Montana Title 7. Local Government § 7-13-2208. Decision on petition--election required--exception

(1) On the final hearing provided for in 7-13-2206, the board of county commissioners shall make any changes in the proposed boundaries within the county that are considered advisable and shall define and establish the boundaries. The board of county commissioners may not modify the boundaries in a manner that would exclude from the proposed district any territory that would benefit from the formation of the district. Land that will not, in the judgment of the board of county commissioners, benefit from the district may not be included within the proposed district.

(2) Upon the final determination of the boundaries of the district, the board of county commissioners of each county in which the district lies shall hold an election for the purpose of determining whether the district is to be incorporated, except as provided in subsection (3). The election must be conducted in accordance with Title 13, chapter 1, part 5.

(3) An election is not required if the petition for the creation of the district is signed by the owners of all of the real property in the proposed district. If an election is not held, upon the final determination of the boundaries of the district, the board of county commissioners of each county in which the district lies shall, by an order entered on its minutes, declare the territory enclosed within the proposed boundaries as an organized county water and/or sewer district. The county clerk and recorder shall forward a certified copy of the order to the secretary of state.