Whenever, in the opinion of the board of county commissioners, it is necessary to acquire real estate or any interest in real estate for the acquisition, construction, maintenance, or operation of any water supply facilities authorized by this chapter, or to acquire the right to acquire, construct, maintain, and operate those facilities in and upon any property within or outside of a county sewer district, it may purchase the real estate, interest in real estate, or right by negotiation. If the board and the owner of the real estate, interest in real estate, or right are unable to agree upon its purchase and sale, or the amount of damages to be awarded for it, the board may appropriate the real estate, interest, or right in accordance with sections 163.01 to 163.22 of the Revised Code, except that the board, in the exercise of the powers granted by this section or any other section of this chapter, may not appropriate real estate or personal property owned by a municipal corporation.

If the board purchases or appropriates real estate, an interest in real estate, or a right pursuant to this section and the real estate, interest in real estate, or right was subject to real or personal property taxes prior to the purchase or appropriation, the board may make payments to a school district of all or a portion of the amount of the taxes that otherwise would have been received by the district if the purchase or appropriation had not occurred. The payments shall be authorized by a resolution adopted by the board.

As used in this section, "school district" means a "city school district" as defined in section 3311.02 of the Revised Code, a "local school district" as defined in section 3311.03 of the Revised Code, an "exempted village school district" as defined in section 3311.04 of the Revised Code, and a "joint vocational school district" as defined in section 3311.18 of the Revised Code.

Effective Date: 03-14-2003 .