of
directors under Section 8812.025. The directors for precincts two
and four and the director at large serve until the second
regularly scheduled election of directors under Section 8812.025.
Added by Acts 2005, 79th Leg., Ch.
661, Sec. 1, eff. September 1, 2005.
Sec. 8812.025. INITIAL ELECTION OF PERMANENT DIRECTORS. On the
uniform election date prescribed by Section 41.001, Election
Code, in November of the first even-numbered year after the year
in which the creation of the district is confirmed at an election
held under Section 8812.023, an election shall be held in the
district for the election of two directors to replace the initial
directors who, under Section 8812.024(b), serve until that
election.
Added by Acts 2005, 79th Leg., Ch.
661, Sec. 1, eff. September 1, 2005.
Sec. 8812.026. EXPIRATION OF SUBCHAPTER. This subchapter
expires September 1, 2013.
Added by Acts 2005, 79th Leg., Ch.
661, Sec. 1, eff. September 1, 2005.
SUBCHAPTER B. BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Sec. 8812.051. DIRECTORS; TERMS. (a) The district is governed
by a board of five directors.
(b) Directors serve staggered four-year terms.
Added by Acts 2005, 79th Leg., Ch.
661, Sec. 1, eff. September 1, 2005.
Sec. 8812.052. METHOD OF ELECTING DIRECTORS: COMMISSIONERS
PRECINCTS. (a) The directors of the district shall be elected
according to the commissioners precinct method as provided by
this section.
(b) One director shall be elected by the voters of the entire
district, and one director shall be elected from each county
commissioners precinct by the voters of that precinct.
(c) Except as provided by Subsection (e), to be eligible to be a
candidate for or to serve as director at large, a person must be
at least 18 years of age and a resident of the district. To be a
candidate for or to serve as director from a county commissioners
precinct, a person must be at least 18 years of age and a
resident of that precinct.
(d) A person shall indicate on the application for a place on
the ballot:
(1) the precinct that the person seeks to represent; or
(2) that the person seeks to represent the district at large.
(e) When the boundaries of the county commissioners precincts
are redrawn after each federal decennial census to reflect
population changes, a director in office on the effective date of
the change, or a director elected or appointed before the
effective date of the change whose term of office begins on or
after the effective date of the change, shall serve in the
precinct to which elected or appointed even though the change in
boundaries places the person's residence outside the precinct for
which the person was elected or appointed.
Added by Acts 2005, 79th Leg., Ch.
661, Sec. 1, eff. September 1, 2005.
Sec. 8812.053. ELECTION DATE. The district shall hold an
election to elect the appropriate number of directors on the
uniform election date prescribed by Section 41.001, Election
Code, in November of each even-numbered year.
Added by Acts 2005, 79th Leg., Ch.
661, Sec. 1, eff. September 1, 2005.
Sec. 8812.054. VACANCIES. A vacancy on the board shall be
filled by appointment of the board until the next regularly
scheduled directors' election. The person appointed to fill the
vacancy shall serve only for the remainder of the unexpired term.
Added by Acts 2005, 79th Leg., Ch.
661, Sec. 1, eff. September 1, 2005.
SUBCHAPTER C. POWERS AND DUTIES
Sec. 8812.101. PROHIBITION ON DISTRICT USE OF EMINENT DOMAIN.
The district may not exercise the power of eminent domain.
Added by Acts 2005, 79th Leg., Ch.
661, Sec. 1, eff. September 1, 2005.
SUBCHAPTER D. GENERAL FINANCIAL PROVISIONS
Sec. 8812.151. LIMITATION ON TAXES. The district may not impose
ad valorem taxes at a rate that exceeds two cents on each $100 of
assessed valuation of taxable property in the district.
Added by Acts 2005, 79th Leg., Ch.
661, Sec. 1, eff. September 1, 2005.