35-9-213. Petition for division; hearing and notice.

(a) Whenever a petition in writing is made to the county commissioners, signed by the owners of fifty percent (50%) or more of the privately owned lands of an area proposed to be detracted from the original fire protection district, who constitute fifty percent (50%) or more of the taxpayers within the proposed detracted area based upon the last completed assessment roll, the county commissioners shall, within twenty (20) days from the receipt of the petition, give notice of the hearing on the petition by:

(i) Mailing a copy of the notice by first-class mail to each landowner in the district at the address shown in the assessment roll;

(ii) Causing a notice thereof to be posted, at least twenty (20) days prior to the time appointed by them for the consideration of the petition, in at least three (3) public places within the proposed detracted area and also in at least three (3) public places within the remaining area; and

(iii) Publishing a notice in the newspapers of general circulation in the area of the district.

(b) The petition for detraction shall describe the boundaries of the proposed detracted area and the boundaries of the remaining area in the manner provided in W.S. 22-29-103(e).

(c) The county commissioners shall, on the day fixed for hearing the petition, or on any legally postponed day, proceed to hear the petition. Prior to the hearing the commissioners shall appoint an individual or group of individuals from the persons signing the petition to act in negotiations on behalf of the proposed detracted area.

(d) If the detracting district is within two (2) or more counties, the county commissioners for purposes of W.S. 35-9-213 and 35-9-214 are the county commissioners of the county where the majority of the detracting district property lies.