Any 500 or more electors residing within the area may file with the clerk of the circuit court of the county in which the area is situated, a petition in the circuit court. The petition shall set forth (1) a description of the territory intended to be embraced in the proposed Authority, (2) the names of the municipalities located within the area, (3) the name of the proposed Authority, and (4) a prayer that the question be submitted to the electors residing within the limits of the proposed Authority, whether they will incorporate as an Authority under this Act. The petitioners in and by such petition shall authorize and designate one or more persons to appear for and represent them on the petition, and in the proceedings thereon in the circuit court, with an authority to amend, to move to dismiss or to withdraw the petition. Five days prior to the filing of the petition the petitioners, by the designated representatives, shall cause a copy of the petition to be served upon the Secretary of the Department of Transportation, together with a map or plat showing the boundaries of the territory described in the petition. Such service may be made by delivery of a copy of the petition and such map or plat to the office of the Secretary or by personal service thereof upon the Secretary. Evidence of such service, consisting of a return or an acknowledgment or an affidavit of the service thereof shall be filed with the petition. Upon the filing of the petition and such evidence of service upon the Secretary with the clerk of the circuit court he or she shall present same to a judge of the circuit court, who shall set the petition for hearing within not less than 15 nor more than 30 days after the filing thereof.
     The clerk of the circuit court shall cause notice to be given of the time and place where such hearing will be held by publication on 3 separate days in one or more daily or weekly newspapers having a general circulation within the territory proposed to be incorporated as an Airport Authority, the first of which publications shall be not less than 15 days prior to the date set for such hearing, and if there is no such newspaper, then such notice shall be posted in not less than 10 of the most public places in such territory, not less than 15 days prior to the date set for such hearing. The filing fee on the petition and costs of printing and publication or posting of notices of public hearing thereon shall be paid in advance by petitioners.