All cities, towns, and villages containing more than eight hundred and not more than five thousand inhabitants shall be cities of the second class and be governed by the provisions of sections 17-101 to 17-153 unless they adopt a village government as provided in sections 17-306 to 17-309. The population of a city of the second class shall consist of the people residing within the territorial boundaries of such city and the residents of any territory duly and properly annexed to such city.

Each city of the second class shall be divided into not less than two nor more than six wards, as may be provided by ordinance of the city council thereof; and each ward shall contain, as nearly as practicable, an equal portion of the population.

The city council of a city of the second class shall consist of not less than four nor more than twelve residents of the city who are registered voters.

Each ward of each city shall have at least two council members elected in the manner provided in the Election Act. The term of office shall begin on the first regular meeting of the council in December following the statewide general election. No person shall be eligible to the office of council member who is not at the time of the election an actual resident of the ward for which he or she is elected and a registered voter.

Regular meetings of the city council shall be held at such times as the council may provide by ordinance. A majority of all the members elected to the council shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of any business, but a fewer number may adjourn from time to time and compel the attendance of absent members. Unless a greater vote is required by law, an affirmative vote of at least one-half of the elected members shall be required for the transaction of any business.

The mayor or any three councilmen shall have power to call special meetings of the city council, the object of which shall be submitted to the council in writing; and the call and object, as well as the disposition thereof, shall be entered upon the journal by the clerk.

(1) A mayor of a city of the second class shall be elected in the manner provided in the Election Act. The mayor shall be a resident and registered voter of the city. If the president of the council assumes the office of mayor for the unexpired term, there shall be a vacancy on the council which vacancy shall be filled as provided in section 32-568. The mayor, with the consent of the council, may appoint such officers as shall be required by ordinance or otherwise required by law. Such officers may be removed from office by the mayor. The mayor, by and with the consent of the council, shall appoint such a number of regular police officers as may be necessary. All police officers appointed by the mayor and council may be removed, demoted, or suspended at any time by the mayor as provided in subsection (2) of this section. A police officer, including the chief of police, may appeal to the city council such removal, demotion, or suspension with or without pay. After a hearing, the city council may uphold, reverse, or modify the action.

(2) The city council shall by ordinance adopt rules and regulations governing the removal, demotion, or suspension with or without pay of any police officer, including the chief of police. The ordinance shall include a procedure for such removal, demotion, or suspension with or without pay of any police officer, including the chief of police, upon the written accusation of the police chief, the mayor, or any citizen or taxpayer. The city council shall establish by ordinance procedures for acting upon such written accusation, including: (a) Provisions for giving notice and a copy of the written accusation to the police officer; (b) the police officer's right to have an attorney or representative retained by the police officer present with him or her at all hearings or proceedings regarding the written accusation; (c) the right of the police officer or his or her attorney or representative retained by the police officer to be heard and present evidence; and (d) the right of the police officer as well as the individual imposing the action or their respective attorneys or representatives to record all hearings or proceedings regarding the written accusation. The ordinance shall also include a procedure for making application for an appeal, specifications on the period of time within which such application shall be made, and provisions on the manner in which the appeals hearing shall be conducted. Both the police officer and the individual imposing the action or their respective attorneys or representatives shall have the right at the hearing to be heard and to present evidence to the city council for its consideration. Not later than thirty days following the adjournment of the meeting at which the hearing was held, the city council shall vote to uphold, reverse, or modify the action. The failure of the city council to act within thirty days or the failure of a majority of the elected council members to vote to reverse or modify the action shall be construed as a vote to uphold the action. The decision of the city council shall be based upon its determination that, under the facts and evidence presented at the hearing, the action was necessary for the proper management and the effective operation of the police department in the performance of its duties under the statutes of the State of Nebraska. Nothing in this section shall be construed to prevent the preemptory suspension or immediate removal from duty of an officer by the appropriate authority, pending the hearing authorized by this section, in cases of gross misconduct, neglect of duty, or disobedience of orders.

(3) This section does not apply to a police officer during his or her probationary period.

The officers and employees of the city shall receive such compensation as the mayor and council shall fix by ordinance.

All officers and employees of a city of the second class shall receive such compensation as the mayor and council may fix at the time of their appointment or employment subject to the limitations set forth in this section.

The local governing body of the city may at its discretion by ordinance combine and merge any elective or appointive office or employment or any combination of duties of any such offices or employments, except mayor and council member, with any other elective or appointive office or employment so that one or more of such offices or employments or any combination of duties of any such offices or employments may be held by the same officer or employee at the same time.

The city manager in a city under the city manager plan of government as provided in Chapter 19, article 6, may in his or her discretion combine and merge any elective or appointive office or employment or any combination of duties of any such offices or employments, except mayor and council member, with any other elective or appointive office or employment so that one or more of such offices or employments or any combination of duties of any such offices or employments may be held by the same officer or employee at the same time.

The offices or employments so merged and combined shall always be construed to be separate, and the effect of the combination or merger shall be limited to a consolidation of official duties only. The salary or compensation of the officer or employee holding the merged and combined offices or employments or offices and employments shall not be in excess of the maximum amount provided by law for the salary or compensation of the office, offices, employment, or employments so merged and combined. For purposes of this section, volunteer firefighters and ambulance drivers shall not be considered officers.

The mayor shall preside at all meetings of the city council, and may vote when his or her vote shall be decisive and the council is equally divided on any pending matter, legislation, or transaction, and the mayor shall, for the purpose of such vote, be deemed to be a member of the council. He or she shall have superintendence and control of all the officers and affairs of the city, and shall take care that the ordinances of the city and all laws governing cities of the second class are complied with.

The mayor shall have power to veto or sign any ordinance passed by the city council; Provided, any ordinance vetoed by the mayor may be passed over his veto by a vote of two-thirds of the members of the council. If the mayor neglects or refuses to sign any ordinance, and return the same with his objections in writing at the next regular meeting of the council, the same shall become a law without his signature.

The mayor shall, from time to time, communicate to the city council such information and recommend such measures as, in his opinion, may tend to the improvement of the finances, the police, health, security, ornament, comfort, and general prosperity of the city.

The mayor shall have the power, when he deems it necessary, to require any officer of the city to exhibit his accounts or other papers, and to make reports to the council, in writing, touching any subject or matter pertaining to his office.

The mayor shall have such jurisdiction as may be vested in him by ordinance, over all places within five miles of the corporate limits of the city, for the enforcement of any health or quarantine ordinance and regulation thereof, and shall have jurisdiction in all matters vested in him by ordinance, excepting taxation, within one-half mile of the corporate limits of said city.

The mayor shall have power to remit fines and forfeitures, and to grant reprieves and pardons for all offenses arising under the ordinances of the city.

The police officers of the city shall have the power to arrest all offenders against the laws of the state or of the city, by day or by night, in the same manner as the sheriff and to keep such offenders in the city prison or other place to prevent their escape until trial can be had before the proper officer.

The overseer of the streets shall, subject to the orders of mayor and council, have general charge, direction, and control of all work on the streets, sidewalks, culverts, and bridges of the city, and shall perform such other duties as the council may require.

A city of the second class shall have power to restrain, prohibit, and suppress houses of prostitution and unlicensed tippling shops, gambling and gambling houses, and other disorderly houses and practices, and all kinds of public indecencies, and all lotteries or fraudulent devices and practices for the purpose of obtaining money or property, except that nothing in this section shall be construed to apply to bingo, lotteries, lotteries by the sale of pickle cards, or raffles conducted in accordance with the Nebraska Bingo Act, the Nebraska Lottery and Raffle Act, the Nebraska Pickle Card Lottery Act, the Nebraska Small Lottery and Raffle Act, or the State Lottery Act. It may license, regulate, or prohibit billiard halls and billiard tables, pool halls and pool tables, and bowling alleys.

(1) A city of the second class shall have power to make regulations to prevent the introduction and spread of contagious, infectious, or malignant diseases into the city, to make quarantine laws for that purpose, and to enforce the same.

(2) In cities with a commission form of government as provided in Chapter 19, article 4, and cities with a city manager plan of government as provided in Chapter 19, article 6, a board of health shall be created consisting of five members: The mayor, who shall be chairperson, and four other members. One member shall be a physician or health care provider, if one can be found who is willing to serve. Such physician or health care provider, if appointed, shall be the board's medical advisor. If the city manager has appointed a chief of police, the chief of police shall serve on the board as secretary and quarantine officer.

(3) In all other cities, a board of health shall be created consisting of four members: The mayor, who shall be chairperson, the president of the city council, and two other members. One member shall be a physician or health care provider, if one can be found who is willing to serve. Such physician or health care provider, if appointed, shall be the board's medical advisor. If the mayor has appointed a chief of police, the chief of police shall serve on the board as secretary and quarantine officer.

(4) A majority of such board shall constitute a quorum and shall enact rules and regulations, which shall have the force and effect of law, to safeguard the health of the people of such city, may enforce them, and may provide fines and punishments for the violation thereof. The board of health shall have power to and shall make all needful rules and regulations relating to matters of sanitation of such city, including the removal of dead animals, the sanitary condition of the streets, alleys, vacant grounds, stockyards, cattle and hog pens, wells, cisterns, privies, waterclosets, cesspools, stables, and all buildings and places not specified where filth, nuisances, or offensive matter is kept or is liable to or does accumulate. It may regulate, suppress, and prevent the occurrence of nuisances and enforce all laws of the state and ordinances of the city relating to the same or to matters of sanitation of such city. The board shall also have control of hospitals, dispensaries, places for treatment of sick, and matters relating to the same under such restrictions and provisions as may be provided by ordinance of such city.

A second-class city shall have power to erect, establish, and regulate hospitals, and to provide for the government and support of the same.

A second-class city shall have power to make regulations to secure the general health of the city, to prevent and remove nuisances, and to provide the city with water.

Each second-class city and village may, by ordinance, prohibit and control the throwing, depositing, or accumulation of litter on any lot or piece of ground within the city or village and require the removal thereof so as to abate any nuisance occasioned thereby. If the owner fails to remove such litter, after five days' notice by publication and by certified mail, the city or village, through its proper officers, shall remove the litter or cause it to be removed, and shall assess the cost thereof against the property so benefited as provided by ordinance.

A second-class city shall have power to establish a night watch and police, and to define the duties and powers of the same.

A second-class city shall have power to purchase, hold and own grounds for, and to erect, establish and regulate market houses and market places.

A second-class city shall have power to provide for the erection and government of any useful or necessary building for the use of the city.

A second-class city shall have power to prevent any desecration of the Sabbath day, commonly called Sunday, and to prohibit public amusements, shows, exhibitions or ordinary business pursuits upon said day.

A second-class city shall have power to prevent intoxication, fighting, quarreling, dog fights, cock fights, and all disorderly conduct.

A second-class city shall have power to prevent the use of any opera house, city hall, church or other building resorted to by the people for worship, amusement or for public assemblages, unless such opera house, city hall, church or other building shall be provided with suitable, ample and sufficient fire escapes, and suitable, ample and sufficient means of exit and entrance.

A second-class city shall have power to prescribe the thickness, strength, and manner of constructing stone, brick and other buildings, and to prescribe and direct the number and construction of means of exit and entrance and the construction of fire escapes.

A second-class city shall have power to regulate, license, tax, and suppress places of amusement, and to revoke the licenses therefor when such places are not provided with sufficient and ample means of exit and entrance, and when the same are not safe for such uses, or when the licensee has been convicted of any violation of the ordinances in relation to such places, and to declare from time to time when such place or places are unsafe for such uses.

A second-class city shall have power to license, tax, and regulate runners for stages, cars, hotels, public buildings or other things or persons.

A second-class city shall have power to license, tax, suppress, regulate and prohibit hawkers, peddlers, pawnbrokers, keepers of ordinaries, theatrical and other exhibitions, shows and other amusements, and to revoke such licenses at pleasure.

A second-class city shall have power to forbid, punish, and prohibit the selling or giving away of any intoxicating, malt, vinous, mixed, or fermented liquor to any minor.

A second-class city shall have power to prevent the dangerous construction and condition of chimneys, fireplaces, hearths, stoves, stovepipes, ovens, boilers, apparatus used in and about any building or manufactory and to cause the same to be removed or placed in a safe condition, as the council may prescribe, when considered dangerous. It may regulate and prevent the carrying on of manufactories dangerous in causing and promoting fires. It may prevent the deposit of ashes in unsafe places, and cause all such buildings and enclosures as may be in a dangerous state to be put in safe condition.

A second-class city shall have power to regulate and prevent storage of gunpowder, tar, pitch, resin, coal oil, benzine, turpentine, hemp, cotton, nitroglycerine, petroleum or any of the productions thereof and other material, and the use of lights in stables and shops and other places, and the building of bonfires. It may regulate, prohibit and restrain the use of fireworks, firecrackers, Roman candles, sky rockets, and other pyrotechnic displays.

A second-class city shall have power to prohibit and punish cruelty to animals.

A second-class city shall have power by ordinance to regulate traffic and sales upon the streets, sidewalks and public places.

A second-class city shall have power to regulate and prevent the use of streets, sidewalks, and public grounds for signs, sign posts, telegraph or other poles, racks, posting of handbills and advertisements.

A second-class city shall have power to regulate the use of sidewalks and all structures thereunder.

A second-class city shall have power to regulate and prevent the moving of buildings through the streets, and to regulate and prohibit the piling of building material, or any excavation or obstruction of the streets.

A second-class city shall have power to provide for and change the location, grade, and crossing of any railroad.

A second-class city shall have power to require railroad companies to keep flagmen at railroad crossings of streets, and provide protection against injury to persons and property in the use of such railroads. It may compel any railroad to raise or lower its railroad tracks to conform to any grade which may at any time be established by such city or village, and, where such tracks run lengthwise of any street, alley or highway, to keep its railroad tracks on a level with the street surface, and so that such tracks may be crossed at any place on such alley or highway. It may compel and require railroad companies to make and keep open streets, and to keep in repair ditches, drains, sewers and culverts along and under their railroad tracks, so that filthy or stagnant pools of water cannot stand on their grounds or rights-of-way, and so that drainage of adjacent property or streets shall not be impeded.

A second-class city shall have power to construct and keep in repair culverts, drains, sewers and cesspools, and to regulate the use thereof.

A second-class city shall have power to issue bonds in place of, or to supply means to meet its maturing bonds, or for the consolidation or funding of the same.

A second-class city shall have power to procure fire engines, hooks, ladders, buckets and other apparatus, to organize fire engine, hook and ladder, and bucket companies, to prescribe rules of duty and the government thereof with such penalties as the council may deem proper, not exceeding one hundred dollars, and to make all necessary appropriations therefor.

The council shall elect one of its own body who shall be styled the president of the council and who shall preside at all meetings of the council in the absence of the mayor. In the absence of the president, it shall elect one of its own body to occupy his place temporarily, who shall be styled acting president of the council. The president, and acting president, when occupying the place of the mayor, shall have the same privileges as other members of the council; and all acts of the president or acting president, while so acting, shall be as binding upon the council and upon the city as if done by the mayor.

The mayor and council of any second-class city, or the board of trustees of any village, are hereby authorized to lay off such city and the territory one mile beyond its corporate limits into suitable districts for the purpose of establishing a system of sewerage and drainage. They may (1) provide such system; (2) regulate the construction, repairs, and use of sewers and drains and of all proper house connections and branches; (3) compel all proper connections therewith and branches from other streets, avenues, and alleys, and from private property; and (4) provide penalties for any obstruction of or injury to any sewer or part thereof, or failure to make connections therewith.

In case any property owner neglects or fails within a period of ten days after notice has been given to him or her by certified or registered mail or by publication in some newspaper published or of general circulation in such city or village to make such connection with the sewerage system, the governing body of such city or village shall have power to cause the same to be done, to assess the cost thereof against the property, and to collect the assessment thus made in the manner provided for collection of other special taxes and assessments.

The city engineer, when ordered to do so by the city council, shall make all surveys, estimates and calculations necessary to be made for the establishment of a sewerage system, and of the cost of labor and materials therefor; Provided, the mayor and council may, when they deem it expedient, employ a special engineer to make or assist in making any estimate or survey herein provided for, and any estimate or survey made by such special engineer shall have the same validity, and serve in all respects as though made by the city engineer. Before the city council shall make any contract for building any such sewers or any part thereof, an estimate of the cost thereof shall be made by the city engineer, or by a special engineer as above, and submitted to the council, and no contract shall be entered into for the building of any such sewers or any part thereof for a price exceeding such estimate. In advertising for bids for any such work or materials, the council shall cause the amount of such estimate to be published therewith. Such advertisement shall be for at least twenty days in some newspaper published in the city.

Before submitting any proposition for borrowing money for the purposes mentioned in section 17-150, the mayor and council shall determine upon a system of sewerage and shall procure from the city engineer an estimate of the actual cost of such system and of the cost of so much thereof as the mayor and council may propose to construct, with the amount proposed to be borrowed and the plans of such system. Such estimate shall be placed and remain in the hands of the city clerk, subject to public inspection during all the time such proposition to borrow money shall be pending. After such system shall have been adopted, no change shall be made therein involving an expense of more than one thousand dollars, nor shall any system be adopted in lieu thereof, unless authorized by a vote of the people.

All taxes levied for the purpose of raising money to pay the interest or to create a sinking fund for the payment of the bonds provided for in section 17-925, shall be payable in money only; and, except as herein otherwise provided, no money so obtained shall be used for any other purpose than the payment of the interest or debt for the payment of which they shall have been raised; Provided, such sinking fund may, under the direction of the mayor and council, be invested in any of the underdue bonds issued by such city; Provided, they can be procured by the treasurer at such rate of premium as shall be prescribed by ordinance. Any due or overdue bond or coupon shall be a sufficient warrant or order for the payment of the same by the treasurer, out of any fund specially created for that purpose, without any further order or allowance by the mayor and council.

In case of the refusal of the owner or owners or claimant or claimants of any lands or any right-of-way, or any easement in any lands through which cities of the second class propose to construct any sewer or drain or any outlet for any sewer or drain, to allow the passage thereof, the city proposing to construct such sewer or drain, and desiring the right-of-way may proceed to acquire same by the exercise of the power of eminent domain. The procedure to condemn property shall be exercised in the manner set forth in sections 76-704 to 76-724.

In all cities of the second class in counties under township organization, the city council and supervisors of such cities shall constitute a board of equalization for such city, whose duty it shall be to meet and equalize the assessments of such city at the same time and in the same manner as now provided by law for townships in counties under township organization.

Any school district in this state which has within its boundaries, or is contiguous to, a city of the second class may, together with such city, jointly acquire land for, erect, equip, furnish, maintain, and operate a joint municipal and recreation building or joint recreational and athletic field to be used jointly by such school district and city.

The cost and expense of acquiring land for, erecting, equipping, furnishing, and maintaining a joint municipal and recreation building or joint recreational and athletic field shall be borne by such school district and city in the proportion determined by the board of education of the school district and the city council of the city of the second class. The building shall not be erected or contracted to be erected, no land shall be acquired therefor, and no bonds shall be issued or sold by the school district or the city of the second class until the school district and the city of the second class have each been authorized to issue bonds to defray its proportion of the cost of such land, building, equipment, and furnishings by the required number of electors of the school district and the city of the second class in the manner provided by sections 10-702 to 10-716 and 17-954; Provided, when funds and property are available for such purpose, land may be acquired, buildings erected, or equipment and furnishings supplied by a joint resolution of the school district and the city of the second class without a vote of the people.

The amount of indebtedness, authorized to be incurred by any school district or city of the second class for the payment of principal and interest for the bonds authorized by the provisions of sections 17-156 to 17-162, shall be in addition to and over and above any limits now fixed by law.

The members of the board of education of the school district and the city council of the city of the second class, which board and council have agreed to build a joint municipal and recreation building or joint recreational and athletic field, shall be the building commission to purchase the land for the building and to contract for the erection, equipment, and furnishings of the building or the recreational and athletic field. After the completion thereof, such building commission shall be in charge of the maintenance and repair thereof.

The building commission shall cause to be prepared building plans and specifications for the joint building or joint recreational and athletic field. It may employ architects, engineers, draftsmen, and such clerical help as may be deemed necessary for the purpose of preparing such plans and specifications. The compensation of such personnel shall be fixed by the commission and shall be paid in the same proportion as determined for defraying the cost thereof, as provided for in section 17-157. The contract for erecting the building, for the equipment, and for furnishings shall be let by the commission in the same manner as for other public buildings. The members of the commission shall receive no compensation for their services as members of the commission.

The school district and the city of the second class shall each provide in their annual budgets an item for their proportion of the expense of maintaining such joint municipal and recreation building or joint recreational and athletic field.

The building commission shall have power to accept gifts, devises, and bequests of real and personal property to carry out the purposes of sections 17-156 to 17-162 and, to the extent of the powers conferred upon such board by the provisions of sections 17-156 to 17-162, to execute and carry out such conditions as may be annexed to any such gifts, devises, or bequests.

State recognition is hereby given to the hazard created in the streets of cities of the second class of Nebraska by the great increase in the number of motor vehicles, buses, and trucks. In order to remove or reduce the hazards to life and property and the inconvenience of congested traffic on the streets in such cities in this state, it is hereby deemed necessary and of general benefit to the entire State of Nebraska to provide means for such cities in Nebraska to own offstreet vehicle parking facilities exclusively for the parking of motor vehicles.

Any city of the second class in Nebraska is hereby authorized to own, purchase, construct, equip, lease, or operate within such city offstreet motor vehicle parking facilities for the use of the general public. The grant of power herein does not include the power to engage, directly or indirectly, in the sale of gasoline, oil, or other merchandise or in the furnishing of any service other than that of parking motor vehicles as provided herein. Any such city shall have the authority to acquire by grant, contract, purchase, or through the condemnation of property, as provided by law for such acquisition, all real or personal property, including a site or sites on which to construct said facilities, necessary or convenient in the carrying out of this grant of power; Provided, that before any such city may commence a program to construct, purchase, or acquire by other means a proposed offstreet parking facility or facilities, notice shall be given, by publication once each week for not less than thirty days, inviting application for private ownership and operation of offstreet parking facilities, if no application or applications have been received or, if received, the same have been disapproved by the governing body of such city within ninety days from the first date of publication, then such city may proceed in the exercise of the powers herein granted.

In order to pay the cost required by any purchase, construction, lease, or condemnation of property and equipping of such facilities, or the enlargement of presently owned facilities, the city may issue revenue bonds to provide the funds for such improvements. Such revenue bonds shall not be payable from any general tax upon the issuing municipality, but shall be a lien only upon the revenue and earnings of the parking facilities. Such revenue bonds shall mature in not to exceed forty years but may be optional prior to maturity at a premium as provided in the authorizing resolution or ordinance. Any such revenue bonds which may be issued shall not be included in computing the maximum amounts of bonds which the issuing city of the second class may be authorized to issue under its charter or any statute of this state. Such revenue bonds may be issued and sold or delivered to the contractor at par and accrued interest for the amount of work performed. If any city has installed or installs onstreet parking meters, it may pledge all or any part of the revenue of such parking meters, not previously pledged, as security for the bonds herein authorized.

Before the issuance of any revenue bonds the city of the second class shall have an independent and qualified firm of engineers prepare plans and specifications for such improvements. In the preparation of the plans and specifications, the independent engineer shall collaborate and counsel with any city engineering or traffic departments so as to coordinate the program with the program for the control of traffic within such respective city.

The governing body of any such city of the second class shall make all necessary rules and regulations governing the use, operation, and control thereof. In the exercise of the grant of power herein set forth, the city of the second class may make contracts with other departments of the city, or others, if such contracts are necessary and needed for the payment of the revenue bonds authorized herein and for the successful operation of the parking facilities. The governing board shall also establish and maintain equitable rates or charges for such services sufficient in amount to pay for the cost of operation, repair, and upkeep of the facilities to be purchased, acquired, or leased, and the principal of and interest on any revenue bonds issued pursuant to the provisions of sections 17-163 to 17-173. The governing body may also make any other agreements with the purchasers of the bonds for the security of the issuing city and the purchasers of such bonds not in contravention with the provisions of sections 17-163 to 17-173.

The mayor and council of a city of the second class adopting the proposition to make such purchase, or to erect such facility or facilities, set forth in section 17-164, before the purchase can be made or facility created, must submit the question to the electors of such city at a general municipal election or at an election duly called for that purpose and such question approved by a majority of the electors voting on it. If the question is submitted at a special election, the vote for the purchase or acquisition of such real estate or the purchase or erection of such facility or facilities shall equal at least a majority of the votes cast at the last preceding general election. Notice of the time and place of the election shall be given by publication in some legal newspaper printed and in general circulation in such city three successive weeks prior thereto.

On the creation of such motor vehicle parking facility for the use of the general public, the city may, if it desires, lease such facility to one or more operators to provide for the efficient operation of the facility. Such lease shall be let on a competitive basis and no lease shall run for a period in excess of ten years. In granting any lease, the city shall retain such control of the facility as may be necessary to insure that the facility will be properly operated in the public interest and that the prices charged are reasonable. The provisions of sections 17-163 to 17-173 shall not be construed to authorize the city or the lessee of the facility to engage in the sale of any commodity, product, or service, or to engage in any business other than the purposes set forth in section 17-164.

Property now used or hereafter acquired for offstreet motor vehicle parking by a private operator shall not be subject to condemnation.

The provisions of sections 17-163 to 17-173 and of any ordinance authorizing the issuance of bonds under the provisions of sections 17-163 to 17-173 shall constitute a contract with the holders of such bonds, and any holder of a bond or bonds or any of the coupons of any bond or bonds of such municipality, issued under the provisions of sections 17-163 to 17-173, may either in law or in equity, by suit, action, mandamus, or other proceedings, enforce and compel the performance of all duties required by the provisions of sections 17-163 to 17-173 or by the ordinance authorizing the bonds, including the making and collection of sufficient charges and fees for service and the use thereof, and the application of income and revenue thereof.

Any city of the second class is authorized to use any or all of the revenue from onstreet parking meters for the purpose set forth in section 17-164 if such revenue has not been pledged for the payment of revenue bonds authorized herein.

Sections 17-163 to 17-173 are supplementary to existing statutes relating to cities of the second class and confer upon such cities powers not heretofore granted.

A city of the second class shall have the power by ordinance to acquire, by the exercise of the power of eminent domain or otherwise, lease, purchase, construct, own, maintain, and operate, or contract for the operation of public passenger transportation systems, excluding railroad systems, including all property and facilities required therefor, within and without the limits of the city, to redeem such property from prior encumbrance in order to protect or preserve the interest of the city therein, to exercise all powers granted by the Constitution and laws of the State of Nebraska including but not limited to receiving and accepting from the government of the United States or any agency thereof, from the State of Nebraska, or any subdivision thereof, and from any person or corporation, donations, devises, gifts, bequests, loans, or grants for or in aid of the acquisition, operation, and maintenance of such public passenger transportation systems, and to administer, hold, use, and apply the same for the purposes for which such donations, devises, gifts, bequests, loans, or grants may have been made, to negotiate with employees and enter into contracts of employment, to employ by contract or otherwise individuals singularly or collectively, to enter into agreements authorized under the Interlocal Cooperation Act or the Joint Public Agency Act, and to exercise such other and further powers with respect thereto as may be necessary, incident, or appropriate to the powers of such city.

Any town or village containing not less than one hundred nor more than eight hundred inhabitants incorporated as a city, town, or village under the laws of this state and any city of the second class that has adopted village government as provided by law shall be a village and shall have the rights, powers, and immunities hereinafter granted, and none other, except that all county seat towns shall have the powers and immunities as hereinafter granted. The population of a village shall consist of the people residing within the territorial boundaries of such village and the residents of any territory duly and properly annexed to such village.

Whenever a majority of the taxable inhabitants of any town or village, not incorporated under any laws of this state, shall present a petition to the county board of the county in which the petitioners reside, praying that they may be incorporated as a village and designating the name they wish to assume and the metes and bounds of the proposed village, and such county board or majority of the members thereof shall be satisfied that a majority of the taxable inhabitants of the proposed village have signed such petition and that inhabitants to the number of one hundred or more are actual residents of the territory described in the petition, the board shall declare the proposed village incorporated, enter the order of incorporation upon its records, and designate the metes and bounds thereof. Thereafter the village shall be governed by the provisions of law applicable to the government of villages. The county board shall, at the time of the incorporation of the village, appoint five persons, having the qualifications provided in section 17-203, as trustees, who shall hold their offices and perform all the duties required of them by law until the election and qualification of their successors at the time and in the manner provided in section 17-202, except that the county board shall not declare a proposed village incorporated or enter an order of incorporation if any portion of the territory of such proposed village is within five miles of a Nebraska incorporated village or city of any class.

When a county board shall have entered an order declaring any village of the county as incorporated, it shall be conclusively presumed that said incorporation and all proceedings in connection therewith are valid in all respects notwithstanding some defect or defects may appear on the face of the record, or the absence of any record, unless an action shall be brought within one year from the date of entry of such order of the county board, attacking its validity.

The corporate powers and duties of every village shall be vested in the board of trustees which shall consist of five members. At the first statewide general election held after the incorporation of a village, two trustees shall be elected to serve two years and three trustees shall be elected to serve four years. Thereafter the board members shall be elected as provided in the Election Act. The terms shall begin on the first regular meeting of the board in December following the statewide general election. The terms of board members holding office on April 27, 1995, shall be extended to the first regular meeting of the board in December following the statewide general election. The changes made to this section by Laws 1994, LB 76, and Laws 1995, LB 194, shall not change the staggering of the terms of the board members in villages established prior to January 1, 1995.

Any person may be a trustee who is a citizen of the United States, resides in the village, and is a registered voter.

Every trustee, before entering upon the duties of his or her office, shall take an oath to support the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of Nebraska and faithfully and impartially to discharge the duties of his or her office. Every board of trustees appointed by the county board shall meet within twenty days, organize, and appoint the officers required by law. All trustees elected to office shall qualify and meet on the first regular meeting of the board in December thereafter, organize, elect a chairperson of the board, and appoint the officers required by law. The board of trustees shall, by ordinance, fix the time and place of holding its stated meetings and may be convened at any time by the chairperson.

At all meetings of the board a majority of the trustees shall constitute a quorum to do business. A smaller number may adjourn from day to day, and may compel the attendance of absent members in such manner and under such penalties as the board of trustees by ordinance may have previously prescribed.

The board of trustees shall keep a journal of their proceedings, and at the desire of any member shall cause the yeas and nays to be taken and entered on the journal on any question or ordinance, and the proceedings shall be public.

The board of trustees shall have power to pass ordinances to prevent and remove nuisances; to restrain and prohibit gambling; to provide for licensing and regulating theatrical and other amusements within such village; to prevent the introduction and spread of contagious diseases; to establish and regulate markets; to erect and repair bridges; to erect, repair, and regulate wharves and the rates of wharfage; to regulate the landing of watercraft; to provide for the inspection of building materials to be used or offered for sale in such village; to govern the planting and protection of shade trees in the streets and the building of structures projecting upon or over and adjoining, and all excavations through and under, the sidewalks of such village; and in addition to the special powers herein conferred and granted, to maintain the peace, good government, and welfare of the town or village and its trade, commerce, and manufactories, and to enforce all ordinances by inflicting penalties upon inhabitants or other persons, for the violation thereof, not exceeding five hundred dollars for any one offense, recoverable with costs. Nothing in this section shall be construed to apply to bingo, lotteries, lotteries by the sale of pickle cards, or raffles conducted in accordance with the Nebraska Bingo Act, the Nebraska Lottery and Raffle Act, the Nebraska Pickle Card Lottery Act, the Nebraska Small Lottery and Raffle Act, or the State Lottery Act.

Any village in Nebraska is hereby authorized to own, purchase, construct, equip, lease, or operate within such village offstreet motor vehicle parking facilities for the use of the general public. The grant of power herein does not include the power to engage, directly or indirectly, in the sale of gasoline, oil, or other merchandise or in the furnishing of any service other than that of parking motor vehicles as provided herein. Any village shall have the authority to acquire by grant, contract, purchase, or through the condemnation of property, as provided by law for such acquisition, all real or personal property, including a site or sites on which to construct said facilities, necessary or convenient in the carrying out of this grant of power; Provided, that before any village may commence a program to construct, purchase, or acquire by other means a proposed offstreet parking facility or facilities, notice shall be given, by publication once each week for not less than thirty days, inviting application for private ownership and operation of offstreet parking facilities. If no application or applications have been received or, if received, the same have been disapproved by the governing body of such village within ninety days from the first date of publication, then such village may proceed in the exercise of the powers herein granted.

The powers granted by section 17-207.01 shall be exercised in the manner and be subject to all the terms, conditions, and limitations provided in sections 17-163 to 17-173.

(1)(a) The village board of trustees may appoint a village clerk, treasurer, attorney, overseer of the streets, and marshal or chief of police. Pursuant to subsection (2) of this section, the village marshal or chief of police or any other police officer may appeal to the village board his or her removal, demotion, or suspension with or without pay. After a hearing, the village board may uphold, reverse, or modify the action.

(b) The village board of trustees shall by ordinance adopt rules and regulations governing the removal, demotion, or suspension with or without pay of any police officer, including the village marshal or chief of police. The ordinance shall include a procedure for such removal, demotion, or suspension with or without pay of any police officer, including the village marshal or chief of police, upon the written accusation of the village marshal or chief of police, the chairperson, or any citizen or taxpayer. The village board of trustees shall establish by ordinance procedures for acting upon such written accusation, including: (i) Provisions for giving notice and a copy of the written accusation to the police officer; (ii) the police officer's right to have an attorney or representative retained by the police officer present with him or her at all hearings or proceedings regarding the written accusation; (iii) the right of the police officer or his or her attorney or representative retained by the police officer to be heard and present evidence; and (iv) the right of the police officer as well as the individual imposing the action or their respective attorneys or representatives to record all hearings or proceedings regarding the written accusation. The ordinance shall also include a procedure for making application for an appeal, specifications on the period of time within which such application shall be made, and provisions on the manner in which the appeals hearing shall be conducted. Both the police officer and the individual imposing the action or their respective attorneys or representatives shall have the right at the hearing to be heard and to present evidence to the village board for its consideration. Not later than thirty days following the adjournment of the meeting at which the hearing was held, the village board shall vote to uphold, reverse, or modify the action. The failure of the village board to act within thirty days or the failure of a majority of the elected board members to vote to reverse or modify the action shall be construed as a vote to uphold the action. The decision of the village board shall be based upon its determination that, under the facts and evidence presented at the hearing, the action was necessary for the proper management and the effective operation of the police department in the performance of its duties under the statutes of the State of Nebraska. Nothing in this section shall be construed to prevent the preemptory suspension or immediate removal from duty of an officer by the appropriate authority, pending the hearing authorized by this section, in cases of gross misconduct, neglect of duty, or disobedience of orders.

(c) This subsection does not apply to a police officer during his or her probationary period.

(2) The village board of trustees shall also appoint a board of health consisting of three members: The chairperson of the village board, who shall be chairperson, and two other members. One member shall be a physician or health care provider, if one can be found who is willing to serve. Such physician or health care provider, if appointed, shall be the board's medical advisor. If the village board of trustees has appointed a marshal or chief of police, the marshal or chief of police may be appointed to the board and serve as secretary and quarantine officer. A majority of the board of health shall constitute a quorum and shall enact rules and regulations, which shall have the force and effect of law, to safeguard the health of the people of such village and prevent nuisances and unsanitary conditions. The board of health shall enforce the same and provide fines and punishments for violations. The appointees shall hold office for one year unless removed by the chairperson of the village board with the advice and consent of the trustees.

The appointive officials and other employees of the village shall receive such compensation as the chairman and board of trustees shall designate by ordinance; and the annual salary of the chairman and other members of the board of trustees shall be fixed by ordinance.

The local governing body of a village may by ordinance combine and merge any elective or appointive office or employment or any combination of duties of any such offices or employments, except trustee, with any other elective or appointive office or employment so that one or more of such offices or employments or any combination of duties of any such offices or employments may be held by the same officer or employee at the same time, except that trustees may perform and upon board approval receive compensation for seasonal or emergency work subject to sections 49-14,103.01 to 49-14,103.06. The offices or employments so merged and combined shall always be construed to be separate and the effect of the combination or merger shall be limited to a consolidation of official duties only. The salary or compensation of the officer or employee holding the merged and combined offices or employments or offices and employments shall not be in excess of the maximum amount provided by law for the salary or compensation of the office, offices, employment, or employments so merged and combined. For purposes of this section, volunteer firefighters and ambulance drivers shall not be considered officers.

The chairman of the board of trustees shall cause the ordinances of the board to be printed and published for the information of the inhabitants, and cause the same to be carried into effect. In the absence of the chairman of the board from any meeting of the board of trustees, such board shall have power to appoint a chairman pro tempore, who shall exercise and have the powers and perform the same duties as the regular chairman.

The municipal clerk shall give public notice of the time and place of holding each election, the notice to be given not less than ten nor more than twenty days previous to the election.

If, on any day appointed for holding any election, any of the judges or clerks of election shall fail to attend, the electors present may fill such vacancies from among the qualified electors present.

The marshal shall be chief of police, and shall at all times have power to make or order an arrest with proper process, for any offense against the laws of the state or ordinances of the village, and bring the offender to trial before the proper officer, and to arrest without process in all cases where any such offense shall be committed or attempted to be committed in his presence.

The overseer of streets shall, subject to the order of the board of such village, have general charge, direction and control of all works on streets, sidewalks, culverts and bridges of the village, and shall perform such other duties as the board may direct.

Any village of the State of Nebraska incorporated under the laws of this state shall abolish its incorporation whenever a majority of the registered voters of the village, voting on the question of such abolishment, shall so decide in the manner provided in sections 17-215 to 17-219.03.

For purposes of sections 17-215 to 17-219.03, when reference is made to the county within which the village is located and the village is located in more than one county, county means the county within which the greater portion of the area of the village is located.

(1) Whenever a petition or petitions for submission of the question of the abolishment of incorporation to the registered voters of any village, signed by not less than one-third of the registered voters of the village, is filed in the office of the county clerk or election commissioner of the county in which such village is situated, the county clerk or election commissioner shall cause such question to be submitted to the registered voters of the village as provided in this section and give notice thereof in the general notice of the election at which the question will be submitted.

(2) Whenever two-thirds of the members of the board of trustees of any village, by resolution following a public hearing, vote to submit the question of the abolishment of the incorporation of the village, the resolution shall be filed in the office of the county clerk or election commissioner of the county in which such village is situated and the county clerk or election commissioner shall cause such question to be submitted to the registered voters of the village as provided in this section and give notice thereof in the general notice of the election at which the question will be submitted.

(3) If a petition or resolution is filed with the county clerk or election commissioner, the county clerk or election commissioner shall cause such question to be submitted to the registered voters of the village at the next primary or general election which is scheduled to be held more than seventy days after the date upon which the petition or resolution is filed. If the petition or resolution calls for a vote on the question at a special election to be called for that purpose, the county clerk or election commissioner shall cause a special election to be called for the purpose of placing the question before the registered voters and the election shall be called not sooner than sixty days nor later than seventy days after the date of the filing of the petition or resolution. If a petition is filed at any time other than within one hundred eighty days prior to a primary or general election and the petition does not call for the question to be considered at a special election, the board of trustees may, by majority vote, call for the county clerk or election commissioner to cause the matter to be placed upon the ballot at a special election on a date certain specified by the board, except that such date shall not be sooner than sixty days after the date upon which the petition was filed.

(4) If the question of abolishment of incorporation is submitted to the voters and such question receives a favorable vote by a majority of those voting on the issue, the governing board of such village shall file with the Secretary of State a certified statement showing the total votes for and against such measure.

The forms of ballot shall be, respectively, For abolishment of incorporation, and Against abolishment of incorporation, and the same shall be printed upon a separate ballot, and shall be counted and canvassed in the same manner as other ballots voted at the election.

(1) If it is decided at such election that incorporation of the village be abolished, then, from and after the effective date of the abolishment of the incorporation as determined by the county board as provided in subsection (2) of this section, the incorporation of the village shall cease and be abolished, and the area formerly encompassed within the boundaries of the village shall thereafter be governed by county commissioners as provided by law for unincorporated areas within the county. Upon such date, the terms of office of all elected and appointed officers and employees of the village shall end.

(2) Within fifty days after the date of the election at which the registered voters of the village approve the abolishment of the village's incorporation, the county board of the county within which the village is located shall, by resolution, specify the month, day, and year upon which the abolishment of the incorporation becomes effective. The effective date shall not be later than (a) six calendar months following the date of the election or (b) if there are liabilities of the village which cannot be retired except by means of a continuing property tax levy by the village, the date such liabilities can be paid, whichever is later. The county clerk shall transmit a copy of the resolution to the Secretary of State.

Upon the effective date of the abolishment of incorporation, all corporate property and corporate records belonging to the village shall be transferred to the county board of the county in which the village is located. All funds of the village not otherwise disposed of shall be transferred to the county treasurer to be paid out by order of the county board as it sees fit.

Notwithstanding any more general law respecting revenue, the county board in any county in this state in which the incorporation of any village has been abolished according to law shall advertise and sell all corporate property of the village for which the county itself has no use or which remains unsold or undisposed of after the expiration of six months from the effective date of the abolishment of the incorporation of such village as provided by the county board for liquidation of any liabilities of the village. After the effective date of the abolishment of the incorporation of the village, the county board shall treat all real estate listed and described in the original plat of such village upon which the owner thereof has failed and neglected to pay the taxes thereon as if such taxes were originally levied by the county and, notwithstanding any other provision of law, the taxes shall be deemed to have been levied by the county as of the date of the original levy by the village and due and owing as provided by law to the county.

The county treasurer shall, before selling any property under section 17-219.01, give notice of the sale thereof in the same manner as notice is given when lands are sold under execution by the sheriff, and the sale shall likewise be conducted in the same manner as execution sales.

(1) On and after the date of a vote by a majority of the registered voters of a village voting on the question in favor of the abolishment of the incorporation of a village, the board of trustees shall not expend any funds of the village, liquidate any village assets, whether such assets are real or personal property, or otherwise encumber or exercise any authority over the property or funds of the village without the prior approval of the county board of the county within which the village is located.

(2) Within ten days after a vote by a majority of the registered voters of a village voting on the question in favor of the abolishment of the incorporation of a village, the board of trustees shall meet and approve a resolution setting out with particularity all of the assets and liabilities of the village, including a full and complete inventory of all property, real and personal, owned by the village. The resolution shall be transmitted to the county clerk of the county within which the village is located, and the county clerk shall provide copies to the members of the county board.

(3) If the liabilities of the village exceed the value of all the assets of the village, the county board shall, within twenty days after the receipt of the resolution by the county clerk, schedule a joint meeting between the village board of trustees and the county board to review the resolution and discuss how to liquidate the liabilities with the village board of trustees.

(4) Within thirty days after the date upon which the joint meeting is held pursuant to subsection (3) of this section, the county board shall adopt a plan for the liquidation of village assets to retire the liabilities of the village.

A majority of the taxable inhabitants of any village situated in two or more counties may present a petition to the county board of any county in which any part of such village is situated, praying that they may be incorporated as a village; and such county board shall act upon the petition the same as if the village were situated wholly within the county where the petition shall be presented. If the county board shall declare such village incorporated, the village shall thereafter be governed by the provisions of the statutes of this state applicable to the government of villages. The county clerk of said county shall immediately certify the proceedings relating to the incorporation of such village to the county board of each other county in which any part of said village is situated, and each county board to which the said proceedings shall be certified shall enter such proceedings upon their records.

Any incorporated village situated in two or more counties may have the right to use the jails of any and all counties in which any part of such village is situated.

Taxes levied for village purposes, in villages situated in two or more counties, shall be certified to the county clerk of each county in which any part of such village is situated, and said county clerks shall place the same on the proper tax list.

All notices and other publications, required by law to be published in any county in which any part of an incorporated village is situated, may be published in any newspaper published in such village, and such publication shall have the same force and effect as it would have if published in every county in which any part of such village is situated.

It shall be unlawful for any railroad company or for any of its officers, agents, servants or employees to obstruct with car or cars, engine or engines, or with any other rolling stock, for more than ten minutes at a time, any public highway, street or alley in any unincorporated town or village in the State of Nebraska. Any corporation, person, firm or individual violating any provision of this section shall, upon conviction thereof, be fined in any sum not less than ten dollars nor more than one hundred dollars.

If the board of trustees of a village in the State of Nebraska by a three-fourths vote of the members elected to the board determines by ordinance the necessity of initiating a street improvements program within the village, which improvements are in the nature of a general benefit to the whole community and not of special benefit to adjoining or to abutting property and which consists of graveling, base stabilization, oiling, or other improvements to the streets, but which improvements do not consist of curb and gutter or asphalt or concrete pavings, the chairperson and board of trustees may, by such ordinance, provide for the levy and collection of a special tax not exceeding seventeen and five-tenths cents on each one hundred dollars on the taxable value of all the taxable property in the village for a period of not to exceed five years to create a fund for the payment of such improvements.

Any such levy shall not be considered within the limitation on the village for the levy of taxes as contained in section 17-702.

In order to construct the improvements as outlined in section 17-229 pursuant to such determination of necessity, the chairperson and board of trustees may proceed from time to time to make such improvements costing not exceeding eighty-five percent of the amount of taxes to be collected. In order to allow the construction of the contemplated improvements immediately, the chairperson and board of trustees may issue warrants from time to time in the aggregate amount of eighty-five percent of the estimated taxes to be collected over the period of years provided for the levy, the amount of such warrants authorized to be issued to be based upon the amount of revenue to be raised by the tax to be levied and the taxable valuation of the taxable property in the village at the time the determination of necessity is made by ordinance multiplied by the number of years the tax has to run. The warrants shall not bear interest in excess of six percent per annum, may be issued in such denominations as the chairperson and board of trustees may determine, and shall be paid from the collection of the special tax levy. Any unpaid amount of the levy after the payment of any such warrants in full, including both principal and interest, shall be transferred to the general fund.

(1) Whenever any city of the first class decreases in population until it has a population of less than five thousand inhabitants but not less than four thousand five hundred inhabitants, as ascertained and officially promulgated by the federal decennial census, the mayor of any such city shall certify such fact to the Secretary of State.

(2) Whenever any city of the first class decreases in population until it has a population of less than four thousand five hundred inhabitants but more than eight hundred inhabitants as ascertained and officially promulgated by the federal decennial census, the mayor of any such city shall certify such fact to the Secretary of State.

(3) Whenever the Secretary of State receives a certification pursuant to subsection (1) of this section from the same city after two consecutive federal decennial censuses, he or she shall declare such city to have become a city of the second class as provided in section 17-305.

(4) Whenever the Secretary of State receives a certification pursuant to subsection (2) of this section, he or she shall declare such city to have become a city of the second class as provided in section 17-305.

(5) Beginning on the date upon which a city becomes a city of the second class pursuant to section 17-305, such city shall be governed by the provisions of the statutes of the State of Nebraska applicable to cities of the second class.

The government of a city shall continue, as organized at the date of the declaration of the Secretary of State under section 17-301, until the reorganization of the same under section 17-305.

The mayor and council shall, within ninety days after the declaration of the Secretary of State under section 17-301, divide the city into not less than two nor more than six wards as may be provided by ordinance of the mayor and city council thereof. Such wards shall contain, as nearly as practicable, an equal area and an equal number of legal voters. Such division and boundaries of such wards, so to be defined by ordinance, shall take effect on the first day of the first succeeding municipal year following the next general city election after such reorganization. Any council member whose term continues, by reason of his or her prior election under the statutes governing cities of the first class, through another year or years beyond the date of the reorganization as a city of the second class shall continue to hold his or her office as council member from the ward in which he or she is a resident as if elected for the same term under the statutes governing cities of the second class.

After the terms of members of the city council in office at the time shall have expired, the council shall consist of not less than four nor more than twelve citizens of said city, who shall be qualified electors under the Constitution and laws of the State of Nebraska.

(1) Upon the expiration of one year after the date of the declaration of the Secretary of State under section 17-301, the city shall be, as of that date, incorporated as a city of the second class. All ordinances, bylaws, acts, regulations, obligations, rules, and proclamations existing and in force in or with respect to any such city at the time of the declaration of the Secretary of State under section 17-301 shall be and remain in full force and effect for a period of one year and may be enacted, altered, or amended during such period in a manner consistent with the statutes governing cities of the first class, except that any such acts, alterations, or amendments shall not be effective beyond the date upon which the city is incorporated as a city of the second class.

(2) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (1) of this section, a city shall amend, repeal, or modify all ordinances, bylaws, acts, regulations, obligations, rules, and proclamations which are existing and in force in or with respect to such city at the time of the declaration of the Secretary of State under section 17-301 and which are inconsistent with the statutes governing cities of the second class in a manner which is in conformance and consistent with the statutes governing cities of the second class to take effect upon the effective date of the city's incorporation as a city of the second class.

Sections 17-301 to 17-305 apply to cities of the first class whose population has decreased to less than five thousand inhabitants but more than eight hundred inhabitants according to the federal decennial census in the year 2000 and in each subsequent federal decennial census.

Whenever any city of the second class desires to discontinue its organization as a city and organize as a village, and one-fourth of the legal voters of such city shall petition the city council, the council shall cause to be published, for at least thirty days, a notice stating that the question of adopting village government will be submitted at the next city election, or at a special election announced in such notice. The form of ballot shall be For organization as a village, and Against organization as a village, and at the same election the qualified voters shall vote for five trustees for the village. If a majority of the votes cast are For organization as a village, then such city shall within sixty days after such election become a village and be governed under the provisions of the law relating to a village unless it shall at some future election adopt a city government in the manner provided herein for the adoption of a village government.

If village government shall have been adopted as aforesaid, the board of trustees shall, at the expiration of sixty days from said election, enter upon the duties of their offices; and all books, papers, records, money and property of such city shall be delivered over to the board of trustees; and the authority of the city council and all city officers shall cease from and after the taking effect of village government in such city.

All ordinances of the city shall remain and be in full force in the village until amended or repealed by the board of trustees, and the board shall provide for the payment of the city indebtedness, and levy necessary taxes therefor as if the same had been incurred by the village.

Whenever any city of the second class decreases in population until it has a population of less than eight hundred inhabitants and more than one hundred inhabitants, as ascertained and officially promulgated by the census, enumeration, and return taken by the United States, by the State of Nebraska, or by the authority of the mayor and council of such city, and the mayor and council decide by ordinance to remain a city of the second class, the mayor shall certify such fact to the Secretary of State who, upon the filing of such a certificate, shall by proclamation so declare and shall declare such city to remain a city of the second class. Such city shall continue to be governed by laws of this state applicable to cities of the second class.

(1) Except as provided in section 17-312, whenever any village increases in population until it has a population of more than eight hundred inhabitants but less than five thousand inhabitants, as ascertained and officially promulgated by the census, enumeration, and return taken by the United States, by the State of Nebraska, or by the authority of the village board of such village, the village board shall certify such fact to the Secretary of State who, upon the filing of such a certificate, shall by proclamation so declare and shall declare such village to have become a city of the second class. Thereafter such city shall be governed by the laws of this state applicable to cities of the second class. The government of such city shall continue as organized at the date of such proclamation until the reorganization as a city of the second class.

(2) If any village becomes a city of the second class, the governing body shall call a special election for the purpose of electing new members of the city's governing body to be held not more than eight months after the proclamation is issued. At the initial election of officers, the names of the candidates receiving the greatest number of votes at the primary election if one is held shall be placed on the general election ballot. One-half or the bare majority of the candidates in each precinct or ward or at-large candidates, as the case may be, receiving the greatest number of votes at the general election, shall be elected to terms of the longest duration, and those receiving the next greatest number of votes shall be elected to the remaining term or terms. The members of the village board of trustees shall hold office only until the newly elected city officials assume office. All ordinances, bylaws, acts, rules, regulations, obligations, and proclamations existing and in force in or with respect to any village at the time of its incorporation as a city of the second class shall remain in full force and effect after such incorporation as a city of the second class until repealed or modified by such city within one year after the date of the filing of the certificate pursuant to subsection (1) of this section.

(1) Whenever any village attains a population exceeding eight hundred inhabitants and one-fourth of the legal voters but not less than one hundred registered voters of the village petition the board of trustees of such village, the board of trustees shall cause to be published for at least thirty days a notice stating that the question of retaining a village form of government will be submitted at the next regularly scheduled election or at a special election announced in such notice. Thereupon there shall be submitted by the board of trustees at such election the question of retaining a village form of government. Such election shall be conducted in the manner provided for cities of the second class. The form of the ballot at such election shall be For retention of village government and Against retention of village government. If the majority of the votes cast are for retention of village government, then such village shall remain a village and be governed under the provisions of the law relating to villages unless at some future election such village adopts a city government in the manner provided for the adoption of a village government.

(2) If the question is submitted at a special election, such election shall be held not later than October 15 of an odd-numbered year. If the question is rejected, city officials shall be elected at the next regularly scheduled election.

(3) If the question is submitted at a regularly scheduled election, no village trustees shall be elected at such election, but trustees whose terms are to expire following such election shall hold office until either their successors or city officials take office as follows:

(a) If the question is rejected, the village board shall call a special election, to be held not more than eight months after the election at which the question was rejected, for the purpose of electing city officials under the provisions of law relating to cities of the second class. The terms of office for such officials shall be established pursuant to section 17-311. The members of the board of trustees shall hold office only until the newly elected city officials assume office; and

(b) If the question is approved, the village board shall call a special election, to be held not more than eight months after the election at which the question was approved, for the purpose of electing successors to those members of the village board who held office beyond the normal expiration of their terms. Such special election shall be conducted under the provisions of law relating to villages. Persons so elected shall take office as soon after the completion of the canvass of the votes as is practicable, and their terms of office shall be as if the holdovers had not occurred.

Any two or more cities of the second class or villages, lying adjacent to each other, may consolidate and become one city or municipal corporation, as the case may be, and under the name and with all the powers, obligations, and duties of the city or municipal corporation whose name shall be assumed and adopted in the proceedings provided in sections 17-402 and 17-403.

When any city or village shall desire to be annexed to another and contiguous city or village, the city council or trustees of each city or village shall appoint three commissioners to arrange and report to such council or trustees respectively the terms and conditions on which the proposed annexation can be made; and, if the council or trustees of each such city or village approve of the terms and conditions proposed, they shall, by proper ordinance, so declare; and thereupon the council or trustees of each of such cities or villages by ordinance passed at least one month prior to the general annual election therein, may submit the question of such annexation, upon the terms and conditions so proposed, to the electors of their respective cities or villages; and if a majority of the electors of each vote in favor of such annexation the council or trustees of each shall, by proper ordinance, so declare. A certified copy of the whole proceedings of the city or village shall be filed with the clerk of the city or village to which the annexation is made.

When certified copies of the proceedings for annexation are filed, as contemplated in section 17-402, the annexation shall be deemed complete; and the city or village to which annexation is made shall have the power to pass such ordinances, not inconsistent with law, as will carry into effect the terms of such annexation. Thereafter the city or village annexed shall be governed as part of the city or village to which annexation is made; Provided, such annexation shall not affect or impair any rights or liabilities then existing for or against either of such cities or villages, but they may be enforced the same as if no such annexation had taken place.

When a city or village is thus annexed to another, the property, both real and personal, the notes, bonds, obligations, accounts, demands, evidences of debt, rights, and choses in action, franchises, books, records, maps, plats, and effects of every nature, of and belonging to the two adjacent cities or municipal corporations so annexed, shall be the property of and belong to the corporation to which it is annexed.

(1) Whenever the owner or owners and inhabitants, or a majority thereof in numbers or value, of any territory lying contiguous to the corporate limits of any city or village, whether the territory be already in fact subdivided into lots or parcels of ten acres or less or remains unsubdivided, except as provided in section 13-1115, shall desire to annex such territory to any city or village, they shall first cause an accurate plat or map of the territory to be made, showing such territory subdivided into blocks and lots, conforming as nearly as may be to the blocks, lots, and streets of the adjacent city or village. It shall also show the descriptions and numberings, as provided in section 17-415, for platting additions, and conforming thereto as nearly as may be.

(2) Said plat or map shall be prepared under the supervision of the city engineer in cases of annexation to adjacent cities, and under the supervision of a competent surveyor in any case. A copy of said plat or map, certified by said engineer or surveyor, as the case may be, shall be filed in the office of the clerk of the city or village, together with a request in writing, signed by a majority of the property owners and inhabitants in number and value of the territory described in said plat for the annexation of said territory. The city council or board of trustees shall, at the next regular meeting thereof after the filing of such plat and request for annexation, vote upon the question of such annexation, and such vote shall be spread upon the journal of said council or board of trustees. If a majority of all the members of the council or board of trustees vote for such annexation, an ordinance shall be prepared and passed by the council or board declaring the annexation of such territory to the corporate limits of the city or village, and extending the limits thereof accordingly.

(3) An accurate map or plat of such territory certified by the engineer or surveyor, and acknowledged and proved as provided by law in such cases shall at once be filed and recorded in the office of the county clerk or register of deeds and county assessor of the proper county, together with a certified copy of the ordinance declaring such annexation, under the seal of the city or village. Thereupon such annexation of such adjacent territory shall be deemed complete, and the territory included and described in the plat on file in the office of the clerk or register of deeds shall be deemed and held to be a part of said original corporate city or village, and the inhabitants thereof shall thereafter enjoy the privileges and benefits of such annexation, and be subject to the ordinances and regulations of said city or village.

(1) Except as provided in subsection (2) of this section and section 17-407, the mayor and council of any city of the second class or the chairperson and members of the board of trustees of any village may by ordinance, except as provided in sections 13-1111 to 13-1118, at any time, include within the corporate limits of such city or village any contiguous or adjacent lands, lots, tracts, streets, or highways as are urban or suburban in character, and in such direction as may be deemed proper. Such grant of power shall not be construed as conferring power to extend the limits of any municipality over any agricultural lands which are rural in character.

(2) The mayor and city council of any city of the second class or the chairperson and members of the board of trustees of any village may, by ordinance, annex any lands, lots, tracts, streets, or highways which constitute a redevelopment project area so designated by the city or village or its community redevelopment authority in accordance with the provisions of the Community Development Law and sections 18-2145 to 18-2154 when such annexation is for the purpose of implementing a lawfully adopted redevelopment plan containing a provision dividing ad valorem taxes as provided in subsection (1) of section 18-2147 and which will involve the construction or development of an agricultural processing facility, notwithstanding that such lands, lots, tracts, streets, or highways are not contiguous or adjacent or are not urban or suburban in character. Such annexation shall comply with all other provisions of law relating to annexation generally for cities of the second class and villages. The city or village shall not, in consequence of the annexation under this subsection of any noncontiguous land, exercise the authority granted to it by statute to extend its jurisdiction beyond its corporate boundaries for purposes of planning, zoning, or subdivision development without the agreement of any other city, village, or county currently exercising such jurisdiction over the area surrounding the annexed redevelopment project area. The annexation of any noncontiguous land undertaken pursuant to this subsection shall not result in any change in the service area of any electric utility without the express agreement of the electric utility serving the annexed noncontiguous area at the time of annexation, except that at such time following the annexation of the noncontiguous area as the city or village lawfully annexes sufficient intervening territory so as to directly connect the noncontiguous area to the main body of the city or village, such noncontiguous area shall, solely for the purposes of section 70-1008, be treated as if it had been annexed by the city or village on the date upon which the connecting intervening territory had been formally annexed.

(3) For the purposes of subsection (2) of this section, agricultural processing facility means a plant or establishment where value is added to agricultural commodities through processing, fabrication, or other means and where eighty percent or more of the direct sales from the facility are to other than the ultimate consumer of the processed commodities. A facility shall not qualify as an agricultural processing facility unless its construction or development involves the investment of more than one million dollars derived from nongovernmental sources.

Lands, lots, tracts, streets, or highways shall be deemed contiguous although a stream, roadway, embankment, strip, or parcel of land not more than five hundred feet wide lies between the same and the corporate limits.

Any extraterritorial property use regulations imposed upon any annexed lands by the municipality before such annexation shall continue in full force and effect until otherwise changed.

The inhabitants of territories annexed under the provisions of sections 17-405.01 to 17-405.05 shall receive substantially the benefits of other inhabitants of such municipality as soon as practicable, and adequate plans and necessary city council or village board action to furnish such benefits as police, fire, snow removal, and water service must be adopted not later than one year after the date of annexation, and such inhabitants shall be subject to the ordinances and regulations of such municipality; Provided, that such one-year period shall be tolled pending final court decision in any court action to contest such annexation.

When any city or village situated in two or more counties shall desire to annex to its corporate limits any contiguous territory, whether within the counties within which said city or village is situated or otherwise, such territory may be annexed in the manner provided by sections 17-405.01 to 17-405.04.

Whenever the owner, owners, and inhabitants or a majority thereof in number or value of any territory lying contiguous to the corporate limits of any city or village, the corporate limits of which city or village is situated in two or more counties and, whether the territory shall be situated within or without the counties of which said city or village is a part, except as provided in section 13-1115, shall desire to annex said territory to such city or village, such territory may be annexed in the manner provided in section 17-405, and when so annexed shall thereafter be a part of such city or village.

(1) The provisions of this section shall govern annexation by a city of the second class or village located in whole or in part within the boundaries of a county having a population in excess of one hundred thousand inhabitants but less than two hundred thousand inhabitants.

(2) The mayor and council of any city of the second class or the chairperson and members of the board of trustees of any village described in subsection (1) of this section may by ordinance, except as provided in sections 13-1111 to 13-1118, at any time include within the corporate limits of such city or village any contiguous or adjacent lands, lots, tracts, streets, or highways as are urban or suburban in character and in such direction as may be deemed proper. Such grant of power shall not be construed as conferring power to extend the limits of any such municipality over any agricultural lands which are rural in character.

(3) Not later than fourteen days prior to the public hearing before the planning commission on a proposed annexation by the city or village, the city or village clerk shall send notice of the proposed annexation by certified mail, return receipt requested, to any of the following entities serving customers in such city or village or in the area proposed for annexation: Any natural gas public utility as defined in section 66-1802; any natural gas utility owned or operated by the city or village; any metropolitan utilities district; any public power district; any public power and irrigation district; any municipality; any electric cooperative; and any other governmental entity providing electric service. Such notice shall include a copy of the proposed annexation ordinance, the date, time, and place of the public hearing before the planning commission on the proposed annexation ordinance, and a map showing the boundaries of the area proposed for annexation.

(4) Prior to the final adoption of the annexation ordinance, the minutes of the city council or village board meeting at which such final adoption was considered shall reflect formal compliance with the provisions of subsection (3) of this section.

(5) No additional or further notice beyond that required by subsection (3) of this section shall be necessary in the event (a) that the scheduled city council or village board public hearing on the proposed annexation is adjourned, continued, or postponed until a later date or (b) that subsequent to providing such notice the ordinance regarding such proposed annexation was amended, changed, or rejected by action of the city council or village board prior to formal passage of the annexation ordinance.

(6) Except for a willful or deliberate failure to cause notice to be given, no annexation decision made by a city of the second class or village either to accept or reject a proposed annexation, either in whole or in part, shall be void, invalidated, or affected in any way because of any irregularity, defect, error, or failure on the part of the city or village or its employees to cause notice to be given as required by this section if a reasonable attempt to comply with this section was made.

(7) Except for a willful or deliberate failure to cause notice to be given, the city or village and its employees shall not be liable for any damage to any person resulting from any failure to cause notice to be given as required by this section when a reasonable attempt was made to provide such notice. No action for damages resulting from the failure to cause notice to be provided as required by this section shall be filed more than one year following the date of the formal acceptance or rejection of the proposed annexation, either in whole or in part, by the city council or village board.

(8) No action to challenge the validity of the acceptance or rejection of a proposed annexation on the basis of this section shall be filed more than one year following the date of the formal acceptance or rejection of the annexation by the city council or village board.

The extension of the city limits beyond or around any lands belonging to the State of Nebraska shall not affect the status of such state land.

Whenever a majority of the legal voters residing on any territory within and adjacent to the corporate limits of any city or village or the owner or owners of any unoccupied territory so situated desire to have the territory disconnected from the city or village, they may file a petition in the district court of the county in which such city or village is situated praying that such territory be detached. The petitioners shall, within ten days after the filing of such petition, cause a copy thereof to be served on such city or village in the manner provided by law for the service of summons in a civil action. If any city or village by a majority vote of all members of the council or board of trustees consents that such territory be disconnected, the court shall enter a decree disconnecting the territory, and in such case no costs shall be taxed against such city or village. In case such a city or village desires to contest such petition, it shall file its answer thereto within thirty days after the service of a copy of the petition, and thereupon issue shall be joined and the cause shall be tried by the court as a suit in equity. If the court finds in favor of the petitioners and that justice and equity require that such territory, or any part thereof, be disconnected from such city or village, it shall enter a decree accordingly. In all cases such a decree disconnecting part or all of such territory shall particularly describe the territory affected and a certified copy thereof shall be recorded in the office of the register of deeds or county clerk of the county in which such territory is situated. A certified copy thereof shall also be forwarded to and filed in the office of the clerk of the city or village affected thereby. Either party may prosecute an appeal from the finding and decree of the district court to the Court of Appeals.

Every original owner or proprietor of any tract or parcel of land, who shall subdivide the same into two or more parts for the purpose of laying out any city or village or any addition thereto or any part thereof, or suburban lots, shall cause a plat of such subdivision, with references to known or permanent monuments, to be made, which shall accurately describe all subdivisions of such tract or parcel of land, numbering the same by progressive numbers, and giving the dimensions and length and breadth thereof, and the breadth and courses of all streets and alleys established therein. Descriptions of lots or parcels of land in such subdivisions, according to the number and designation thereof on such plat contained, in conveyances or for the purposes of taxation, shall be deemed good and valid for all purposes. The duty to file for record a plat as provided herein shall attach as a covenant of warranty in all conveyances hereafter made of any part or parcel of such subdivision by the original owners or proprietors against any and all assessments, costs and damages paid, lost or incurred by any grantee or person claiming under him, in consequence of the omission on the part of the owner or proprietors to file such plat.

Every such plat shall contain a statement to the effect that the above or foregoing subdivision of (here insert a correct description of the land or parcel subdivided), as appears on this plat, is made with the free consent and in accordance with the desire of the undersigned owners and proprietors, and shall be duly acknowledged before some officer authorized to take the acknowledgment of deeds. When thus executed and acknowledged, the plat shall be filed for record and recorded in the office of the register of deeds and county assessor of the proper county.

The acknowledgment and recording of such plat is equivalent to a deed in fee simple of such portion of the premises platted as is on such plat set apart for streets or other public use, or as is thereon dedicated to charitable, religious or educational purposes.

Streets and alleys laid out in any addition to any city or village shall be continuous with and correspond in direction and width to the streets and alleys of the city or village to which they are in addition.

Any such plat may be vacated after approval of the governing body by the proprietors thereof, at any time before the sale of any lots therein, by a written instrument declaring the same to be vacated. Such written instrument shall be approved by the governing body and shall be duly executed, acknowledged or proved, and recorded in the same office with the plat to be vacated. The execution and recording of such writing shall operate to destroy the force and effect of the recording of the plat so vacated and to divest all public rights in the streets, alleys, commons, and public grounds laid out or described in such plat. In cases when any lots have been sold, the plat may be vacated, as herein provided, by all the owners of lots in such plat joining in the execution of the writing aforesaid.

Any part of a plat may be vacated under the provisions and subject to the conditions of section 17-419; Provided, such vacating does not abridge or destroy any of the rights and privileges of other proprietors in said plat. Nothing contained in this section shall authorize the closing or obstructing of any public highways laid out according to law.

When any part of a plat shall be vacated as aforesaid, the proprietors of the lots so vacated may enclose the streets, alleys and public grounds adjoining said lots in equal proportions.

The county clerk in whose office the plats aforesaid are recorded shall write in plain, legible letters across that part of said plat so vacated, the word vacated, and also make a reference on the same to the volume and page in which the said instrument of vacation is recorded.

The owner of any lots in a plat so vacated may cause the same and a proportionate part of adjacent streets and public grounds to be platted and numbered by the county surveyor. When such plat is acknowledged by such owner, and is recorded in the record office of the county, such lots may be conveyed and assessed by the numbers given them on such plat.

Whenever the original owners or proprietors of any subdivision of land as contemplated in sections 17-415 and 17-416, have sold or conveyed any part thereof or invested the public with any rights therein, and have failed and neglected to execute and file for record a plat as provided in said sections, the county clerk shall notify some or all of such owners and proprietors by mail or otherwise, and demand an execution of said plat as provided. If such owners or proprietors, whether notified or not, fail and neglect to execute and file for record said plat, for thirty days after the issuance of such notice, the clerk shall cause the plat of such subdivision to be made, and also any surveying necessary therefor. Such plat shall be signed and acknowledged by the clerk, who shall certify that he executed it by reason of the failure of the owners or proprietors named to do so, and filed for record. When so filed for record, it shall have the same effect for all purposes as if executed, acknowledged and recorded by the owners or proprietors themselves. A correct statement of the costs and expenses of such plat, surveying and recording, verified by oath, shall be by the clerk laid before the first session of the county board, who shall allow the same and order the same to be paid out of the county treasury, and shall at the same time assess the said amount, pro rata, upon all several subdivisions of said tract, lot or parcel so subdivided. Such assessment shall be collected with and in like manner as the general taxes, and shall go to the county general fund; or the board may direct suit to be brought in the name of the county, before any court having jurisdiction, to recover of the original owners or proprietors, or either of them, the cost and expense of procuring and recording such plat.

Whenever any congressional subdivision of land of forty acres or less or any lot or subdivision is owned by two or more persons in severalty, and the description of one or more of the different parts or parcels thereof cannot, in the judgment of the county clerk, be made sufficiently certain and accurate for the purpose of assessment and taxation without noting the metes and bounds of the same, the clerk shall require and cause to be made and recorded a plat of such tract or lot of land with its several subdivisions, in accordance with the provisions of section 17-415; and he shall proceed in such cases according to the provisions of section 17-424; and all the provisions of such section in relation to the plats of cities and villages, and so forth, shall govern as to the tracts and parcels of land in this section referred to.

Any person who shall dispose of, or offer for sale or lease, any lots in any town, or addition to any town or city, until the plat thereof has been duly acknowledged and recorded as provided in section 17-416, shall forfeit and pay fifty dollars for each lot and part of lot sold or disposed of, leased or offered for sale.

Cities of the second class and villages shall be bodies corporate and politic, and shall have power (1) to sue and be sued; (2) to contract or be contracted with; (3) to acquire and hold real and personal property within or without the limits of the city or village, for the use of the city or village, convey property, real or personal, and lease, lease with option to buy, or acquire by gift or devise real or personal property; and (4) to receive and safeguard donations in trust and may, by ordinance, supervise and regulate such property and the principal and income constituting the foundation or community trust property in conformity with the instrument or instruments creating such trust. The city council of any city of the second class, or the board of trustees of any village, may elect a board of five members, to be known as a board of public trust, who shall be residents of such city or village and whose duties shall be defined by ordinance and who shall have control and management of such donations in trust, in conformity with such ordinance; except that at the time of the establishment of the board of public trust, one member shall be elected for a term of one year, one for a term of two years, one for a term of three years, one for a term of four years, and one for a term of five years, and thereafter one member shall be elected each year for a term of five years. Vacancies in the membership of the board shall be filled in like manner as regular members of the board are elected.

Such cities or villages shall have a common seal, which they may change and alter at pleasure, and such other powers as may be conferred by law.

(1) Except as provided in section 17-503.01, the power of any city of the second class or village to convey any real property owned by it, including land used for park purposes and public squares, except real property used in the operation of public utilities, shall be exercised by resolution directing the sale at public auction or by sealed bid of such property and the manner and terms thereof, except that such property shall not be sold at public auction or by sealed bid when:

(a) Such property is being sold in compliance with the requirements of federal or state grants or programs;

(b) Such property is being conveyed to another public agency; or

(c) Such property consists of streets and alleys.

(2) The governing body of any such city or village may establish a minimum price for real property at which bidding shall begin or shall serve as a minimum for a sealed bid.

(3) After the passage of the resolution directing the sale, notice of all proposed sales of property described in subsection (1) of this section and the terms thereof shall be published once each week for three consecutive weeks in a legal newspaper published in or of general circulation in such city or village.

(4) If within thirty days after the third publication of the notice a remonstrance against such sale is signed by registered voters of the city or village equal in number to thirty percent of the registered voters of the city or village voting at the last regular municipal election held therein and is filed with the governing body of such city or village, such property shall not then, nor within one year thereafter, be sold. If the date for filing the remonstrance falls upon a Saturday, Sunday, or legal holiday, the signatures shall be collected within the thirty-day period, but the filing shall be considered timely if filed or postmarked on or before the next business day. Upon the receipt of the remonstrance, the governing body of such city or village, with the aid and assistance of the election commissioner or county clerk, shall determine the validity and sufficiency of signatures on the remonstrance. The governing body of such city or village shall deliver the remonstrance to the election commissioner or county clerk by hand carrier, by use of law enforcement officials, or by certified mail, return receipt requested. Upon receipt of the remonstrance, the election commissioner or county clerk shall issue to the governing body a written receipt that the remonstrance is in the custody of the election commissioner or county clerk. The election commissioner or county clerk shall compare the signature of each person signing the remonstrance with the voter registration records to determine if each signer was a registered voter on or before the date on which the remonstrance was filed with the governing body. The election commissioner or county clerk shall also compare the signer's printed name, street and number or voting precinct, and city, village, or post office address with the voter registration records to determine whether the signer was a registered voter. The signature and address shall be presumed to be valid only if the election commissioner or county clerk determines that the printed name, street and number or voting precinct, and city, village, or post office address matches the registration records and that the registration was received on or before the date on which the remonstrance was filed with the governing body. The determinations of the election commissioner or county clerk may be rebutted by any credible evidence which the governing body finds sufficient. The express purpose of the comparison of names and addresses with the voter registration records, in addition to helping to determine the validity of the remonstrance, the sufficiency of the remonstrance, and the qualifications of the signer, shall be to prevent fraud, deception, and misrepresentation in the remonstrance process. Upon completion of the comparison of names and addresses with the voter registration records, the election commissioner or county clerk shall prepare in writing a certification under seal setting forth the name and address of each signer found not to be a registered voter and the signature page number and line number where the name is found, and if the reason for the invalidity of the signature or address is other than the nonregistration of the signer, the election commissioner or county clerk shall set forth the reason for the invalidity of the signature. If the election commissioner or county clerk determines that a signer has affixed his or her signature more than once to the remonstrance and that only one person is registered by that name, the election commissioner or county clerk shall prepare in writing a certification under seal setting forth the name of the duplicate signature and shall count only the earliest dated signature. The election commissioner or county clerk shall certify to the governing body the number of valid signatures necessary to constitute a valid remonstrance. The election commissioner or county clerk shall deliver the remonstrance and the certifications to the governing body within forty days after the receipt of the remonstrance from the governing body. The delivery shall be by hand carrier, by use of law enforcement officials, or by certified mail, return receipt requested. Not more than twenty signatures on one signature page shall be counted.

The governing body shall, within thirty days after the receipt of the remonstrance and certifications from the election commissioner or county clerk, hold a public hearing to review the remonstrance and certifications and receive testimony regarding them. The governing body shall, following the hearing, vote on whether or not the remonstrance is valid and shall uphold the remonstrance if sufficient valid signatures have been received.

(5) Real estate now owned or hereafter owned by a city of the second class or a village may be conveyed without consideration to the State of Nebraska for state armory sites or, if acquired for state armory sites, shall be conveyed strictly in accordance with the conditions of sections 18-1001 to 18-1006.

(6) Following (a) passage of the resolution directing a sale, (b) publishing of the notice of the proposed sale, and (c) passing of the thirty-day right-of-remonstrance period, the property shall then be sold. Such sale shall be confirmed by passage of an ordinance stating the name of the purchaser and terms of the sale.

Section 17-503 shall not apply to the sale of real property if the authorizing resolution directs the sale of real property, the total fair market value of which is less than five thousand dollars. Following passage of the resolution directing the sale of the property, notice of the sale shall be posted in three prominent places within the city or village for a period of not less than seven days prior to the sale of the property. The notice shall give a general description of the property offered for sale and state the terms and conditions of sale. Confirmation of the sale by passage of an ordinance may be required.

(1) The power of any city of the second class or village to convey any personal property owned by it shall be exercised by resolution directing the sale and the manner and terms of the sale. Following passage of the resolution directing the sale of the property, notice of the sale shall be posted in three prominent places within the city or village for a period of not less than seven days prior to the sale of the property. If the fair market value of the property is greater than five thousand dollars, notice of the sale shall also be published once in a legal newspaper published in or of general circulation in such city or village at least seven days prior to the sale of the property. The notice shall give a general description of the property offered for sale and state the terms and conditions of sale.

(2) Personal property may be conveyed notwithstanding the procedure in subsection (1) of this section when (a) such property is being sold in compliance with the requirements of federal or state grants or programs or (b) such property is being conveyed to another public agency.

The corporate name of each city of the second class or village shall be the City (or Village) of .........., and all and every process and notice whatever affecting such corporation shall be served in the manner provided for service of a summons in a civil action.

In addition to their special powers, cities of the second class and villages shall have the power to make all such ordinances, bylaws, rules, regulations, and resolutions, not inconsistent with the laws of the state, as may be expedient for maintaining the peace, good government, and welfare of the corporation and its trade, commerce, and manufactories, and to enforce all ordinances by inflicting fines or penalties for the breach thereof, not exceeding five hundred dollars for any one offense, recoverable with costs.

Cities of the second class and villages shall have power to levy taxes for general revenue purposes in any one year not to exceed thirty-five cents on each one hundred dollars upon the taxable value of all the taxable property in such cities and villages. The valuation of such property shall be ascertained from the books or assessment rolls of the county assessor.

Second-class cities and villages shall have power to levy any other tax or special assessment authorized by law.

Second-class cities and villages shall have the power to provide for the grading and repair of any street, avenue or alley and the construction of bridges, culverts and sewers. No street, avenue or alley shall be graded unless the same shall be ordered to be done by the affirmative vote of two-thirds of the city council or board of trustees.

Where a city of the second class or village does not have sufficient funds to purchase equipment to maintain and keep its streets in repair, such city or village may contract with the county in which it is situated to have the county maintain and keep its streets in repair. The cost of such maintenance and repair shall be paid by such city or village to the county.

Cities of the second class and villages shall have power to levy in any one year for such purposes not to exceed ten and five-tenths cents on each one hundred dollars upon the taxable value of all the taxable property within the limits of such cities and villages.

The governing body of any city of the second class or village may grade, partially or to an established grade, change grade, curb, recurb, gutter, regutter, pave, gravel, regravel, macadamize, remacadamize, widen or narrow streets or roadways, resurface or relay existing pavement, or otherwise improve any streets, alleys, public grounds, public ways, entirely or partially, and streets which divide the city or village corporate area and the area adjoining the city or village; construct or reconstruct pedestrian walks, plazas, malls, landscaping, outdoor sprinkler systems, fountains, decorative water ponds, lighting systems, and permanent facilities; and construct sidewalks and improve the sidewalk space. These projects may be funded at public cost or by the levy of special assessments on the property especially benefited in proportion to such benefits, except as provided in sections 19-2428 to 19-2431. The governing body may by ordinance create paving, repaving, grading, curbing, recurbing, resurfacing, graveling, or improvement districts, to be consecutively numbered, which may include two or more connecting or intersecting streets, alleys, or public ways, and may include two or more of the improvements in one proceeding. All of the improvements which are to be funded by a levy of special assessment on the property especially benefited shall be ordered as provided in sections 17-510 to 17-512, unless the governing body improves a street which divides the city or village corporate area and the area adjoining the city or village. Whenever the governing body of any city of the second class or village improves any street which divides the city or village corporate area and the area adjoining the city or village, the governing body shall determine the sufficiency of petition as set forth in section 17-510 by the owners of the record title representing more than sixty percent of the front footage of the property directly abutting upon the street to be improved, rather than sixty percent of the resident owners. Whenever the governing body shall deem it necessary to make any of the improvements named in this section on a street which divides the city or village corporate area and the area adjoining the city or village, the governing body shall by ordinance create the improvement district pursuant to section 17-511 and the right of remonstrance shall be limited to owners of record title, rather than resident owners.

Whenever a petition signed by the owners of the record title representing more than sixty percent of the front footage of the property directly abutting upon the street, streets, alley, alleys, public way, or public grounds proposed to be improved, shall be presented and filed with the city clerk or village clerk, petitioning therefor, the governing body shall by ordinance create a paving, graveling, or other improvement district or districts, and shall cause such work to be done or such improvement to be made, and shall contract therefor, and shall levy assessments on the lots and parcels of land abutting on or adjacent to such street, streets, alley, or alleys especially benefited thereby in such district in proportion to such benefits, except as provided in sections 19-2428 to 19-2431, to pay the cost of such improvement. The governing body shall have the discretion to deny the formation of the proposed district when the area has not previously been improved with a water system, sewer system, and grading of streets. If the governing body should deny a requested improvement district formation, it shall state the grounds for such denial in a written letter to interested parties.

Whenever the governing body deems it necessary to make the improvements in section 17-509 which are to be funded by a levy of special assessment on the property especially benefited, such governing body shall by ordinance create a paving, graveling, or other improvement district and, after the passage, approval, and publication of such ordinance, shall publish notice of the creation of any such district for six days in a legal newspaper of the city or village if it is a daily newspaper or for two consecutive weeks if it is a weekly newspaper. If no legal newspaper is published in the city or village, the publication shall be in a legal newspaper of general circulation in the city or village. If the owners of the record title representing more than fifty percent of the front footage of the property directly abutting on the street or alley to be improved file with the city clerk or the village clerk within twenty days after the first publication of such notice written objections to the creation of such district, such improvement shall not be made as provided in such ordinance, but such ordinance shall be repealed. If objections are not filed against the district in the time and manner prescribed in this section, the governing body shall immediately cause such work to be done or such improvement to be made, shall contract for the work or improvement, and shall levy assessments on the lots and parcels of land abutting on or adjacent to such street or alley especially benefited in such district in proportion to such benefits to pay the cost of such improvement.

The council or board of trustees shall have power by a three-fourths vote of all members of such council or board of trustees to enact an ordinance creating a paving, graveling or other improvement district, and to order such work to be done without petition upon any federal or state highways in the city or village or upon a street or route, designated by the mayor and council or board of trustees as a main thoroughfare, that connects to either a federal or state highway or a county road, and shall contract therefor, and shall levy assessments on the lots and parcels of land abutting on or adjacent to such street, alley or alleys, especially benefited thereby in such district in proportion to such benefits, to pay the cost of such improvement.

Before proceeding with any such improvement the sufficiency of the protests or petitions or of the existence of the required facts and conditions shall be determined by the city council or board of trustees at a hearing of which notice shall be given to all persons who may become liable for assessments by one publication in each of two successive weeks in a newspaper having general circulation in the city or village. Appeal from the action of the city council or board of trustees may be made to the district court of the county in which the proposed district is situated. The sufficiency of the protests or petitions referred to in sections 17-510 and 17-511, as to the ownership of the property, shall be determined by the record in the office of the county clerk or register of deeds at the time of the adoption of said ordinance. In determining the sufficiency of the petitions or objections, intersections shall be disregarded, and any lot or ground owned by the city shall not be counted for or against such improvement.

All assessments shall be a lien on the property on which levied from the date of levy, and shall thereupon be certified by direction of the council or board of trustees to the treasurer of such city or village for collection. Except as provided in section 18-1216, such assessment shall be due and payable to such treasurer until the first day of November thereafter, or until the delivery of the tax list for such year to the treasurer of the county in which such city or village may be situated, at and after which time the same shall be due and payable to such county treasurer. The council or board of trustees of such city or village shall, within the time provided by law, cause such assessments, or portion thereof then remaining unpaid, to be certified to the county clerk of the county for entry upon the proper tax lists. If the city or village treasurer collects any assessment or portion thereof so certified while the same shall be payable to the county treasurer, the city or village treasurer shall certify the assessment or portion thereof to the county treasurer at once, and the county treasurer shall correct the record to show such payment.

(1) All such assessments, except for paving, repaving, construction of malls and plazas, and the landscaping and permanent facilities thereof, graveling, or curbing and guttering, shall draw interest until the same become delinquent, at a rate set by the city council or board of trustees from the date of levy, and shall become delinquent on the first day of May subsequent to the date of levy, and shall thereafter draw interest at a rate not exceeding the rate of interest specified in section 45-104.01, as such rate may from time to time be adjusted by the Legislature.

(2) Such assessments for paving, repaving, construction of malls and plazas, and the landscaping and permanent facilities thereof, or curbing and guttering shall become delinquent in equal annual installments over such period of years, not to exceed fifteen, as the council or board of trustees may determine at the time of making the levy, the first such equal installment to become delinquent in fifty days after the date of such levy.

(3) As to such assessments for graveling, one-third of the total amount assessed against each lot or parcel of land shall become delinquent in fifty days after the date of such levy; one-third in one year; and one-third in two years.

(4) Each of the installments, referred to in subsections (2) and (3) of this section, except the first, shall draw interest at a rate set by the city council or board of trustees, from the time of the aforesaid levy until the same shall become delinquent; and after the same becomes delinquent, interest at the rate specified in section 45-104.01, as such rate may from time to time be adjusted by the Legislature, shall be paid thereon. Should there be three or more of such installments delinquent and unpaid on the same property, the city council or board of trustees may by resolution declare all future installments on such delinquent property to be due on a fixed future date. All of such installments may be paid at one time on any lot or land within fifty days from the date of the levy without interest and, if so paid, such lot or land shall be exempt from any lien or charge therefor.

For the purpose of paying the cost of constructing, landscaping, and equipping malls and plazas, paving, repaving, macadamizing or graveling, curbing, guttering, or otherwise improving streets, avenues or alleys in any improvement district, the mayor and council or board of trustees shall have the power and may, by ordinance, cause to be issued bonds of the city or village to be called District Improvement Bonds of District No. ...., payable in not exceeding fifteen years from date, and to bear interest payable annually or semiannually with interest coupons attached or may issue its warrants, as other warrants are issued, to be called District Improvement Warrants of District No. ...., payable in the order of their number, to be issued in such denominations as may be deemed advisable, and to bear interest. When warrants are issued for the payment of such cost, special taxes and assessments shall be levied sufficient to pay such warrants and the interest thereon within three years from the date of issuance.

Pending final redemption of warrant or warrants, or bond or bonds for paving, the city or village treasurer is hereby authorized to invest such sinking fund in interest-bearing time certificates of deposit in depositories approved and authorized to receive county money, but in no greater amount in any depository than the same is authorized to receive deposits of county funds; and the interest arising from such certificate of deposit shall be credited to its respective sinking fund as hereinbefore provided.

If in any second-class city or village, there shall be any real estate belonging to any county, school district or municipal or other quasi-municipal corporation, adjacent to or abutting upon the street or other public way whereon paving, repaving, graveling or other special improvement has been ordered, it shall be the duty of the board of county commissioners, board of education or other proper officers, to provide for the payment of such special assessments or taxes as may be assessed against the real estate so adjacent or abutting, or within such improvement district belonging to the county, school district or municipal or quasi-municipal corporation. In the event of the neglect or refusal so to do, the city or village may recover the amount of such special taxes or assessments in any proper action, and the judgment thus obtained may be enforced in the usual manner.

For all paving and improvements of the intersections and areas formed by the crossing of streets, avenues or alleys, and one-half of the streets adjacent to real estate owned by the United States, the State of Nebraska or the city or village, the assessment shall be made upon all of the taxable property of the city or village; and for the payment of such paving or improvements the mayor and council or the board of trustees are hereby authorized to issue paving bonds of the city or village, in such denominations as they deem proper to be called Intersection Paving Bonds payable in not to exceed fifteen years from the date of said bonds, and to bear interest payable annually or semiannually. Such bonds shall not be issued until the work is completed and then not in excess of the cost of said improvements. For the purpose of making partial payments as the work progresses in paving, repaving, macadamizing or graveling, curbing and guttering or improvements of streets, avenues, alleys or intersections and areas formed by the crossing of streets, avenues, or alleys, or one-half of the streets adjacent to real estate owned by the United States, the State of Nebraska or the city or village, warrants may be issued by the mayor and council, or the board of trustees, upon certificates of the engineer in charge showing the amount of the work completed and materials necessarily purchased and delivered for the orderly and proper continuation of the project, in a sum not exceeding ninety-five percent of the cost thereof, and upon completion and acceptance of the work issue a final warrant for the balance of the amount due the contractor, which warrants shall be redeemed and paid upon the sale of bonds authorized by law. The city or village shall pay to the contractor interest, at the rate of eight percent per annum on the amounts due on partial and final payments, beginning forty-five days after the certification of the amounts due by the engineer in charge and approval by the governing body and running until the date that the warrant is tendered to the contractor. Nothing herein shall be construed as authorizing the mayor and council or board of trustees to pave or gravel any intersections or areas formed by the crossing of streets, avenues or alleys, unless in connection with one or more blocks of street paving or graveling of which the paving or graveling of such intersection or area shall form a part.

Any street or other railway company, occupying with any track any street, avenue or alley or portion thereof, which may be ordered paved, repaved, macadamized or graveled, may be charged with the expense of such improvement of said portion of such street, avenue or alley so occupied by it between its tracks, between its rails and for one foot beyond the outer rails; and the cost thereof may be collected and enforced against such company in such manner as may be provided by ordinance; or the mayor and council or board of trustees may by ordinance require such company to pave, repave, macadamize or gravel such portion of such street, avenue or alley occupied by said tracks and for one foot beyond its outside rails.

(1) The mayor and city council of a city of the second class or board of trustees of a village may construct and repair sidewalks or cause the construction and repair of sidewalks in such manner as the mayor and city council or board of trustees deems necessary and assess the expense thereof on the property in front of which such construction or repairs are made, after having given notice (a) by publication in one issue of a legal newspaper of general circulation in such city or village and (b) by either causing a written notice to be served upon the occupant in possession of the property involved or to be posted upon such premises ten days prior to the commencement of such construction or repair. The powers conferred under this section are in addition to those provided in sections 17-509 to 17-521 and may be exercised without creating an improvement district.

(2) If the owner of any property abutting any street or avenue or part thereof fails to construct or repair any sidewalk in front of the owner's property within the time and in the manner as directed and requested by the mayor and council or board of trustees, after having received due notice to do so, the mayor and council or board of trustees may cause the sidewalk to be constructed or repaired and may assess the cost thereof against the property.

Second-class cities and villages shall have the power to provide for the laying of temporary plank, brick, stone or concrete sidewalks, upon the natural surface of the ground, without regard to grade, on streets not permanently improved, at a cost for plank walks not exceeding fifty cents a linear foot, or for brick, stone or concrete walks not exceeding one dollar and twenty-five cents a linear foot, and to provide for the assessment of the cost thereof on the property in front of which the same shall be laid.

Assessments made under the provisions of sections 17-509 to 17-523 shall be made and assessed in the following manner:

(1) Such assessment shall be made by the council or board of trustees at a special meeting, by a resolution, taking into account the benefits derived or injuries sustained in consequence of such improvements, and the amount charged against the same, which, with the vote thereon by yeas and nays, shall be spread at length upon the minutes; and notice of the time of holding such meeting and the purpose for which it is to be held, shall be published in some newspaper published or of general circulation in said city or village at least four weeks before the same shall be held or, in lieu thereof, personal service may be had upon persons owning or occupying property to be assessed;

(2) All such assessments shall be known as special assessments for improvements, and shall be levied and collected as a separate tax, in addition to the taxes for general revenue purposes, and shall be placed on the tax roll for collection, subject to the same penalties and collected in like manner as other city or village taxes.

Second-class cities and villages shall have power to raise revenue by levying and collecting a license tax on any occupation or business within the limits of the city or village, and regulate the same by ordinance. All such taxes shall be uniform in respect to the classes upon which they are imposed; Provided, all scientific and literary lectures and entertainments shall be exempt from such taxation, as well as concerts and other musical entertainments given exclusively by the citizens of the city or village.

Second-class cities and villages may, by ordinance entered at large on the proper journal or record of proceedings of such municipality, impose a license tax in an amount which shall be determined by the governing body of such second-class city or village for each dog or other animal, on the owners and harborers of dogs and other animals, and enforce the same by appropriate penalties, and cause the destruction of any dog or other animal, for which the owner or harborer shall refuse or neglect to pay such license tax. Any licensing provision shall comply with subsection (2) of section 54-603 for service animals. Such municipality may regulate, license, or prohibit the running at large of dogs and other animals and guard against injuries or annoyances therefrom and authorize the destruction of the same when running at large contrary to the provisions of any ordinance.

Second-class cities and villages shall have power to prescribe the manner of conducting all municipal elections, and the return thereof, and for holding special elections for any purpose provided by law.

Second-class cities and villages shall have power to grant a franchise for a period of not to exceed twenty-five years, to any person, company, corporation or association, whether publicly or privately owned, to furnish light and power to the residents, citizens and corporations doing business in such city or village, and to make contracts, for a period of not to exceed five years, with such person, company or association for the furnishing of light for the streets, lanes, alleys and other public places and property of said city or village, and the inhabitants thereof, the furnishing of electricity to pump water or similar services for such city or village and to levy a tax for the purpose of paying the costs of such lighting the streets, lanes, alleys and other public places and property of said city or village. No public service company, whether publicly or privately owned, shall sell to any city of the second class or village, now generating its own electric current for all or the major portion of its electric requirements, unless first authorized so to do by a vote of the electors of such city or village, in the same manner and subject to the same conditions as are set forth in section 18-412; Provided, that if no tax or issuance of bonds is required, any city of the second class or village may by resolution of the city council or board of trustees contract for the furnishing of electricity at retail to such city or village, or to any electric plant within such city or village, with any public power district, or an electric cooperative which cooperative has an approved retail service area adjoining such city or village.

Second-class cities and villages shall have power to grant a franchise, subject to the conditions of this section and section 17-528.03, for a period not exceeding twenty-five years to any person, company, or association, whether publicly or privately owned, and to his or its assigns, to lay and maintain gas mains, pipes, service, and all other necessary structures in the streets, lanes, alleys, and public places of such city or village for the purpose of transporting gas on, under, or along any streets, lanes, alleys, and public places of said city or village and for furnishing the same to the inhabitants thereof. Such city or village may make any reasonable regulation with reference to any person, firm, or corporation holding such franchise as to charges for such gas. Such city or village is authorized to contract, lease, or rent the gas plant from any person, firm, or corporation furnishing gas within such city or village. Such contract, lease or rental agreement shall not be for a period longer than five years. It may levy a tax to pay the rent under the above-mentioned lease or to pay for any gas used for street lighting or for other necessary purposes.

Second-class cities and villages shall have power to grant a franchise subject to the conditions of this section or section 17-528.02. Such franchise may run for a period not exceeding twenty-five years. It may be granted to any person, company, or association, whether publicly or privately owned, and to his or its assigns. Such franchise may permit it to erect and maintain poles, lines, wires, and conductors for electricity in the streets, lanes, alleys and public places of said city or village and for furnishing the same to the inhabitants thereof. Such franchise may establish the amount that may be charged during such period for electricity and provide that such city or village may, after such period, make any reasonable regulation with reference to any person, firm, or corporation holding such franchise either as to charges for electricity or otherwise. Such city or village is further authorized to contract, lease, or rent the plant, from any person, firm, or corporation, furnishing electricity, within such city or village, for power or the lighting of streets, lanes, alleys and public places of such city or village, but not for a period longer than five years. It may levy a tax for the purpose of paying the cost of such lighting of streets, lanes, alleys or public places of such city or village or to pay the rent under the above-mentioned lease. No public service company, whether publicly or privately owned, shall sell to any city of the second class or village, now generating its own electric energy for all or a major portion of its electric requirements, unless first authorized so to do by a vote of the electors of such city or village, in the same manner and subject to the same conditions as are set forth in section 18-412; Provided, that if no tax or issuance of bonds is required, any city of the second class or village may by resolution of the city council or board of trustees contract for the furnishing of electricity at retail to such city or village, or to any electric plant within such city or village, with any public power district, or an electric cooperative which cooperative has an approved retail service area adjoining such city or village.

Second-class cities and villages shall have power (1) to establish and alter the channel of watercourses, and to wall them and cover them over, (2) to establish and regulate wells, cisterns and windmills, aqueducts and reservoirs of water, (3) to provide for filling the same, and (4) to erect and maintain a dike or dikes as protection against flood or surface waters.

In connection with the power to establish and alter the channel of watercourses and the power to erect and maintain dikes against flood waters and surface waters, such cities and villages shall be empowered to exercise the power of eminent domain to acquire easements and rights-of-way over real estate situated either within or not more than two miles outside the corporate limits of any such city or village, for the purpose of constructing either a ditch or a dike to prevent flooding of such city or village. The procedure for taking and condemning real estate for such purpose shall be exercised in the manner set forth in sections 76-704 to 76-724. In connection with such condemnation proceedings, the city or village shall be liable not only for the land actually taken but for consequential damages to other lands damaged by the construction of such improvement, and shall be authorized to pay such damages out of any available funds on hand or by the issuance of bonds as provided by law.

Such cities and villages may cooperate with the United States Government in protecting against floods and enter into agreements with such government for that purpose. They may, in order to obtain federal funds for that purpose, consent to requirements of the Congress of the United States that such city or village (1) provide without cost to the United States all lands, easements and rights-of-way necessary for the construction of flood control projects, (2) hold and save the United States free and harmless from damages due to the construction works, and (3) maintain and operate all the flood control works after completion in accordance with regulations prescribed by the Secretary of the Army of the United States.

As used in sections 17-529.03 to 17-529.07: (1) The term old city or village shall mean a city of the second class or village at its old location, and is not used in the sense that it is another or different city or village after its removal to a new site; (2) the term new city or village shall mean a city of the second class or village at its new location, and is not used in the sense that it is another or different city or village than it was before its removal from an old site; (3) the term county board shall mean and include a board of county commissioners or a board of supervisors of a county, as the case may be; and (4) the term governing board shall mean the city council of a city of the second class, or the board of trustees of a village, as the case may be.

Whenever the United States Government acquires by purchase or under eminent domain the entire site upon which a city of the second class or a village is located under any flood control project, such city or village may be removed to another site and retain its corporate identity by observing the procedure set out in sections 17-529.05 and 17-529.06.

Whenever a petition is filed with the county clerk of any county, signed by either the governing board of any city of the second class or village or by one hundred or more electors of any city of the second class or village within such county setting forth: (1) That the United States Government has acquired, or is about to acquire, by purchase or eminent domain or both, the entire site upon which such city or village is located; (2) that the petitioners desire such city or village removed to another site and the corporate identity retained; (3) that a new site has been acquired, or contracted to be acquired, to which the old city or village can be removed; (4) that the petitioners intend to become residents of the new city or village when it is removed to the proposed new site; and (5) offer to pay all costs of the proceedings to effectuate such removal, the county board of such county shall enter an order setting such petition down for hearing not less than thirty nor more than sixty days after the filing of such petition, and shall cause notice thereof to be given by publication three successive weeks prior to such hearing in a legal newspaper of general circulation in such county.

Upon the hearing, if the county board shall find that the statements set forth in the petition are true and that it is for the best interests of the old city or village to authorize such removal, it shall enter an order granting such petition.

The order granting such petition shall have the following effect:

(1) The name and corporate identity of the old city or village shall be retained by the new city or village.

(2) The officers of the old city or village shall continue to be the officers of the new city or village until their successors are elected and qualified at the time and in the manner provided by law.

(3) The funds and property of the old city or village shall be retained by and belong to the new city or village.

(4) The proceeds from the sale or condemnation of municipally owned property of the old city or village shall accrue and be paid to the new city or village, except that any outstanding bonded indebtedness of or judgments against the old city or village shall be paid to the holders of such bonds or judgments who shall demand payment thereof and are not willing to permit such bonds or judgments to continue as an indebtedness due from the new city or village.

(5) The ordinances of the old city or village shall continue in full force and effect as the ordinances of the new city or village.

(6) The proceeds from the sale or condemnation of any public school buildings and grounds, either grade or high school or both, situated within the old city or village shall be used for the purchase and construction of a new school building and grounds at the new site, if the new site is located within the same school district as the old site, and if not, the proceeds shall be apportioned between the school district in which the new city or village is located and the school district in which the old city or village was located in the proportion that the actual valuation of the property purchased and condemned by the United States Government in such school district bears to the valuation of the property remaining in such school district not condemned or purchased by the United States Government.

(7) The proceeds from the sale or condemnation of any public buildings and grounds of any township in which the old city or village was located shall be used for the purchase and construction of similar buildings and grounds at the new site, if the new site is located within the same township as the old site, and if not, the proceeds shall be apportioned between the township in which the new city or village is located and the township in which the old city or village was located in the proportion that the actual valuation of the property purchased and condemned by the United States Government in such township bears to the actual valuation of the property remaining in such township not condemned or purchased by the United States Government.

(1) For the purpose of paying the costs and expenses in implementing sections 17-529.01 and 17-529.02, cities of the second class and villages may borrow money or issue bonds in an amount not to exceed five percent of the taxable valuation of all the taxable property within such city or village according to the last preceding assessment thereof.

(2) Such cities or villages may levy and collect a general tax in the same manner as other municipal taxes are levied and collected in an amount sufficient to pay the interest and principal of the bonds referred to in subsections (1) and (3) of this section, as the same mature, upon the taxable value of all the taxable property within such city or village as shown upon the assessment roles, in addition to the sum authorized to be levied under section 17-506.

(3) No money shall be borrowed or bonds issued as referred to in subsections (1) and (2) of this section unless authorized by a majority of the legal votes cast for and against the proposition at an election held for that purpose. Notice of the election shall be given by publication in some newspaper published or of general circulation in such city or village for at least two weeks prior to the date of such election. The bonds shall be the bonds of such city or village, shall become due in not to exceed twenty years from their date of issue, and shall draw interest payable semiannually or annually.

Second-class cities and villages shall have power to make contracts with and authorize any person, company or corporation to erect and maintain a system of waterworks and water supply, and to give such contractors the exclusive privilege for a term not exceeding twenty-five years to lay down in the streets and alleys of such city or village water mains and supply pipes, and to furnish water to such city or village, and the residents thereof, under such regulations as to price, supply, and rent of water meters, as the council or board of trustees may from time to time prescribe by ordinance for the protection of the city, village or people. The right to supervise and control such person, company or corporation shall not be waived or set aside.

Second-class cities and villages shall have power to provide for the purchase of steam engines or fire-extinguishing apparatus and for a supply of water for the purpose of fire protection and public use and for the use of the inhabitants of such cities and villages by the purchase, erection or construction of a system of waterworks, water mains or extensions of any system of waterworks established or situated in whole or in part within such city or village, and for maintaining the same.

Second-class cities and villages shall have power to require any person, firm or corporation operating any public water supply in such city or village to connect with and furnish water to such city or village from its mains located therein, and to provide by ordinance for connections of such mains with the mains or portion of water system constructed or operated by such city or village, under such regulations and under such penalties as may be prescribed therein.

All contracts for the construction of any such work, or any part thereof, shall be let to the lowest responsible bidder therefor, and upon not less than twenty days' published notice of the terms and conditions upon which the contract is to be let having been given by publication in a newspaper published in said city or village, and if no newspaper is published therein, then in some newspaper published in the county; Provided, in all cases the council or board of trustees, as the case may be, shall have the right to reject any and all bids that may not be satisfactory to them.

(1) Such cities or villages may borrow money or issue bonds in an amount not to exceed twelve percent of the taxable valuation of all the taxable property within such city or village according to the last preceding assessment thereof, for the purchase of steam engines or fire-extinguishing apparatus and for the purchase, construction, and maintenance of such waterworks, mains, portion, or extension of any system of waterworks or water supply or to pay for water furnished such city or village under contract, when authorized as is provided for by subsection (3) of this section.

(2) Such cities or villages may levy and collect a general tax in the same manner as other municipal taxes are levied and collected in an amount sufficient to pay the interest and principal of the bonds referred to in subsections (1) and (3) of this section, as the same mature, upon the taxable value of all the taxable property within such city or village as shown upon the assessment rolls, in addition to the sum authorized to be levied under section 17-506. All taxes raised by such a levy shall be retained in a fund known as the water fund.

(3) No money shall be borrowed or bonds issued as referred to in subsections (1) and (2) of this section unless authorized by a majority of the legal votes of such city or village cast for and against the proposition at an election held for that purpose. Notice of the election shall be given by publication in some newspaper published or of general circulation in such city or village for at least two weeks prior to the date of such election. The requirement of this section of a vote of the electors shall not apply when the proceeds of the bonds will be used solely for the maintenance, extension, improvement, or enlargement of any existing system of waterworks or water supply owned by the city or village and the bonds have been ordered issued by a vote of not less than three-fourths of all the city council or board of trustees as the case may be. The bonds shall be the bonds of such city or village and be called water bonds. They shall become due in not to exceed forty years from the date of issue and shall draw interest payable semiannually or annually.

For the purpose of erecting, constructing, locating, maintaining, or supplying such waterworks, mains, portion, or extension of any system of waterworks or water supply, any such city or village may go beyond its territorial limits and may take, hold, acquire rights, property, and real estate by purchase or otherwise, and may for this purpose, take, hold, and condemn any and all necessary property. The procedure to condemn property shall be exercised in the manner set forth in sections 76-704 to 76-724.

The jurisdiction of such city or village, to prevent any pollution or injury to the stream or source of water for the supply of such waterworks, shall extend fifteen miles beyond its corporate limits.

The council or board of trustees of such cities and villages shall have power to make and enforce all needful rules and regulations in the construction, use, and management of such waterworks, mains, portion or extension of any system of waterworks or water supply and for the use of the water therefrom.

Such cities and villages shall have the right and power to tax, assess, and collect from the inhabitants thereof such tax, rent or rates for the use and benefit of water used or supplied to them by such waterworks, mains, portion or extension of any system of waterworks or water supply as the council or board of trustees shall deem just or expedient; and all such water rates, taxes or rent shall be a lien upon the premises, or real estate, upon or for which the same is used or supplied; and such taxes, rents or rates shall be paid and collected and such lien enforced in such manner as the council or board of trustees shall by ordinance direct and provide.

The expense of erecting, locating, and constructing reservoirs and hydrants for the purpose of fire protection, and the expense of constructing and laying water mains, pipes or such parts thereof as may be just and lawful, may be assessed upon and collected from the property and real estate especially benefited thereby, if any, in such manner as may be provided for the making of special assessments for other public improvements in such cities and villages.

All income received by such cities or villages from public utilities and from the payment and collection of water taxes, rents, rates or assessments shall be applied to the payment of running expenses, interest on bonds or money borrowed and the erection and construction of public utilities; should there be any surplus, it shall be annually created into a sinking fund for the payment of public utility bonds or for the improvements of the works, or into the general fund as the council or board of trustees may direct. The surplus remaining, if any, may, if the council or board of trustees so directs, be invested in interest-bearing bonds or obligations of the United States.

As soon as a system of waterworks or mains or portion or extension of any system of waterworks or water supply has been established by any city or village, the mayor of such city or the chairperson of the board of trustees of such village shall nominate and by and with the advice and consent of the city council or board of trustees, as the case may be, shall appoint any competent person who shall be known as the water commissioner of such city or village and whose term of office shall be for one fiscal year or until his or her successor is appointed and qualified. Annually at the first regular meeting of the city council or board of trustees in December, the water commissioner shall be appointed as provided in this section. The water commissioner may at any time, for sufficient cause, be removed by a two-thirds vote of the city council or board of trustees. Any vacancy occurring in the office of water commissioner by death, resignation, removal from office, or removal from the city or village may be filled in the manner provided in this section for the appointment of such commissioner. The water commissioner shall, before he or she enters upon the discharge of his or her duties, execute a bond or provide evidence of equivalent insurance to such city or village in a sum to be fixed by the mayor and council or the board of trustees, but not less than five thousand dollars, conditioned upon the faithful discharge of his or her duties, and such bond shall be signed by two or more good and sufficient sureties, to be approved by the mayor and council or board of trustees or executed by a corporate surety. The water commissioner, subject to the supervision of the mayor and council or board of trustees, shall have the general management and control of the system of waterworks or mains or portion or extension of any system of waterworks or water supply in the city or village. In a city or village where no board of public works exists, and such municipality has other public utilities than its waterworks system, the mayor and council or the board of trustees, as the case may be, shall by ordinance designate the water commissioner as public works commissioner with authority to manage not only the system of waterworks but also other public utilities, and all of the provisions of this section applying to the water commissioner shall apply to the public works commissioner.

The city council or board of trustees, as the case may be, is hereby expressly given the power to fix the rates to be paid by water consumers of said city or village for the use of water from the waterworks of said city or village, including herein the power to require, as a condition precedent to the use of such water, the furnishing of water meters at the expense of such water consumers as may be provided by ordinance of such city or village.

The water commissioner shall collect all money received by the city or village on account of its system of waterworks, and shall faithfully account for and pay over the same to the treasurer of such city or village, taking his or her receipt therefor in duplicate, filing one of the same with the city or village clerk. He or she shall make a detailed report to the city council or board of trustees, at least once every six months, of the condition of the water system, of all mains, pipes, hydrants, reservoirs, and machinery, and such improvements, repairs, and extension thereof as he or she may think proper. The report shall show the amount of receipts and expenditures on account thereof for the preceding six months. No money shall be expended for improvements, repairs, or extension of the waterworks system except upon recommendation of the water commissioner. The water commissioner shall perform such other duties as may be prescribed by ordinance. The water commissioner shall be paid such salary as the council or board of trustees may by ordinance provide, and upon his or her written recommendation, the mayor and council or chairperson and board of trustees shall employ such laborers and clerks as may to them seem necessary. Neither the mayor nor any member of the council in a city of the second class shall be eligible to the office of water commissioner during the term for which he or she was elected. If the city or village involved owns public utilities other than the waterworks system, and the water commissioner has been designated by ordinance as the public works commissioner under the authority of section 17-541, then all provisions of this section in reference to a water commissioner shall apply to the public works commissioner.

Every city of the second class and village in the State of Nebraska which owns its own water plant and a system of hydrants in connection therewith is hereby authorized and empowered to provide a fund upon the presentation to the city council or village board of a petition signed by sixty percent of the legal voters of the city or village, in addition to the general fund of such city or village, by making a levy at the time authorized by law, not to exceed two and one-tenth cents on each one hundred dollars upon the taxable value of all the taxable property of the city or village, for the purpose of paying the expense or aiding in paying the expense of maintaining such system of hydrants and pumping and supplying through them water for public purposes.

The right and power to provide the fund mentioned in section 17-545 for such purposes shall in no way prevent said cities of the second class and villages from providing in whole or in part for the expense of such hydrants, and of pumping and supplying through them water for public purposes, in any other manner now provided by law.

Second-class cities and villages shall have power to regulate the running at large of cattle, hogs, horses, mules, sheep, goats, dogs, and other animals, and to cause such as may be running at large to be impounded and sold to discharge the cost and penalties provided for the violation of such prohibitions, and the expense of impounding and keeping the same, and of such sale.

Second-class cities and villages shall have power to provide for the erection of all needful pens and pounds within or without the city limits, to appoint and compensate keepers thereof, and to establish and enforce rules governing the same.

Second-class cities and villages shall have power to regulate the construction of and order the suppression and cleaning of fireplaces, chimneys, stoves, stovepipes, ovens, boilers, kettles, forges or any apparatus used in any building, manufactory or business which may be dangerous in causing or promoting fires, and to prescribe the limits within which no dangerous or obnoxious and offensive business may be carried on.

Second-class cities and villages shall have power to prescribe and alter limits within which no buildings shall be constructed except of brick, stone or other incombustible material, with fireproof roof; and, after such limits are established, no special permits shall be given for the erection of buildings of combustible material within said limits.

Second-class cities and villages shall have power to regulate levees, depots, depot grounds, and places for storing freight and goods, and to provide for and regulate the passage of railways through streets and public grounds of the city or village.

Second-class cities and villages shall have power to regulate the crossing of railway tracks and to provide precautions and prescribe rules regulating the same, and to regulate the running of railway engines, cars or trucks within the limits of said city or village, and prescribe rules relating thereto, and to govern the speed thereof, and to make any other and further provisions, rules, and restrictions to prevent accidents at crossings and on the tracks of railways, and to prevent fires from engines.

Second-class cities and villages shall have power to provide for the inspection and weighing of hay, grain and coal, the measuring of wood and fuel to be used in the city or village, and to determine the place or places of the same, and to regulate and prescribe the place or places of exposing for sale hay, coal and wood; and to fix the fees and duties of persons authorized to perform the duties named in this section.

Cities of the second class and villages shall have the power to remove all obstructions from the sidewalks, curbstones, gutters, and crosswalks at the expense of the person placing them there or of the city or village and to require and regulate the planting and protection of shade trees in and along the streets and the trimming and removing of such trees.

Cities of the second class or villages may by ordinance declare it to be a nuisance for a property owner to permit, allow, or maintain any dead or diseased trees within the right-of-way of streets within the corporate limits of the city or village. Notice to abate and remove such nuisance and notice of the right to a hearing and the manner in which it may be requested shall be given to each owner or owner's duly authorized agent and to the occupant, if any, by personal service or certified mail. Within thirty days after the receipt of such notice, if the owner or occupant of the lot or piece of ground does not request a hearing or fails to comply with the order to abate and remove the nuisance, the city or village may have such work done and may levy and assess all or any portion of the costs and expenses of the work upon the lot or piece of ground so benefited in the same manner as other special taxes for improvements are levied and assessed.

Cities and villages shall have the power to regulate the building of bulkheads, cellar and basement ways, stairways, railways, windows, doorways, awnings, hitching posts and rails, lampposts, awning posts, all other structures projecting upon or over and adjoining, and all other excavations through and under the sidewalks in the city or village.

Cities of the second class and villages shall have power to prevent and restrain riots, routs, noises, disturbances, or disorderly assemblages; to regulate, prevent, restrain, or remove nuisances in residential parts of municipalities and to designate what shall be considered a nuisance; to regulate, punish, and prevent the discharge of firearms, rockets, powder, fireworks, or any other dangerous combustible material in the streets, lots, grounds, alleys, or about or in the vicinity of any buildings; to regulate, prevent, and punish the carrying of concealed weapons, except the carrying of a concealed handgun in compliance with the Concealed Handgun Permit Act; and to arrest, regulate, punish, fine, or set at work on the streets or elsewhere all vagrants and persons found without means of support or some legitimate business.

Second-class cities and villages shall have power to prevent and remove all encroachments, including snow, ice, mud or other obstructions, into and upon all sidewalks, streets, avenues, alleys, and other city or village property, and to punish and prevent all horseracing, fast driving or riding in the streets, highways, alleys, bridges, or places in the city or village, and all games, practices or amusements therein likely to result in damage to any person or property; and to regulate, prevent and punish the riding, driving or passing of horses, mules, cattle or other teams or any vehicle drawn thereby, over, upon or across sidewalks, or along any street of the city or village.

In case such abutting property owner refuses or neglects, after five days' notice by publication or, in place thereof, personal service of such notice, to remove all encroachments from sidewalks, as provided in section 17-557, the city or village through the proper officers may cause such encroachments to be removed, and the cost of removal paid out of the street fund. The council or board of trustees shall assess the cost of the notice and removal of the encroachment against such abutting property. Such special assessment shall be known as a special sidewalk assessment and, together with the cost of notice, shall be levied and collected as special taxes in addition to the general revenue taxes, and shall be subject to the same penalties and shall draw interest from the date of the assessment. Upon payment of the assessment, the same shall be credited to the street fund.

(1) Cities of the second class and villages shall have power to open, widen, or otherwise improve or vacate any street, avenue, alley, or lane within the limits of the city or village and also to create, open, and improve any new street, avenue, alley, or lane. All damages sustained by the citizens of the city or village, or by the owners of the property therein, shall be ascertained in such manner as shall be provided by ordinance.

(2) Whenever any street, avenue, alley, or lane is vacated, the same shall revert to the owners of the abutting real estate, one-half on each side thereof, and become a part of such property, unless the city or village reserves title in the ordinance vacating such street or alley. If title is retained by the city or village, such property may be sold, conveyed, exchanged, or leased upon such terms and conditions as shall be deemed in the best interests of the city or village.

(3) When a portion of a street, avenue, alley, or lane is vacated only on one side of the center thereof, the title to such land shall vest in the owner of the abutting property and become a part of such property unless the city or village reserves title in the ordinance vacating a portion of such street or alley. If title is retained by the city or village, such property may be sold, conveyed, exchanged, or leased upon such terms and conditions as shall be deemed in the best interests of the city or village.

(4) When the city or village vacates all or any portion of a street, avenue, alley, or lane, the city or village shall, within thirty days after the effective date of the vacation, file a certified copy of the vacating ordinance or resolution with the register of deeds for the county in which the vacated property is located to be indexed against all affected lots.

(5) The title to property vacated pursuant to this section shall be subject to the following:

(a) There is reserved to the city or village the right to maintain, operate, repair, and renew public utilities existing at the time title to the property is vacated there; and

(b) There is reserved to the city or village, any public utilities, and any cable television systems the right to maintain, repair, renew, and operate water mains, gas mains, pole lines, conduits, electrical transmission lines, sound and signal transmission lines, and other similar services and equipment and appurtenances, including lateral connections or branch lines, above, on, or below the surface of the ground that are existing as valid easements at the time title to the property is vacated for the purposes of serving the general public or the abutting properties and to enter upon the premises to accomplish such purposes at any and all reasonable times.

Second-class cities and villages shall have power to create, open, widen, or extend any street, avenue, alley, offstreet parking area, or other public way, or annul, vacate, or discontinue the same; to take private property for public use for the purpose of erecting or establishing market houses, market places, parks, swimming pools, airports, gas systems, including distribution facilities, water systems, power plants, including electrical distribution facilities, sewer systems, or for any other needed public purpose; and to exercise the power of eminent domain within or without the city or village limits for the purpose of establishing and operating power plants including electrical distribution facilities to supply such city or village with public utility service, and for sewerage purposes, water supply systems, or airports. The procedure to condemn property shall be exercised in the manner set forth in sections 76-704 to 76-724, except as to property specifically excluded by section 76-703 and as to which sections 19-701 to 19-707 or the Municipal Natural Gas System Condemnation Act is applicable. For purposes of this section, electrical distribution facilities shall be located within the retail service area of such city or village as approved by and on file with the Nebraska Power Review Board, pursuant to Chapter 70, article 10.

Second-class cities and villages shall have power to borrow money on the credit of the city, and pledge the credit, revenue and public property of the city for the payment thereof, when authorized in the manner hereinafter provided.

Cities of the second class and villages shall have power, by ordinance, to require the lighting of the railroad track of any steam railway within the city or village in such manner as they shall prescribe; and in case the company owning or operating such railway shall fail to comply with such requirements, the council or board of trustees may cause the same to be done and may assess the expense thereof against such company; and the same shall constitute a lien upon any real estate belonging to such company and lying within such city or village, and may be collected in the same manner as taxes for general purposes.

(1) Except as provided in subsection (6) of this section, a city of the second class and village by ordinance (a) may require lots or pieces of ground within the city or village to be drained or filled so as to prevent stagnant water or any other nuisance accumulating thereon, (b) may require the owner or occupant of any lot or piece of ground within the city or village to keep the lot or piece of ground and the adjoining streets and alleys free of any growth of twelve inches or more in height of weeds, grasses, or worthless vegetation, and (c) may prohibit and control the throwing, depositing, or accumulation of litter on any lot or piece of ground within the city or village.

(2) Except as provided in subsection (6) of this section, any city of the second class and village may by ordinance declare it to be a nuisance to permit or maintain any growth of twelve inches or more in height of weeds, grasses, or worthless vegetation or to litter or cause litter to be deposited or remain thereon except in proper receptacles.

(3) Any owner or occupant of a lot or piece of ground shall, upon conviction of violating any ordinance authorized under this section, be guilty of a Class V misdemeanor.

(4) Notice to abate and remove such nuisance shall be given to each owner or owner's duly authorized agent and to the occupant, if any, by personal service or certified mail. If notice by personal service or certified mail is unsuccessful, notice shall be given by publication in a newspaper of general circulation in the city or by conspicuously posting the notice on the lot or ground upon which the nuisance is to be abated and removed. Within five days after receipt of such notice or publication or posting, whichever is applicable, if the owner or occupant of the lot or piece of ground does not request a hearing with the city or village or fails to comply with the order to abate and remove the nuisance, the city or village may have such work done. The costs and expenses of any such work shall be paid by the owner. If unpaid for two months after such work is done, the city or village may either (a) levy and assess the costs and expenses of the work upon the lot or piece of ground so benefited in the same manner as other special taxes for improvements are levied and assessed or (b) recover in a civil action the costs and expenses of the work upon the lot or piece of ground and the adjoining streets and alleys.

(5) For purposes of this section:

(a) Litter includes, but is not limited to: (i) Trash, rubbish, refuse, garbage, paper, rags, and ashes; (ii) wood, plaster, cement, brick, or stone building rubble; (iii) grass, leaves, and worthless vegetation; (iv) offal and dead animals; and (v) any machine or machines, vehicle or vehicles, or parts of a machine or vehicle which have lost their identity, character, utility, or serviceability as such through deterioration, dismantling, or the ravages of time, are inoperative or unable to perform their intended functions, or are cast off, discarded, or thrown away or left as waste, wreckage, or junk; and

(b) Weeds includes, but is not limited to, bindweed (Convolvulus arvensis), puncture vine (Tribulus terrestris), leafy spurge (Euphorbia esula), Canada thistle (Cirsium arvense), perennial peppergrass (Lepidium draba), Russian knapweed (Centaurea picris), Johnson grass (Sorghum halepense), nodding or musk thistle, quack grass (Agropyron repens), perennial sow thistle (Sonchus arvensis), horse nettle (Solanum carolinense), bull thistle (Cirsium lanceolatum), buckthorn (Rhamnus sp.) (tourn), hemp plant (Cannabis sativa), and ragweed (Ambrosiaceae).

(6) A city of the second class or village by ordinance may declare it to be a nuisance to permit or maintain any growth of eight inches or more in height of weeds, grasses, or worthless vegetation on any lot or piece of ground located within the corporate limits of the city or village during any calendar year if, within the same calendar year, the city has, pursuant to subsection (4) of this section, acted to remove weeds, grasses, or worthless vegetation exceeding twelve inches in height on the same lot or piece of ground and had to seek recovery of the costs and expenses of such work from the owner.

Fines may in all cases, and in addition to any other mode provided, be recovered by suit or action before a court of competent jurisdiction, in the name of the state. In any such suit or action, where pleading is necessary, it shall be sufficient to declare generally for the amount claimed to be due in respect to the violation of the ordinance, referring to its title and the date of its adoption or passage, and showing as nearly as may be the facts of the alleged violation.

All suits for the recovery of any fine, and prosecutions for the commission of any offense made punishable as herein provided, shall be barred in one year after the commission of the offense for which the fine is sought to be recovered, or the prosecution is commenced.

Any city of the second class or village shall have the right to use the jail of the county for the confinement of such persons as may be imprisoned under the ordinances of such city or village. The city or village shall be liable to the county for the cost of keeping such prisoners as provided by section 47-120.

(1) The city council or board of trustees shall have the care, supervision, and control of all public highways, bridges, streets, alleys, public squares, and commons within the city or village, and shall cause the same to be kept open and in repair, and free from nuisances.

(2) All public bridges exceeding sixty feet in length, over any stream crossing a state or county highway, shall be constructed and kept in repair by the county; Provided, when any city or village has constructed a bridge over sixty feet span, on any county or state highway within the corporate limits, and has incurred a debt for the same, the treasurer of the county in which such bridge is located shall pay to the treasurer of the city or village seventy-five percent of all bridge taxes collected in the city or village until such debt, and interest thereon, is fully paid.

(3) The council or trustees may appropriate a sum not exceeding five dollars per linear foot to aid in the construction of any county bridge within the limits of such city, or may appropriate a like sum to aid in the construction of any bridge contiguous to the city or village, on a highway leading to the same, or any bridge across any unnavigable river which divides the county, in which the city or village is located, from another state.

(4) No street or alley which shall hereafter be dedicated to public use, by the proprietor of ground in any city or village, shall be deemed a public street or alley, or be under the use or control of the city council or board of trustees, unless the dedication shall be accepted and confirmed by an ordinance especially passed for such purpose.

The mayor and council or board of trustees may, when they deem it expedient, employ a special engineer to make, or assist in making, any estimate necessary or to perform any other duty provided for in section 17-568.01. Any work executed by such special engineer shall have the same validity and serve in all respects as though executed by the city or village engineer.

(1) The city or village engineer shall, when requested by the mayor, city council, or village board, make estimates of the cost of labor and material which may be done or furnished by contract with the city or village and make all surveys, estimates, and calculations necessary to be made for the establishment of grades, the building of culverts, sewers, electric light system, waterworks, power plant, public heating system, bridges, curbing, and gutters, the improvement of streets, and the erection and repair of buildings and shall perform such other duties as the council or board may require. When a city has appointed a board of public works, and the mayor and city council have by ordinance so authorized, such board may utilize its own engineering staff and may hire consulting engineers for the design and installation of extensions and improvements of the works under the jurisdiction of the board of public works. Whenever the mayor and city council have authorized the same, the board of public works may purchase material and employ labor for the enlargement or improvement of the systems and works under the jurisdiction of the board.

(2) Except as provided in section 18-412.01, no contract for enlargement or general improvements, such as water extensions, sewers, public heating system, bridges, work on streets, or any other work or improvement when the cost of such enlargement or improvement is assessed to the property, costing over thirty thousand dollars shall be made unless it is first approved by the city council or village board.

(3) Except as provided in section 18-412.01, before the city council or village board makes any contract in excess of thirty thousand dollars for enlargement or general improvements, such as water extensions, sewers, public heating system, bridges, work on streets, or any other work or improvement when the cost of such enlargement or improvement is assessed to the property, an estimate of the cost shall be made by the city or village engineer and submitted to the council or village board. In advertising for bids as provided in subsections (4) and (6) of this section, the city council or village board may publish the amount of the estimate.

(4) Advertisements for bids shall be required for any contract costing over thirty thousand dollars entered into (a) for enlargement or general improvements, such as water extensions, sewers, public heating system, bridges, work on streets, or any other work or improvement when the cost of such enlargement or improvement is assessed to the property, or (b) for the purchase of equipment used in the construction of such enlargement or general improvements.

(5) A municipal electric utility may enter into a contract for the enlargement or improvement of the electric system or for the purchase of equipment used for such enlargement or improvement without advertising for bids if the price is: (a) Thirty thousand dollars or less; (b) sixty thousand dollars or less and the municipal electric utility has gross annual revenue from retail sales in excess of one million dollars; (c) ninety thousand dollars or less and the municipal electric utility has gross annual revenue from retail sales in excess of five million dollars; or (d) one hundred twenty thousand dollars or less and the municipal electric utility has gross annual revenue from retail sales in excess of ten million dollars.

(6) The advertisement provided for in subsections (3) and (4) of this section shall be published at least seven days prior to the bid closing in a legal newspaper published in or of general circulation in the city or village and, if there is no legal newspaper published in or of general circulation in such city or village, then in some newspaper of general circulation published in the county wherein such city or village is located, and if there is no legal newspaper of general circulation published in the county wherein such city or village is located then in a newspaper, designated by the county board, having a general circulation within the county where bids are required, and if no newspaper is published in the city, village, or county, or if no newspaper has general circulation in the county, then by posting a written or printed copy thereof in each of three public places in the city or village at least seven days prior to the bid closing. In case of a public emergency resulting from infectious or contagious diseases, destructive windstorms, floods, snow, war, or an exigency or pressing necessity or unforeseen need calling for immediate action or remedy to prevent a serious loss of, or serious injury or damage to, life, health, or property, estimates of costs and advertising for bids may be waived in the emergency ordinance authorized by section 17-613 when adopted by a three-fourths vote of the council or board of trustees and entered of record.

(7) If, after advertising for bids as provided in subsections (3), (4), and (6) of this section, the city council or village board receives fewer than two bids on a contract or if the bids received by the city council or village board contain a price which exceeds the estimated cost, the mayor and the city council or village board may negotiate a contract in an attempt to complete the proposed enlargement or general improvements at a cost commensurate with the estimate given.

(8) If the materials are of such a nature that, in the opinion of the manufacturer and with the concurrence of the city council, village board, or board of public works, no cost can be estimated until the materials have been manufactured or assembled to the specific qualifications of the purchasing municipality, the city council, village board, or board of public works may authorize the manufacture and assemblage of such materials and may thereafter approve the estimated cost expenditure when it is provided by the manufacturer.

Any municipal bidding procedure may be waived by the city council, village board, or board of public works (1) when materials or equipment are purchased at the same price and from the same seller as materials or equipment which have formerly been obtained pursuant to the state bidding procedure in sections 81-145 to 81-162 or (2) when the contract is negotiated directly with a sheltered workshop pursuant to section 48-1503.

Before any sale of abandoned real estate is made the council or board of trustees shall by ordinance set forth the date of the purchase, gift or condemnation, a description of the property, the purpose for which the same was acquired, the abandonment of the same, and that a sale is deemed expedient; and shall fix the time, place, terms, and manner of sale and shall reserve the right to reject any and all bids.

No sale shall be had until at least thirty days' notice shall have been given by publication in some newspaper published in the city or village or, in case no newspaper is published in the city or village, by posting notices in four public places.

The sale shall be by sealed bids; and upon approval of the sale by a two-thirds vote of the council the mayor or chairman of the board of trustees shall, in the name of the city or village, execute and deliver a deed to the purchaser, which deed shall be attested by the city clerk; and the seal of the city shall be thereon impressed.

Cities of the second class and villages may contract with a person including such person's parent or guardian if such person is a minor to loan money to such person while such person pursues a course of study at an accredited college or university leading to a degree of Doctor of Medicine or Doctor of Dental Surgery in consideration for such person's promise to practice medicine or dentistry in such city or village and repay such city or village for such money loaned during such person's study after such person shall have become established in his practice, and upon such other terms and conditions as the council or board of such city or village may determine are warranted in the premises. If such person shall discontinue his course of study before attaining such degree, or fail to practice in such city or village after attaining such degree and a license to practice medicine or dentistry, such city or village may pursue any remedy it may have against such person or his parent or guardian as in any other commercial transaction.

In any village the governing body may, by ordinance, call a caucus for the purpose of nomination of candidates for offices to be filled in the village election. Such caucus shall be held at least ten days before the filing deadline for such election, and the governing body calling the caucus shall publish notice of such caucus in at least one newspaper of general circulation in the county at least once each week for two consecutive weeks before such caucus.

The chairperson of the caucus at which candidates are nominated shall notify in writing the village clerk of the candidates so nominated, not later than two days following the caucus. The village clerk shall then notify the persons so nominated of their nomination, such notification to take place not later than five days after such caucus. No candidate so nominated shall have his or her name placed upon the ballot unless, not more than ten days after the holding of such caucus, he or she files with the village clerk a written statement accepting the nomination of the caucus and pays the filing fee, if any, for the office for which he or she was nominated.

The provisions of sections 17-601.01 to 17-601.03 shall not preclude in any manner any person from filing for the offices to which such sections are applicable, either by direct filing or by petition.

All registered voters residing within the limits of any city of the second class or village on or before election day shall be entitled to vote at all city and village elections.

At a meeting of the council of a city of the second class, or the board of trustees of a village, on the first Monday after any city or village election, as the case may be, the returns, including returns for the election of members of the school board, shall be canvassed, and the city council or board of trustees, as the case may be, shall cause the municipal clerk to make out and deliver certificates of election, under the seal of the city or village, to the persons found to be elected. A neglect of any such elected officer to qualify within ten days after the delivery of such certificate shall be deemed a refusal to accept the office to which he or she may have been elected.

The city or village may enact ordinances or bylaws to regulate and prescribe the powers, duties, and compensation of officers not herein provided for, and to require from all officers and servants, elected or appointed, bonds and security or evidence of equivalent insurance for the faithful performance of their duties. The city or village may pay the premium for such bonds or insurance coverage.

The city or village clerk shall have the custody of all laws and ordinances, and shall keep a correct journal of the proceedings of the council or board of trustees; Provided, that after the period of time specified by the State Records Administrator pursuant to sections 84-1201 to 84-1220, the city or village clerk may transfer such journal of the proceedings of the council or board of trustees to the State Archives of the Nebraska State Historical Society, for permanent preservation. He shall also keep a record of all outstanding bonds against the city or village, showing the number and amount of each, for and to whom the said bonds were issued, and when any bonds are purchased or paid or canceled said record shall show the fact; and in his annual report he shall describe particularly the bonds issued and sold during the year, and the terms of sale, with every item of expense thereof. He shall also perform such other duties as may be required by the ordinances of the city.

The treasurer of each city and village shall be the custodian of all money belonging to the corporation. He or she shall keep a separate account of each fund or appropriation and the debts and credits belonging thereto. He or she shall give every person paying money into the treasury a receipt therefor, specifying the date of payment and on what account paid. He or she shall also file copies of such receipts with his or her monthly reports, and he or she shall, at the end of every month, and as often as may be required, render an account to the city council or board of trustees, under oath, showing the state of the treasury at the date of such account and the balance of money in the treasury. He or she shall also accompany such accounts with a statement of all receipts and disbursements, together with all warrants redeemed and paid by him or her, which warrants, with any and all vouchers held by him or her, shall be filed with his or her account in the clerk's office. If the treasurer fails to render his or her account within twenty days after the end of the month, or by a later date established by the governing body, the mayor in a city of the second class or the chairperson of the village board with the advice and consent of the trustees may use this failure as cause to remove the treasurer from office.

(1) The treasurer of a city of the second class or village shall deposit, and at all times keep on deposit, for safekeeping, in banks, capital stock financial institutions, or qualifying mutual financial institutions of approved and responsible standing, all money collected, received, or held by him or her as city or village treasurer. Such deposits shall be subject to all regulations imposed by law or adopted by the city council or board of trustees for the receiving and holding thereof. The fact that a stockholder, director, or other officer of such bank, capital stock financial institution, or qualifying mutual financial institution is also serving as mayor, as a member of the city council, as a member of the board of trustees, as a member of a board of public works, or as any other officer of such municipality shall not disqualify such bank, capital stock financial institution, or qualifying mutual financial institution from acting as a depository for such municipal funds. Section 77-2366 shall apply to deposits in capital stock financial institutions. Section 77-2365.01 shall apply to deposits in qualifying mutual financial institutions.

(2) The council or board of trustees shall require from all banks, capital stock financial institutions, or qualifying mutual financial institutions (a) a bond in such penal sum as may be the maximum amount on deposit at any time less the amount insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or, in lieu thereof, (b) security given as provided in the Public Funds Deposit Security Act, to secure the payment of all such deposits and accretions. The council or board shall approve such bond or giving of security. The city treasurer or village treasurer shall not be liable for any loss of any money sustained by reason of the failure of any such depository so designated and approved.

When the treasurer of any such city or village holds funds of any such city or village in excess of the amount required for maintenance or set aside for betterments and improvements, the mayor and council or the board of trustees may, by resolution, direct and authorize said treasurer to invest said surplus funds in the outstanding bonds or registered warrants of said city or village, bonds and debentures issued either singly or collectively by any of the twelve federal land banks, the twelve intermediate credit banks, or the thirteen banks for cooperatives under the supervision of the Farm Credit Administration, or in interest-bearing bonds or the obligations of the United States. The interest on such bonds or warrants shall be credited to the fund out of which said bonds or warrants were purchased.

The mayor and council or board of trustees may, by resolution, direct and authorize the treasurer to dispose of the surplus electric light, water, or gas funds, or the funds arising from the sale of electric light, water, or natural gas distribution properties, by the payment of outstanding electric light, water, or gas distribution bonds or water warrants then due. The excess, if any, after such payments, may be transferred to the general fund of such city or village.

The city or village attorney shall be the legal advisor of the council or board of trustees. He shall commence, prosecute, and defend all suits and actions necessary to be commenced, prosecuted or defended on behalf of the corporations, or that may be ordered by the council or board of trustees. When requested, he shall attend meetings of the council or board and give them his opinion upon any matters submitted to him, either orally or in writing, as may be required. He shall draft or review for legal correctness ordinances, contracts, franchises and other instruments as may be required, and he shall perform such other duties as may be imposed upon him by general law or ordinance. The governing body of the city or village shall have the right to pay the city or village attorney compensation for legal services performed by him for it on such terms as the governing body and attorney may agree, and to employ additional legal assistance and to pay for such legal assistance out of the funds of the city or village.

No officer shall receive any pay or perquisites from the city other than his or her salary. Neither the city council nor board of trustees shall pay or appropriate any money or other valuable thing to any person not an officer for the performance of any act, service, or duty, the doing or performance of which shall come within the proper scope of the duties of any officer of such corporation.

The emoluments of any elective officer shall not be increased or diminished during the term for which he shall have been elected, except when there has been a combination and merger of offices as provided by sections 17-108.02 and 17-209.02, except that when there are officers elected to the council, or a board or commission having more than one member and the terms of one or more members commence and end at different times, the compensation of all members of such council, board or commission may be increased or diminished at the beginning of the full term of any member thereof. No person who shall have resigned or vacated any office shall be eligible to the same during the time for which he was elected if during the same time the emoluments thereof were increased.

The style of all ordinances shall be: Be it ordained by the mayor and council of the city of ......, or the chairman and board of trustees of the village of ....... . All ordinances of a general nature shall, before they take effect, be published, within fifteen days after they are passed, (1) in some newspaper published in such city or village, but if no paper is published in the city or village, then by posting a written or printed copy thereof in each of three public places in the city or village, or (2) by publishing the same in book or pamphlet form; Provided, in case of riot, infectious or contagious diseases, or other impending danger, failure of public utility, or any other emergency requiring its immediate operation, such ordinance shall take effect upon the proclamation of the mayor or chairman of the board of trustees, posted in at least three of the most public places in the city or village. Such emergency ordinance shall recite the emergency and be passed by a three-fourths vote of the council or board of trustees, and entered of record on the clerk's minutes. The passage, approval, and publication or posting of all ordinances shall be sufficiently proved by a certificate under seal of the city or village from the clerk thereof, showing that such ordinance was passed and approved, and when and in what paper the same was published, or when and by whom and where the same was posted. When ordinances are printed in book or pamphlet form, purporting to be published by authority of the board of trustees or city council, the same need not be otherwise published, and such book or pamphlet shall be received as evidence of the passage and legal publication of such ordinances as of the dates mentioned in such book or pamphlet, in all courts without further proof.

(1) All ordinances and resolutions or orders for the appropriation or payment of money shall require for their passage or adoption the concurrence of a majority of all members elected to the council or board of trustees. Ordinances of a general or permanent nature shall be read by title on three different days unless three-fourths of the council or board vote to suspend this requirement, except that such requirement shall not be suspended for any ordinance for the annexation of territory. In case such requirement is suspended, the ordinances shall be read by title and then moved for final passage. Three-fourths of the council or board may require a reading of any such ordinance in full before enactment under either procedure set out in this section.

(2) Ordinances shall contain no subject which is not clearly expressed in the title, and, except as provided in section 19-915, no ordinance or section thereof shall be revised or amended unless the new ordinance contains the entire ordinance or section as revised or amended and the ordinance or section so amended is repealed, except that:

(a) For an ordinance revising all the ordinances of the city or village, the title need only state that the ordinance revises all the ordinances of the city or village. Under such title all the ordinances may be revised in sections and chapters or otherwise, may be corrected, added to, and any part suppressed, and may be repealed with or without a saving clause as to the whole or any part without other title; and

(b) For an ordinance used solely to revise ordinances or code sections or to enact new ordinances or code sections in order to adopt statutory changes made by the Legislature which are specific and mandatory and bring the ordinances or code sections into conformance with state law, the title need only state that the ordinance revises those ordinances or code sections affected by or enacts ordinances or code sections generated by legislative changes. Under such title, all such ordinances or code sections may be revised, repealed, or enacted in sections and chapters or otherwise by a single ordinance without other title.

All ordinances shall be passed pursuant to such rules and regulations as the council or board of trustees may provide. All such ordinances may be proved by the certificate of the clerk, under the seal of the city or village.

On the passage or adoption of every bylaw or ordinance, and every resolution or order to enter into a contract by the council or board of trustees, the yeas and nays shall be called and recorded. To pass or adopt any bylaw, ordinance, or any such resolution or order, a concurrence of a majority of the whole number of members elected to the council or trustees shall be required. All appointments of the officers by any council or trustees shall be made viva voce; and the concurrence of a like majority shall be required, and the names of those, and for whom they voted, on the vote resulting in an appointment, shall be recorded. The requirements of a roll call or viva voce vote shall be satisfied by a city or village which utilizes an electronic voting device which allows the yeas and nays of each council member or member of the board of trustees to be readily seen by the public.

In 1995, the fiscal period of each city of the second class and village commences on August 1, 1995, and extends through September 30, 1996. Thereafter, the fiscal year of each city of the second class and village and of any public utility of a city of the second class or village commences on October 1 and extends through the following September 30 except as provided in the Municipal Proprietary Function Act.

(1) The council or board of trustees of each city of the second class or village shall, at the time and in the manner provided by law, cause to be certified to the county clerk the amount of tax to be levied upon the taxable value of all the taxable property of the city or village which the city or village requires for the purposes of the adopted budget statement for the ensuing year, including all special assessments and taxes assessed as hereinbefore provided. The county clerk shall place the same on the property tax lists to be collected in the manner provided by law for the collection of county taxes in the county where such city or village is situated. In all sales for any delinquent taxes for municipal purposes, if there are other delinquent taxes due from the same person or a lien on the same property, the sale shall be for all the delinquent taxes. Such sales and all sales made under or by virtue of this section or the provision of law herein referred to shall be of the same validity and in all respects be deemed and treated as though such sales had been made for the delinquent county taxes exclusively. Subject to section 77-3442, the maximum amount of tax which may be so certified, assessed, and collected shall not require a tax levy in excess of one dollar and five cents on each one hundred dollars upon the taxable value of all the taxable property within the corporate limits of such city or village for the purposes of the adopted budget statement, together with any special assessments or special taxes or amounts assessed as taxes and such sum as may be authorized by law for the payment of outstanding bonds and debts.

(2) Within the limitation of section 77-3442, the council or board of trustees of each city of the second class or village may certify an amount to be levied not to exceed ten and five-tenths cents on each one hundred dollars upon the taxable value of all the taxable property within such city or village for the purpose of establishing the sinking fund or funds authorized by sections 19-1301 to 19-1304. Nothing contained in subsection (1) or (2) of this section shall be construed to authorize an increase in the amount of levies for any specific municipal purpose or purposes elsewhere limited by law, whether limited in specific sums or by tax levies.

(3) When required by section 18-501, an additional levy of seven cents on each one hundred dollars upon the taxable value of all the taxable property within the city of the second class or village may be imposed.

If any such city or village has levied special assessments for part or all of the cost of any public work or improvement, if the assessments have been finally held by the courts to be invalid and unenforceable, if the defects rendering such assessments invalid and unenforceable are of such character that they cannot be remedied by reassessment, and if part of the special assessments has been paid under mistake of law or fact into such city or village prior to such final holding, the mayor and council or chairperson and board of trustees shall establish a special fund in the budget statement annually which is sufficient to refund and repay over a period of consecutive years such special assessments erroneously paid, without interest to the person or persons entitled to receive the same, any and all such assessments or parts thereof as may have been so paid into the treasury of such city or village, as the case may be. The amount of tax annually budgeted for this special fund shall not require a tax levy in excess of ten and five-tenths cents on each one hundred dollars upon the taxable value of all the taxable property in such city or village in any one year, and the additional levy shall be continued only for as many years as may be necessary to raise the total amount required for such purpose. Such assessments shall be refunded out of the special fund upon proper claims filed by the person or persons entitled to reimbursement. Such claim shall be audited, allowed, and ordered paid in the same manner as other claims against such city or village. All such reimbursements shall be made pro rata if there is not sufficient money on hand to repay them all at one time. Such amount of tax for the special fund shall be specified in the adopted budget statement.

The city council of a city of the second class and board of trustees of a village shall adopt a budget statement pursuant to the Nebraska Budget Act, to be termed "The Annual Appropriation Bill", in which such corporate authorities may appropriate such sums of money as may be deemed necessary to defray all necessary expenses and liabilities of such corporation.

The mayor and council or board of trustees shall have no power to appropriate, issue or draw any order or warrant on the treasurer for money, unless the same has been appropriated or ordered by ordinance, or the claim for the payment of which such order or warrant is issued has been allowed according to the provisions of sections 17-714 and 17-715, and funds for the class or object out of which such claim is payable have been included in the adopted budget statement or transferred according to law.

No contract shall be hereafter made by the city council or board of trustees, or any committee or member thereof; and no expense shall be incurred by any of the officers or departments of the corporation, whether the object of the expenditures shall have been ordered by the city council or board of trustees or not, unless an appropriation shall have been previously made concerning such expense, except as otherwise expressly provided in section 17-708.

All money received on special assessments shall be held by the treasurer as a special fund to be applied to the payment of the improvement for which the assessment was made, and such money shall be used for no other purpose whatever, unless to reimburse such corporation for money expended for such improvement.

All warrants drawn upon the treasurer must be signed by the mayor or chairman and countersigned by the clerk, stating the particular fund to which the same is chargeable, the person to whom payable, and for what particular object. No money shall be otherwise paid than upon such warrants so drawn. Each warrant shall specify the amount included in the adopted budget statement for such fund upon which it is drawn, and the amount already expended of such fund.

The council or board of trustees of such city or village shall, upon petition being filed with the clerk of the city or village signed by a majority of the resident freeholders of such city or village requesting such council or board of trustees to levy a tax upon the taxable valuation of the property in the city or village, make a levy as in such petition requested, not exceeding eighty-seven and five-tenths cents on each one hundred dollars of taxable valuation, and shall certify the same to the board of county commissioners as other taxes are levied by the city or village, or certified, for the purpose of creating a fund. The fund shall be expended solely in the improvement of the public highways adjacent to the city or village and within five miles thereof, shall at all times be under the control and direction of the council or board of trustees of the city or village, and shall be expended under the authority and direction of the council or board. The council or board is hereby granted the power and authority to employ such person or persons as it may select for the performance of such work under such rules and regulations as it may by ordinance provide.

All liquidated and unliquidated claims and accounts payable against a city of the second class or village shall: (1) Be presented in writing; (2) state the name and address of the claimant and the amount of the claim; and (3) fully and accurately identify the items or services for which payment is claimed or the time, place, nature, and circumstances giving rise to the claim.

As a condition precedent to maintaining an action for a claim, other than a tort claim as defined in section 13-903, the claimant shall file such claim within ninety days of the accrual of the claim in the office of the city or village clerk.

The city or village clerk shall notify the claimant or his or her agent or attorney by letter mailed to the claimant's address within five days if the claim is disallowed by the city council or village board of trustees.

No costs shall be recovered against such city or village in any action brought against it for any claim or for any claim allowed in part which has not been presented to the city council or village board of trustees to be audited, unless the recovery is for a greater sum than the amount allowed with the interest due.