7-12-2171. Details relating to rural improvement district bonds and warrants. (1) (a) The bonds and warrants must be drawn against either the construction or maintenance fund created for the special improvement district and must bear interest from the date of registration until called for redemption or paid in full. Bonds or warrants sold at a private, negotiated sale may bear interest at a rate varying periodically at the time or times and on the terms determined by the board of county commissioners. The terms determined by the board of county commissioners may include the establishment of a maximum rate of interest or the convertibility to a fixed rate of interest.
     (b) Variable rate bonds may be sold at a private negotiated sale if the principal amount of the bonds is $500,000 or less and the board of county commissioners obtains separate written opinions from underwriters of Montana rural improvement district bonds stating the bonds are not marketable through a competitive bond sale. Bonds sold in principal amounts below $250,000 do not require a marketability opinion.
     (c) The interest must be payable annually or semiannually, at the discretion of the board of county commissioners, on the dates that the board prescribes. The warrants or bonds must bear the signatures of the presiding officer of the board and the county clerk and may bear the corporate seal of the county. The warrants or bonds must be registered in the office of the county clerk and the county treasurer, and if interest coupons are attached to the warrants or bonds, the interest coupons must also be registered and must bear the signatures of the presiding officer of the board and the county clerk. The coupons may bear the facsimile signatures of the officers in the discretion of the board.
     (2) The bonds must be in denominations of $100 or fractions or multiples of $100, may be issued in installments, and may extend over a period not to exceed 30 years. However, if federal loans are available for improvements, repayment may extend over a period not to exceed 40 years. For the purposes of this subsection, the term of a bond issue commences on July 1 of the fiscal year in which the county first levies to pay principal and interest on the bonds.
     (3) If applicable, the board of county commissioners shall specify whether the bonds are tax credit bonds as provided in 17-5-117, recovery zone economic development bonds or recovery zone facility bonds as provided in 7-7-140, or qualified energy conservation bonds as provided in 7-7-141.

     History: En. Ch. 123, L. 1915; superseded by Ch. 156, L. 1917; amd. Ch. 67, L. 1919; superseded by Sec. 20, Ch. 147, L. 1921; re-en. Sec. 4593, R.C.M. 1921; re-en. Sec. 4593, R.C.M. 1935; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 3, L. 1955; amd. Sec. 7, Ch. 260, L. 1959; amd. Sec. 2, Ch. 136, L. 1961; amd. Sec. 2, Ch. 40, L. 1965; amd. Sec. 22, Ch. 234, L. 1971; R.C.M. 1947, 16-1620(2); amd. Sec. 19, Ch. 665, L. 1985; (4)En. Sec. 20, Ch. 665, L. 1985; amd. Sec. 5, Ch. 256, L. 1989; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 449, L. 1989; amd. Sec. 9, Ch. 459, L. 1997; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 162, L. 2001; amd. Sec. 11, Ch. 277, L. 2003; amd. Sec. 7, Ch. 489, L. 2009.