Montana Code 20-3-341. Number of trustee positions in elementary districts — transition
20-3-341. Number of trustee positions in elementary districts — transition. The number of trustee positions in each elementary district shall vary according to the district’s classification, as established by 20-6-201:
Terms Used In Montana Code 20-3-341
- district: means the territory, regardless of county boundaries, organized under the provisions of this title to provide public educational services under the jurisdiction of the trustees prescribed by this title. See Montana Code 20-6-101
- school: means an institution for the teaching of children that is established and maintained under the laws of the state of Montana at public expense. See Montana Code 20-6-501
- School election: means a regular school election or any election conducted by a district or community college district for authorizing taxation, authorizing the issuance of bonds by an elementary, high school, or K-12 district, or accepting or rejecting any proposition that may be presented to the electorate for decision in accordance with the provisions of this title. See Montana Code 20-1-101
- Trustee: A person or institution holding and administering property in trust.
- trustee election: means the election for school board members held on the day established in 20-20-105(1). See Montana Code 20-1-101
- Trustees: means the governing board of a district. See Montana Code 20-1-101
(1)There must be seven trustee positions in a first-class elementary district.
(2)There must be five trustee positions in a second-class elementary district; however, on a majority vote of the board of trustees, the number may be increased to seven trustee positions at the next trustee election if notice of the action of the board of trustees is published by the clerk of the district in a newspaper of general circulation in the county prior to January 1 of the year of the trustee election. The board of trustees may reduce the number of trustee positions from seven to five upon receiving a petition for that purpose from at least 10 qualified electors of the district.
(3)There must be three trustee positions in a third-class elementary district; however, on a majority vote of the board of trustees, the number may be increased to five trustee positions at the next trustee election if notice of the action of the board of trustees is published by the clerk of the district in a newspaper of general circulation in the county prior to January 1 of the year of the trustee election. The board of trustees may reduce the number of trustee positions from five to three upon receiving a petition for that purpose from at least 10 qualified electors of the district.
(4)(a) If the number of trustee positions in a second-class elementary district is decreased from seven to five in accordance with the provisions of subsection (2), one position is eliminated at the time of the first subsequent regular school election and one position is eliminated at the next regular school election.
(b)If the number of trustee positions in a third-class elementary district is decreased from five to three in accordance with the provisions of subsection (3), one position is eliminated at the time of the first subsequent school election when two trustee positions would have been filled and one position is eliminated at the next school election when two trustee positions would have been filled.