Sec. 2. (a) This section applies to all counties.

(b) As used in this section, "board" refers to an area park board established under this chapter.

(c) As used in this section, "district" refers to an area park district established under this chapter.

(d) Two (2) or more counties may establish an area park district for the purposes of establishing, owning, maintaining, and controlling one (1) or more public parks for the use and benefit of the residents of those counties. To establish a district, the legislative body of each county desiring to join shall adopt substantially identical ordinances indicating this intention. Before the ordinances take effect, they must be published in their respective counties in accordance with IC 5-3-1. Within ten (10) days after the publication of the ordinance, the auditor of each county shall file a certified copy of the ordinance with the auditor of each of the other counties involved. When the ordinances have been adopted and filed by all the counties joining, the district is considered established. All of the territory of the counties joining comprises the district.

(e) Within ten (10) days after the publication of the ordinance, any registered voter may notify the legislative body of the voter's intent to file a remonstrance petition. Within sixty (60) days after this notice, petitions for and against the county's joining in the proposed district may be filed with the legislative body. The petitions must be signed and acknowledged by registered voters of the county. The petition that contains the greater number of signatures prevails.

(f) Within thirty (30) days after the establishment of the district, the legislative body of each county joining shall appoint members to the area park board. Each county may appoint one (1) member to the board. In addition, each county may appoint an additional member for each fifty thousand (50,000) residents or fraction thereof of that county's population. Each member must be a resident of the county from which the member is appointed, and at least one (1) member from each county must be an elected official of that county. Members serve for terms of four (4) years and may be reappointed. Vacancies shall be filled by the appointing authority for the unexpired term of the vacating member.

(g) The board shall meet within thirty (30) days after the appointment of all members. Notice of the meeting shall be given by the auditor of the county that passed the first ordinance to establish the district. At the meeting the board shall elect one (1) of its members chair and one (1) secretary and shall adopt rules of order that it considers necessary. The board shall then meet at times and places that it determines. Members serve on the board without compensation. However, all members except the elected official members are entitled to receive a per diem and mileage for time spent in the performance of their duties.

(h) Except as provided in subsection (i), the board has all of the powers of a board under IC 36-10-3 except the power of eminent domain.

(i) The board may levy a tax for the establishment, purchase, maintenance, and control of the parks established and controlled by the board, but the tax may not exceed one and sixty-seven hundredths cents ($0.0167) for each one hundred dollars ($100) of assessed valuation of property in the district. When the board determines the rate of the levy, the board shall certify it to each county auditor. The levy shall then be placed upon the tax duplicate of each county in the district, and the tax shall be collected in the same manner as other taxes are collected. All money received for the district shall be paid into the treasury of the county with the greatest population. The money shall be deposited and kept as other public funds are deposited and kept, and interest earned on the money shall be credited to the area park fund. Money may be paid out by the treasurer only upon the written order of the board.

(j) A county may withdraw from a district only upon a two-thirds (2/3) vote of its legislative body. If a county decides to withdraw from a district, the date of withdrawal must be effective on January 1 of a year at least one (1) year after the date upon which the county voted to withdraw.

[Pre-Local Government Recodification Citations: subsection (a) New; subsection (b) formerly 19-7-5.5-1 part; Part new; subsection (c) formerly 19-7-5.5-1 part; Part new; subsection (d) formerly 19-7-5.5-2; 19-7-5.5-3(a), (b); subsection (e) formerly 19-7-5.5-3(c); subsection (f) formerly 19-7-5.5-4; subsection (g) formerly 19-7-5.5-5; subsection (h) formerly 19-7-5.5-6(a), (c); subsection (i) formerly 19-7-5.5-6(b); subsection (j) formerly 19-7-5.5-7.]

As added by Acts 1981, P.L.309, SEC.113. Amended by Acts 1981, P.L.45, SEC.102; P.L.213-1986, SEC.10; P.L.6-1997, SEC.234; P.L.127-2017, SEC.385.