15.2-3401 - Referendum on contracting of debt by counties in voluntary settlement agreements.
§ 15.2-3401. Referendum on contracting of debt by counties in voluntarysettlement agreements.
Before a county, under the terms of a voluntary agreement pursuant to thischapter, contracts a debt pursuant to Article VII, Section 10 (b) of theConstitution of Virginia, the board of supervisors shall, in conformity withArticle VII, Section 10 (b) of the Constitution of Virginia, petition thecircuit court for the county for an order calling for a special election inthe county on the question of contracting such debt.
The question on the ballot shall be as follows, provided that the circuitcourt in its order calling for the election may substitute alternativelanguage necessary to specify the type of agreement or the particular debtwhich the county proposes to contract under an agreement:
"Shall (name of county) be authorized to contract a debt by entering into acontract for the payment (describe the debt or payment) to (name of localityto whom payments are to be made) as a part of the proposed voluntaryannexation and immunity settlement agreement between the county and (name ofother locality)?
[] Yes
[] No"
The clerk of the county shall cause a notice of the referendum to bepublished in a newspaper having general circulation in the county once a weekfor three consecutive weeks, the first such notice of which must be publishednot more than sixty days prior to the election and shall post a copy of thenotice at the door of the county courthouse.
The election shall be held and the results thereof ascertained and certifiedin accordance with Article 5 (§ 24.2-681 et seq.) of Chapter 6 of Title 24.2.If a majority of the voters of the county voting in such election approve thecontracting of such debt, the county may proceed to adopt, by ordinance, theagreement.
(1985, c. 66, § 15.1-1167.2; 1997, c. 587.)