17-1373. Cemetery district; creation by resolution of county commissioners, notice, hearing; election, when; conveyance of certain property, when. (a) The board of county commissioners may adopt a resolution creating a cemetery district within the county. Such resolution shall describe the territory proposed to be included within the district by sections or subdivisions of sections, according to the government survey or by metes and bounds. Such district may include within the boundaries thereof, an existing cemetery owned by a not-for-profit corporation. Prior to adopting such resolution, the board of county commissioners shall fix a time for a hearing on such resolution and shall give notice of the hearing by publication at least once each week for two consecutive weeks in the official county newspaper. The notice shall be published at least 15 days before the date fixed for the hearing.

(b) Following the hearing or any continuation thereof, the board may adopt the resolution creating the cemetery district. Such resolution shall be published at least once each week for two consecutive weeks in the official county newspaper. If within thirty days after the last publication of the resolution, a petition signed by not less than 10% of the qualified electors in the proposed cemetery district is filed in the office of the county election officer requesting an election thereon such district shall not be created unless the question of the creation of such district is submitted to and approved by a majority of the voters of the proposed cemetery district voting at an election called by the governing body. Such election shall be called and held in the manner provided under the provisions of K.S.A. 10-120, and amendments thereto.

(c) Any not-for-profit cemetery association owning a cemetery within a cemetery district created pursuant to this section shall convey all cemetery property of such cemetery association to the governing body of the cemetery district. Upon the conveyance of such cemetery property under this subsection, title to all such property shall vest in the governing body of the cemetery district, and the permanent maintenance fund, if any, together with any investments then outstanding, and all books, records and papers of such cemetery shall be transferred to the treasurer of such cemetery district and shall become the property of such district. Upon the transfer of such property and funds, the governing body of the cemetery district shall care for and maintain such cemetery with any moneys of the cemetery corporation including the principal of and income from the permanent maintenance fund, if any, and, if such moneys are insufficient to properly maintain such cemetery, with funds of the cemetery district. The principal of and income from the permanent maintenance fund may be deposited in the appropriate fund of the cemetery district or may be invested in the manner provided for other cemetery district money, but shall be used exclusively for care and maintenance of such cemetery.

(d) Any cemetery district created pursuant to this section shall be governed by and subject to the provisions of K.S.A. 17-1330 et seq., and amendments thereto.

History: L. 1998, ch. 74, § 1; July 1.