17-953.01.

Purchase or construction of public buildings without bond issue; remonstrance petition; procedure.

If the funds to be used to finance the purchase or construction of a building under section 17-953 are available other than through a bond issue, then either:

(1) Notice of the proposed purchase or construction shall be published in a legal newspaper in or of general circulation in the city or village and no election shall be required to approve the purchase or construction unless within thirty days after the publication of the notice a remonstrance petition against the purchase or construction is signed by registered voters of the city or village equal in number to fifteen 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 the city or village. If the date for filing the petition 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. If a petition with the necessary number of qualified signatures is timely filed, the question shall be submitted to the voters of the city or village at a general municipal election or a special election duly called for that purpose. If the purchase or construction is not approved, the property involved shall not then, nor within one year following the election, be purchased or constructed; or

(2) The governing body may proceed without providing the notice and right of petition required in subdivision (1) of this section if the property can be purchased below the fair market value as determined by an appraisal, and there is a willing seller, and the purchase price is less than twenty-five thousand dollars. Such purchase shall be approved by the governing body after notice and public hearing as provided in section 18-1755.