Montana Title 22. Libraries, Arts, and Antiquities § 22-1-710. Dissolution of public library district

(1) A public library district may be dissolved after an election on the question of dissolving the district. The process of dissolving the district may be initiated by a petition of 15% of the electorate of the district or by a resolution of intent to dissolve the district adopted by either the board of trustees or the governing body of the county in which territory of the district is located.

(2) On receipt of a petition that has been certified by the county clerk as sufficient under this section or upon adoption of a resolution of intent, the county governing body shall hold a public hearing on the question of dissolving the public library district. Notice of the hearing must be published as provided in 7-1-2121.

(3) At the public hearing, the county governing body shall hear testimony of interested persons regarding the dissolution of the public library district. After the public hearing, the county governing body may either submit the question of dissolving the district to the electorate of the district or it may call for a public hearing on the question of altering the boundaries of the district. If the county governing body calls for a public hearing on the question of altering the boundaries of the district by the withdrawal of territory, it shall publish notice of the hearing as provided in 7-1-2121. The notice must state the boundaries of the area proposed to be withdrawn from the district. After hearing testimony at the hearing, the county governing body may submit the question of either dissolving the district or altering the district by the withdrawal of specified territory from the district to the electorate of the district.

(4) The question must be submitted by a resolution calling for an election on either dissolving the public library district or altering the boundaries of the district by the withdrawal of land from the district. The county governing body shall schedule and conduct the election in accordance with Title 13, chapter 1, part 5.

(5) The question of withdrawal of territory under this section must be voted on separately by the electorate of the territory to be withdrawn and the electorate of the balance of the territory of the public library district. The question fails unless a simple majority of those voting on the question in each of the two territories authorize altering the district boundary. If the question passes, the boundary alteration is effective the following January 1. If the question fails, the county governing body shall by resolution call for an election on the question of dissolving the district.