87.03.490 - Local improvement districts -- Adoption of plan -- Bonds -- Form and contents -- Facsimile signatures, when, procedure -- New lands may be included -- Penalty.

Local improvement districts — Adoption of plan — Bonds — Form and contents — Facsimile signatures, when, procedure — New lands may be included — Penalty.

(1) If decision shall be rendered in favor of the improvement, the board shall enter an order establishing the boundaries of the improvement district and shall adopt plans for the proposed improvement and determine the number of annual installments not exceeding fifty in which the cost of the improvement shall be paid. The cost of the improvement shall be provided for by the issuance of local improvement district bonds of the district from time to time, therefor, either directly for the payment of the labor and material or for the securing of funds for such purpose, or by the irrigation district entering into a contract with the United States or the state of Washington, or both, to repay the cost of the improvement. The bonds shall bear interest at a rate or rates determined by the board, payable semiannually, and shall state upon their face that they are issued as bonds of the irrigation district; that all lands within the local improvement district shall be primarily liable to assessment for the principal and interest of the bonds and that the bonds are also a general obligation of the district. The bonds may be in such denominations as the board of directors may in its discretion determine, except that bonds other than bond number one of any issue shall be in a denomination that is a multiple of one hundred dollars, and no bond shall be sold for less than par. Any contract entered into for the local improvement by the district with the United States or the state of Washington, or both although all the lands within the local improvement district shall be primarily liable to assessment for the principal and interest thereon, shall be a general obligation of the irrigation district. Such bonds may be in any form, including bearer bonds or registered bonds as provided in RCW 39.46.030.

     (2) No election shall be necessary to authorize the issuance of such local improvement bonds or the entering into of such a contract. Such bonds, when issued, shall be signed by the president and secretary of the irrigation district with the seal of the district affixed. The printed, engraved, or lithographed facsimile signatures of the president and secretary of the district's board of directors shall be sufficient signatures on the bonds or any coupons: PROVIDED, That such facsimile signatures on the bonds may be used only after the filing, by the officer whose facsimile signature is to be used, with the secretary of state of his or her manual signature certified by him or her under oath, whereupon that officer's facsimile signature has the same legal effect as his or her manual signature: PROVIDED, FURTHER, That either the president of the board of directors' or the secretary's signature on the bonds shall be manually subscribed: AND PROVIDED FURTHER, That whenever such facsimile reproduction of the signature of any officer is used in place of the manual signature of such officer, the district's board of directors shall specify in a written order or requisition to the printer, engraver, or lithographer the number of bonds or any coupons upon which such facsimile signature is to be printed, engraved, or lithographed and the manner of numbering the bonds or any coupons upon which such signature shall be placed. Within ninety days after the completion of the printing, engraving, or lithographing of such bonds or any coupons, the plate or plates used for the purpose of affixing the facsimile signature shall be destroyed, and it shall be the duty of the district's board of directors, within ninety days after receipt of the completed bonds or any coupons, to ascertain that such plate or plates have been destroyed. Every printer, engraver, or lithographer who, with the intent to defraud, prints, engraves, or lithographs a facsimile signature upon any bond or coupon without written order of the district's board of directors, or fails to destroy such plate or plates containing the facsimile signature upon direction of such issuing authority, is guilty of a class B felony punishable according to chapter 9A.20 RCW.

     (3) The proceeds from the sale of such bonds shall be deposited with the treasurer of the district, who shall place them in a special fund designated "Construction fund of local improvement district number . . . . . ."

     (4) Whenever such improvement district has been organized, the boundaries thereof may be enlarged to include other lands which can be served or will be benefited by the proposed improvement upon petition of the owners thereof and the consent of the United States or the state of Washington, or both, in the event the irrigation district has contracted with the United States or the state of Washington, or both, to repay the cost of the improvement: PROVIDED, That at such time the lands so included shall pay their equitable proportion upon the basis of benefits of the improvement theretofore made by the local improvement district and shall be liable for the indebtedness of the local improvement district in the same proportion and same manner and subject to assessment as if the lands had been incorporated in the improvement district at the beginning of its organization.

     (5) Notwithstanding this section, such bonds may be issued and sold in accordance with chapter 39.46 RCW.

[2003 c 53 § 412; 1983 c 167 § 223; 1981 c 156 § 30; 1977 ex.s. c 119 § 2; 1970 ex.s. c 70 § 2; 1921 c 129 § 27; 1919 c 180 § 16; 1917 c 162 § 12; RRS § 7462. Formerly RCW 87.36.040.]

Notes: Intent -- Effective date -- 2003 c 53: See notes following RCW 2.48.180.

Liberal construction -- Severability -- 1983 c 167: See RCW 39.46.010 and note following.