SEC. 15. That section 6457-1 of Rem. & Bal. be amended to read as follows: Petition ment of for better system. Section 6457-1. Any desired special construction, reconstruction, betterment or improvements in an irrigation system, including drainage, or purchase or acquisition of improvements already constructed, which are for the special benefit of the lands tributary thereto and lying within an irrigation district, may be constructed, purchased or acquired and provision made to meet the cost thereof as follows: The holders of title or evidence of title of one-quarter of the acreage proposed to be assessed, may file with the board of directors of the irrigation district their petition reciting the nature and general plan of the desired improvement and specifying the lands proposed to be specially assessed therefor. Such petition shall be accompanied by a bond in the sum of one hundred dollars ($100.00) with surety to be approved by the said board of directors conditioned that the petitioners will pay the cost of an investigation of the project and of the hearing thereon if the same be not established. The said board may at any time require a bond in an additional sum as may be deemed advisable. Upon the filing of such petition the board of directors with the assistance of a competent engi- Investiganeer, shall make an investigation of the feasibility, feasibility. cost and need of the proposed local improvement together with the ability of the land to pay such cost, and if the same appears feasible they shall have plans and estimate of the cost thereof prepared. If the cost shall appear to the board to exceed the benefits to accrue therefrom, or if the lands proposed to be embraced within the local improvement district shall be found to be insufficient security for the return of the cost, or if a protest against the establishment of the proposed improvement signed by a majority of the holders of title in the proposed tion of Adoption of plans. Warrants for cost. Enlargement of district boundaries. local improvement district be presented at or prior to the hearing herein provided for, or if in other respects the proposed local improvement district should be found infeasible, they shall hold such petition for organization for naught and dismiss the same at the expense of the petitioners. SEC. 16. That section 6457-3 of Rem. & Bal. be amended to read as follows: Section 6457-3. If decision shall be rendered in favor of the improvement, the board shall enter an order establishing the boundaries of the said improvement district and shall adopt plans for the proposed improvement and determine the number of annual installments not exceeding fifteen in which the cost of said improvement shall be paid. The cost of said improvement shall be paid by the issuance of warrants of the district, from time to time, therefor, either directly for the payment of the labor and material or for the securing of the funds for such purpose. Said warrants shall bear interest at a rate not to exceed eight per cent (8%) per annum, payable semi-annually, evidenced by coupons, and shall state upon their face that they are issued as warrants of the irrigation district for the benefit of the local improvement district within said irrigation district, that all lands within said local improvement district shall be primarily liable to assessment for the principal and interest of said warrants and that said warrants are also a general obligation of the said district. No warrant shall be issued in denomination exceeding five hundred dollars ($500.00) and no warrant shall be sold for less than par. 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, provided that at such time the lands so included shall pay their equitable proportion upon the basis of benefits of the investment theretofore made by the said local improvement district and shall be liable for the indebtedness of the said local improvement district in the same proportion and same manner and subject to assessments as if said lands had been incorporated in said improvement district at the beginning of its organization. SEC. 17. That Remington & Ballinger's Annotated Codes and Statutes of Washington, as amended by Chapter 162, of the Laws of 1917, relating to the organization and financing of local improvement districts within irrigation districts, be amended by adding thereto a new section to be known as Section 6457-8, and to read as follows: assessment Section 6457-8. Any local improvement district Increase of heretofore duly organized may avail itself of and instalments. be subject to any of the provisions of this chapter increasing the number of annual instalments, not to exceed fifteen, after the directors of the irrigation district duly adopt a resolution to that effect, and it shall be the duty of the board of directors to adopt such resolution whenever in the judgment of the board the best interests of the local improvement district will be served thereby, and the interests of the irrigation district will not be jeopardized. SEC. 18. That chapter 7, of title 48, Remington & Ballinger's Annotated Codes and Statutes of Washington be and the same is hereby amended by adding thereto a new section to be known as section 6461-1 and to read as follows: tion of Section 6461-1. Two or more irrigation districts Consolidamay be consolidated into one district and may include districts. in such district other lands susceptible of irrigation in the manner provided in this act, and upon the organization of such consolidated district it shall be an organized irrigation district subject to all the provisions of this chapter. Proceedings for consolidation. SEC. 19. That chapter 7, of title 48, Remington & Ballinger's Annotated Codes and Statutes of Washington be and the same is hereby amended by adding thereto a new section to be known as section 6461-2 and to read as follows: Section 6461-2. For the purpose of organizing a consolidated irrigation district a petition signed by fifty or a majority of the holders of title to, or evidence of title to land susceptible of irrigation within the proposed district shall be presented to the board of county commissioners of the county in which the lands or the greater portion thereof are situated, which petition shall set forth and particularly describe the proposed boundaries of such district, and the name of each existing irrigation district proposed to be included therein, and shall pray that the territory embraced within the boundaries of such proposed district may be organized as a consolidated irrigation district. Such petition shall be accompanied by bond as provided in Section 6417 Remington & Ballinger's Annotated Codes and Statutes of the State of Washington and thereupon the same proceedings shall be had for the organization of such consolidated district as is provided in sections 6417 and 6418 Remington & Ballinger's Annotated Codes and Statutes of the State of Washington, and the organization of such consolidated district shall be perfected in the same manner as provided in this chapter for the organization of new districts, except as otherwise provided in this section. The board of directors of each irrigation district proposed to be included in such consolidated district shall be served with a copy of the petition. for the organization of such consolidated district together with notice at the time and place of hearing of such petition, at least twenty days prior to such hearing, and the board of county commis sioners upon the hearing of such petition shall not grant the same or call an election if it shall appear that the board of directors of any existing irrigation district proposed to be included in such consolidated district have by resolution, regularly passed and entered upon the minutes of the directors meetings of such district, voted against the inclusion of such district into such proposed consolidated district. The board of county commissioners upon the hearing of such petition, shall not modify the boundaries of the proposed district to exclude any of the lands which are contained in any of the existing districts proposed to be included in such consolidated districts, and the order calling an election shall provide an election by the electors of each existing district proposed to be included in such Elections to consolidated district, and for an election by the electors of that part of the proposed district not included in any existing district, but no elector may cast more than one vote at such election. Such proposed district shall not be declared organized unless two thirds of all votes cast in each existing district shall be Irrigation District-Yes, and unless two thirds of all the votes cast in that part of the proposed district not included in any existing district shall be Irrigation District-Yes. If the organization of such consolidated district is not effected the organization of the district proposed to be included in such consolidated district shall not be affected. SEC. 20. That chapter 7, title 48, Remington & Ballinger's Annotated Codes and Statutes of the State of Washington be and the same is hereby amended by adding thereto a new section to be known as section 6461-3 and to read as follows: Section 6461-3. The board of directors of each included district shall hold office until the board of directors of the consolidated district shall have been elected and shall have qualified, and thereupon the determine. Organization of consoli dated districts. |