85-3-411. Weather modification authority created by petition -- expiration -- reinstatement. (1) Upon receipt of a valid petition signed by at least 51% of the qualified electors of a county, as determined by the vote cast for the office of governor at the preceding general election, a board of county commissioners may by resolution create a weather modification authority. The board of county commissioners shall appoint five residents of the county as weather modification authority commissioners from those names set forth in the petition and designated by the petitioners to be appointed commissioners. If any of the five candidates named in the petition to be appointed commissioner is unable or refuses for any reason to accept appointment as commissioner or is disqualified by not meeting residence requirements as an elector in the county, the board of county commissioners shall name an appointee to fill the position. Each commissioner shall serve a 5-year term of office. If a commissioner submits a resignation in writing to the board of county commissioners or becomes unable or disqualified for any reason after accepting office, the board of county commissioners shall name an appointee to fill the vacancy. The board of county commissioners may remove any commissioner from office whenever it appears, by competent evidence and after hearing, that the commissioner has been guilty of misconduct, malfeasance, crime in office, or gross incompetency. A vacancy occurring otherwise than by expiration of a term of office must be filled for the unexpired term.

(2) An authority created pursuant to this section expires 5 years after the date of the initial appointment of the commissioners. Any unexpended funds remaining in the name of the authority after all proper bills and expenses have been paid must be transferred into the county general fund by the officers of the authority on or before the 5-year termination date provided by this section. However, all unexpended funds remaining in the name of the authority after all proper bills and expenses have been paid must remain in the name of the authority if the board of county commissioners of the county by resolution creates a weather modification authority and all its powers in accordance with 85-3-414.

(3) Nothing in this section prevents renewal of an authority for another 5 years by petition of the qualified electors in the same manner as the initial authority was created.

(4) If more than one petition is filed with the board of county commissioners on or about the same time, the petition with the highest percentage of the qualified county electors voting for the office of governor at the preceding general election must be selected by the board of county commissioners. However, the petition with the highest percentage must have the signatures of at least 40% of the qualified electors in the county, and the total of all qualified electors signing all petitions filed must equal at least 60% of the qualified electors in the county. If the name of the same elector appears on two or more petitions, the name must be stricken from both petitions.