Montana Title 20. Education § 20-6-604. Sale of property when resolution passed after hearing--appeal procedure

(1) Whenever the trustees of a district determine that a site, building, or any other real or personal property of the district is or is about to become abandoned, obsolete, undesirable, or unsuitable for the school purposes of the district, the trustees may sell or otherwise dispose of the real or personal property in accordance with this section and without conforming to the provisions of 20-6-603. If a decision to sell or dispose of property is made, the trustees shall adopt a resolution to sell or otherwise dispose of the district real or personal property because it is or is about to become abandoned, obsolete, undesirable, or unsuitable for the school purposes of the district.

(2) The resolution may not become effective for 14 days after the notice required in subsection (3) is made.

(3) The trustees shall provide notice of the resolution in the manner required for school elections in 20-20-204.

(4) A taxpayer may appeal the resolution of the trustees, at any time prior to the effective date of the resolution, to the district court by filing a verified petition with the clerk of the court and serving a copy of the petition upon the district. The petition must set out in detail the objections of the petitioner to the adoption of the resolution or to the disposal of the property. The service and filing of the petition stay the resolution until final determination of the matter by the court. The court shall immediately fix the time for a hearing at the earliest convenient time. At the hearing, the court shall hear the matter de novo and may take testimony as it considers necessary. Its proceedings are summary and informal, and its decision is final.

(5) The trustees of a district that has adopted a resolution to sell or otherwise dispose of district real or personal property and, if appealed, has been upheld by the court shall sell or dispose of the real or personal property in any reasonable manner that they determine to be in the best interests of the district.

(6) The money realized from the sale or disposal of real or personal property of the district must be credited to the debt service fund, building fund, general fund, or other appropriate fund, at the discretion of the trustees.