A board of county commissioners may apply to the Ohio soil and water conservation commission for an advance of moneys from the soil and water conservation fund, which is hereby created in the state treasury, to enable a soil and water conservation district to pay all or part of the cost of surveys and plans, appraisals, estimates of cost, land options, and other incidental expenses of constructing works of improvement for the district. The commission shall consider the application and shall recommend an amount of moneys reasonably needed for that purpose.

The order of the commission recommending the amount of the moneys needed shall be certified to the controlling board. The controlling board shall then determine the amount to be advanced to the county and shall certify its action to the director of budget and management for payment.

All such amounts received by any such district shall be repaid by the board of county commissioners to the state immediately upon the receipt by the board of funds from the sale of bonds or from other sources that may be used for that purpose, or in such number of equal annual installments, not exceeding five, and commencing at such time, as shall be specified in the order of the commission.

If an unfavorable referendum or court decision has denied the work of improvement, the controlling board, upon receipt of sufficient and satisfactory evidence that the board and district have proceeded in good faith and the recommendation of the commission, shall relieve the board or district of its repayment obligation.

Added by 131st General Assembly File No. TBD, HB 64, §101.01, eff. 1/1/2016.