Sec. 9. (a) If the execution of the lease as originally agreed upon, or as modified by agreement, is authorized by the library board, the library board shall give notice of the signing of the lease by publication one (1) time in a newspaper of general circulation printed in the English language in the district of the municipal corporation or in each municipal corporation district if the proposed lease is a joint lease. If a newspaper is not published in the district, the notice shall be published in any newspaper of general circulation published in the county.

     (b) Fifty (50) or more taxpayers in the municipal corporation or corporations who will be affected by the proposed lease and who are of the opinion that the execution of the lease is not necessary or that the proposed rental is not a fair and reasonable rental may file a petition in the office of the county auditor of the county in which the municipal corporation or corporations are located. The petition must be filed not later than thirty (30) days after the publication of notice of the execution of the lease and must set forth objections and facts showing that the execution of the lease is unnecessary or unwise or that the lease rental is not fair and reasonable, as the case may be.

     (c) Upon the filing of a petition, the county auditor shall immediately certify to the department of local government finance a copy of the petition, together with other data that may be necessary to present the questions involved. Upon receipt of the certified petition and information, the department of local government finance shall fix a time and place for a hearing of the matter not less than five (5) or more than thirty (30) days after the department’s receipt of the petition and information. The hearing shall be held in the municipal corporation or corporations, in the county where the municipal corporation or corporations are located, or through electronic means.

     (d) Notice of the hearing shall be given by the department of local government finance to the members of the library board and to the first ten (10) taxpayer petitioners on the petition by a letter signed by the department of local government finance. The postage of the notice shall be prepaid, and the notice shall be addressed to the persons at their usual place of residence and mailed at least five (5) days before the date of the hearing. The decision of the department of local government finance on the appeal regarding the necessity for the execution of the lease and whether the rental is fair and reasonable is final. A lease may be amended by the parties by following the procedure under this chapter.

     (e) An action to contest the validity of the lease or an amendment to the lease or to enjoin the performance of any of the terms and conditions of the lease must be brought not later than thirty (30) days after publication of notice of the execution of the lease or an amendment to the lease by the library board of the municipal corporation or corporations. If an appeal has been taken to the department of local government finance, action must be brought not later than thirty (30) days after the decision of the department.

[Pre-2005 Elementary and Secondary Education Recodification Citation: 20-14-10-9.]

As added by P.L.1-2005, SEC.49. Amended by P.L.42-2018, SEC.54; P.L.38-2021, SEC.111.