Sec. 24. (a) Proceedings to dissolve a fire protection district may be instituted by the filing of a petition with the county legislative body that formed the district. If the proceedings are for dissolution of a district to which section 5.1 of this chapter applies, the proceedings may be instituted by the filing of a petition with the primary county or the secondary county, or both.

     (b) The petition must be signed:

(1) by at least twenty percent (20%), with a minimum of five hundred (500), of the freeholders owning land within the district; or

(2) by a majority of those freeholders owning land within the district;

whichever is less.

     (c) Except as provided in subsection (d), the provisions of section 8 of this chapter concerning a petition to establish a district apply to a dissolution petition.

     (d) If the district is established under section 5.1 of this chapter, the provisions of section 5.1 of this chapter apply to a petition to dissolve the district.

     (e) Except as provided in subsection (f), a petition against the dissolution of the fire protection district may be presented to the county legislative body at or after a hearing on the petition to dissolve a district and before the adoption of an ordinance or resolution dissolving the district. If the legislative body finds that it contains the signatures of fifty-one percent (51%) of the freeholders within the district or of the freeholders who own two-thirds (2/3) of the real property within the district, determined by assessed valuation, the legislative body shall dismiss the petition for the dissolution of the district.

     (f) If a district is established under section 5.1 of this chapter, the provisions of section 9.5 of this chapter apply to a petition to dissolve the district.

     (g) If, after the public hearing, the legislative body determines that dissolution should occur, it shall adopt an ordinance dissolving the district. If the district is established under section 5.1 of this chapter, both legislative bodies of the counties containing the district must adopt ordinances dissolving the district after determining in a public hearing that the district should be dissolved.

     (h) A dissolution takes effect three (3) months after the later of the adoption of the ordinance under subsection (g) or the payment of the district’s debts and liabilities, including its liabilities under IC 34-13-2 and IC 34-13-3. The property owned by the district after payment of debts and liabilities shall be disposed of in the manner chosen by the county legislative body or county legislative bodies. Dissolution of a district does not affect the validity of any contract to which the district is a party.

     (i) A person aggrieved by a decision made by the county legislative body or county legislative bodies under this section may, within thirty (30) days, appeal the decision to the circuit court for any county in which the district is located. The appeal is instituted by giving written notice to each county legislative body within which the district is located and filing with the circuit court clerk a bond in the sum of five hundred dollars ($500), with surety approved by the legislative body or legislative bodies. The bond must provide that the appeal will be duly prosecuted and that the appellants will pay all costs if the appeal is decided against them. When an appeal is instituted, the county legislative body or county legislative bodies shall file with the circuit court clerk a transcript of all proceedings in the case, together with all papers filed in the case. The county legislative body or county legislative bodies may not take further action in the case until the appeal is heard and determined. An appeal under this subsection shall be heard by the circuit court without a jury. Change of venue from the judge may be granted, but change of venue from the county may not be granted.

As added by P.L.341-1987, SEC.6. Amended by P.L.63-1991, SEC.7; P.L.36-2000, SEC.9.