Article 12.
Mosquito and Vector Control.
§ 130A-346: Repealed by Session Laws 2011-145, s. 13.3(j), effective July 1, 2011.
§ 130A-347: Repealed by Session Laws 2011-145, s. 13.3(j), effective July 1, 2011.
§ 130A-348: Repealed by Session Laws 2011-145, s. 13.3(j), effective July 1, 2011.
§ 130A-349: Repealed by Session Laws 2011-145, s. 13.3(j), effective July 1, 2011.
§ 130A-350: Reserved for future codification purposes.
§ 130A-351: Reserved for future codification purposes.
§ 130A-352. Creation and purpose of mosquito control districts.
For the purpose of protecting and promoting the public health and welfare by providing for the control of mosquitoes and other arthropods of public health significance, mosquito control districts may be created in accordance with the provisions of this Part. A mosquito control district may be comprised of one or more contiguous counties or contiguous parts of one or more counties. (1957, c. 1247, s. 1; 1983, c. 891, s. 2.)
§ 130A-353. Nature of district; procedure for forming districts.
(a) A mosquito control district shall be a body politic and corporate and a political subdivision of the State. A mosquito control district may sue and be sued in its corporate name.
(b) If the proposed district lies wholly within a county, ten percent (10%) or more of the resident freeholders within the proposed district may petition the board of commissioners of the county in which the proposed district lies setting forth the boundaries of the district and a suggested name for the district. For the purposes of this Part, the term "freeholders" shall mean persons holding a deed to a tract of land within the district or proposed district, and also shall mean a person who has entered into a contract to purchase a tract of land within the district or proposed district, is making payments pursuant to a contract, and will receive a deed upon completion of the contractual payments. If the county board of commissioners considers the formation of the district to be in the interest of the public health, the board shall forward the petition to the Department. If the Department considers the formation of the district to be in the interest of the public health, the Department shall notify the county board of commissioners. Upon notification, the board shall give notice of a public hearing on the question of the formation of the district by advertising the time, place and purpose of the hearing once a week for four successive weeks prior to the hearing in a newspaper either published in the county or having a general circulation in the county. The public hearing shall be presided over by the chairman of the county board of commissioners and shall be attended by a representative of the Department. The hearing may be continued as may be necessary to hear the proponents and opponents of the formation of the district. If after the hearing, the county board of commissioners deem it advisable that the district be created, the board shall submit the question of whether or not the district shall be created to the voters residing within the proposed district at an election called for that purpose. Upon determining that the district should be created and established, and prior to the submission of the question of the formation of the district to the voters of the proposed district, the county board of commissioners may determine the maximum amount of special tax to be levied for mosquito control purposes should the formation of the district be approved by the voters. In no event shall the maximum authorized levy exceed thirty-five cents (35¢) upon the one hundred dollar ($100.00) assessed valuation. If the county board of commissioners determines that the maximum amount of special tax to be levied for mosquito control purposes is to be less than thirty-five cents (35¢) on the one hundred dollar ($100.00) valuation, the maximum amount must appear on the ballot to be used by the voters on the question of the creation of the district.
(c) Prior to the election, the county board of commissioners may make minor deviations in defining the boundaries of the proposed district if: (1) the board determines that minor deviation from the boundaries described in the petition is in the interest of public health; and (2) ten percent (10%) of the resident freeholders within the revised boundaries have signed the petition proposing the creation of the district or additional resident freeholders within the revised boundaries of the proposed district sign the petition to bring the total number of petitioners within the proposed revised boundaries to not less than ten percent (10%) of the voters therein.
(d) The county board of commissioners shall request the county board of elections to hold the election and shall pay the expense of the election. The election shall be held in accordance with the applicable provisions of Chapter 163 of the General Statutes. Notice shall be given as provided in G.S. 163-33(8).
(e) The form of the question to be stated on the ballot shall be in substantially the following words:
" FOR creation of the (here insert name) Mosquito Control District and the levy of a special tax (here insert the words "not to exceed" and the maximum amount of special tax to be levied for mosquito control purposes if the county board of commissioners has determined that the maximum authorized amount is to be less than thirty-five cents (35¢) on the one hundred dollar ($100.00) assessed valuation) for mosquito control purposes.
AGAINST creation of the (here insert name) Mosquito Control District and the levy of a special tax (here insert the words "not to exceed" and the maximum amount of special tax to be levied for mosquito control purposes if the county board of commissioners has determined that the maximum authorized amount is to be less than thirty-five cents (35¢) on the one hundred dollar ($100.00) assessed valuation) for mosquito control purposes."
The affirmative and negative forms shall be printed on one ballot and the voters shall make a mark of an "X" in one of the squares preceding the form.
(f) If a majority of the voters voting at the election vote in favor of creation of the district and the levy of the special tax, the county board of commissioners shall declare the district created and shall adopt a resolution to that effect.
(g) In the event the proposed mosquito control district shall embrace lands lying in two or more counties, the petition signed by the requisite number of resident freeholders within the proposed district shall be addressed to the Department. If the Department deems the formation of the proposed district to be in the interest of the public health, the Department shall hold public hearings within the proposed district after first giving notice of the time and place of the hearings by publication once a week for four successive weeks in a newspaper published or circulated in the proposed district. A public hearing shall be held in the courthouse of each of the counties in which any part of the proposed district is situated. After the hearing, if the Department deems the formation of the district to be in the interest of the public health, the Department shall order an election to be held upon the question of the formation of the district after first advertising the time of the election in the manner provided in subsection (d). At the request of the Commission, the county commissioners of the counties in which the proposed district lies shall request the county board of elections to hold an election on the question with substantially the same form of ballot set forth in subsection (e). Each county shall bear the expense of the election held in that county. The board of elections shall certify the results to the county commissioners and the Commission. If a majority of the votes cast favor creation of the district and the levy of the special tax, the Commission shall declare the district created and the county commissioners shall enter the certification upon the minutes of the board. Registration shall be in accordance with G.S. 163-288.2. (1957, c. 1247, s. 2; 1959, c. 622, s. 1; 1973, c. 476, s. 128; 1981, c. 188, ss. 1, 2; 1983, c. 891, s. 2; 2017-6, s. 3; 2018-146, ss. 3.1(a), (b), 6.1.)
§ 130A-354. Governing bodies for mosquito control districts.
(a) A mosquito control district shall be governed by a board of commissioners. In the case of a district lying wholly within a single county, the board shall be composed of five members, all of whom shall be residents of the district. Three of the members shall be appointed by the county board of commissioners, one for an initial term of one year, one for an initial term of two years and one for an initial term of three years. All subsequent appointments made by the county board of commissioners shall be for terms of three years. One member shall be appointed by the Secretary and one member by the Director of the Wildlife Resources Commission. These two appointees shall serve at the pleasure of the appointing authority. A vacancy shall be filled by the authority which appointed the member creating the vacancy.
(b) In the case of a district lying in two or more counties, the Secretary shall appoint one member and the Director of the Wildlife Commission shall appoint one member. The board of commissioners of each county in which any part of the district lies shall appoint one member. In the event the district lies in only two counties, the board of commissioners of the county in which a majority of the acreage of the district lies shall appoint two members, one for an initial term of one year and the other for an initial term of two years. The other county shall appoint one member for an initial term of three years. All succeeding terms of county appointees shall be for three years. A vacancy shall be filled by the authority which appointed the member creating the vacancy, and the appointees of the Secretary and the Director of the Wildlife Resources Commission shall hold office at the pleasure of the appointing authority.
(c) At its first meeting, the board shall elect a chairman, a vice-chairman, a secretary and a treasurer. The office of secretary and treasurer may be held by the same member. All official acts done by the board shall be entered in a book of minutes to be kept by the secretary. The board shall meet at least quarterly and may meet in a special meeting at any time upon call of the chairman or any two members, and upon notice of the time, place and purpose of the meeting of not less than three days. Before entering upon the discharge of their duties, each member shall take and subscribe an oath of office as follows and the oath shall be entered in the minute book:
"I, ________, do solemnly swear that I will well and truly perform my duties as a Commissioner of the ________ Mosquito Control District.
_________________ Signature
Affirmed and subscribed before me this ____ day of _____ _____
________________________________
Signature of Officer Administering Oath."
(1957, c. 1247, s. 3; 1973, c. 476, s. 128; 1983, c. 891, s. 2; 1999-456, s. 59.)
A mosquito control district created in accordance with the provisions of this Part shall have and exercise through its board of commissioners the following corporate powers in addition to any incidental powers as may be necessary in order to discharge its corporate functions:
(1) To levy ad valorem taxes upon all the taxable property within the district at a rate not to exceed thirty-five cents (35¢) upon the adjusted one hundred dollar ($100.00) assessed valuation, except as provided in subdivision (a) of this subsection.
a. Where a mosquito control district lies solely within a single county and includes the entire county, the county board of commissioners may levy and determine the rate of ad valorem tax to be levied at a rate not to exceed thirty-five cents (35¢) upon the adjusted one hundred dollar ($100.00) assessed valuation. Where a mosquito control district lies wholly within a single county and the maximum authorized special tax approved by the voters at the time of voting on the creation of the district was less than thirty-five cents (35¢) on the one hundred dollar assessed valuation, the ad valorem tax levy shall not exceed the lesser amount.
b. In the case of a district lying wholly within a single county, the valuations assessed by the county tax authorities shall be used by the mosquito control district or the county board of commissioners as the basis for its tax assessment. The mosquito control district or the county board of commissioners shall certify its tax rate to the county tax collector or supervisor in time to have the rate and the amount of tax due upon the valuation entered upon the official county tax receipts and stubs or duplicates. The county tax collector shall collect the taxes at the same time as county taxes are collected and shall deposit the receipts to the credit of the mosquito control district in a depository or depositories designated by the governing board of the district.
c. In the case of a district lying in two or more counties, the commissioners of the mosquito control district shall horizontally equalize the assessed valuations of the property in all counties in which the district lies by adjusting the ratio of assessed valuation in the counties to the true values of the taxable property in the counties. From the adjusted and equalized valuations, any county board of commissioners may appeal to the Department of Revenue using the procedures set forth in Subchapter II of Chapter 105 of the General Statutes.
d. The board of commissioners of the mosquito control district shall levy a tax based upon the equalized assessed valuations and shall certify the amount of the levy against each taxpayer to the appropriate county tax collector or supervisor in time for the amount of the mosquito control district tax to be entered upon the county tax receipts and stubs or duplicates. The county tax collectors shall collect the tax and deposit the receipts to the credit of the mosquito control district in a depository or depositories designated by the commissioners of the district.
e. The taxes levied according to this Part shall become due; shall be subject to the same discounts, penalties and interest; and shall have the same remedies for the collection and refund of the taxes as provided for county and municipal ad valorem taxation by Chapter 310 of the Session Laws of 1939 as amended. These taxes shall constitute a lien to the same extent and with the same force and effect as county and municipal ad valorem taxes and shall have equal priority with those taxes;
(2) To accept gifts or endowments and to receive federal and State grants-in-aid. All money or property acquired under this section or any other source, shall be deposited in a separate fund to be used solely for the purpose of carrying out the provisions of this Part. The deposited funds shall be withdrawn by warrants signed by the chairperson of the governing board of the district and countersigned by the secretary;
(3) To take all necessary and proper steps to prevent the breeding of mosquitoes and other arthropods of public health significance within the district, and to destroy adult mosquitoes and other arthropods of public health significance found within the district;
(4) To conduct arthropod control measures in cooperation with individuals, firms and corporations, and federal, State and local governmental agencies;
(5) To enter all places both publicly and privately owned within the district to inspect, survey and treat with proper means all places where mosquitoes or other arthropods of public health significance are breeding and to take other actions as may be necessary;
(6) To acquire by purchase, condemnation or otherwise, and to hold real and personal property, easements, rights-of-way or other property necessary or convenient for accomplishing the purpose of this Part. Any land which has been acquired by the board and improved by drainage, filling, diking or other treatment, and other real property held by the board may be sold or leased through competitive bidding. All condemnation proceedings are to be in accordance with the provisions of Chapter 40A of the General Statutes;
(7) To employ necessary personnel; fix salaries; purchase equipment, supplies and materials; make contracts; rent office or storage space; and perform other administrative functions necessary for the purpose of carrying out this Part;
(8) To borrow money in anticipation of tax collection and to execute and deliver its notes or bonds. Money shall be borrowed in gross amounts not to exceed the anticipated tax receipts for the fiscal year;
(9) To reimburse members and employees of the board for actual expenditures incurred in authorized travel; and
(10) To employ a district superintendent who is an engineer, entomologist or otherwise qualified as an arthropod control specialist. The professional qualifications of the superintendent must be approved by the Secretary. (1957, c. 1247, s. 4; 1959, c. 622, s. 2; 1973, c. 476, ss. 128, 193; 1981, c. 919, s. 15; 1983, c. 891, s. 2.)
§ 130A-356. Adoption of plan of operation.
(a) At least 60 days prior to the initiation of operations, the governing board of each mosquito control district must submit to the Secretary, a plan of procedure and operation in a form and manner prescribed by the Secretary. The Secretary shall have authority to approve, modify or take other appropriate action in regard to the plans. No contract may be entered into, program commenced or work begun prior to the approval of the plan by the Secretary.
(b) At least 60 days prior to the expiration of each fiscal year, the governing board of each mosquito control district must submit to the Secretary a plan of procedure and operation for the next fiscal year in a form and manner prescribed by the Secretary. The Secretary shall have authority to approve, modify or take other appropriate action in regard to the plans. No contract may be entered into, program commenced or work begun or continued prior to the approval of the plan by the Secretary. (1957, c. 1247, s. 5; 1973, c. 476, s. 128; 1983, c. 891, s. 2.)
A mosquito control district shall have power to issue bonds and notes under the Local Government Bond Act. (1957, c. 1247, s. 6; 1971, c. 780, s. 25; 1983, c. 891, s. 2.)
§ 130A-358. Dissolution of certain mosquito control districts.
Fifty-one percent (51%) or more of the resident freeholders of a mosquito control district which has no outstanding indebtedness may submit a petition for dissolution to the county board of commissioners in which all or the greater portion of the resident freeholders of the district are located. The county board of commissioners shall notify the Department and the county board of commissioners of any other county or counties in which any portion of the district lies, of the receipt of the petition, and shall request the Department to hold a joint public hearing with the county commissioners concerning the dissolution of the district. The Department and the chairperson of the county board of commissioners shall name a time and place within the district for the public hearing. The chairperson of the county board of commissioners of the county in which all or the greater portion of the resident freeholders of the district are located shall give prior notice of the hearing by posting a notice at the courthouse door of each county and also by publication in a newspaper or newspapers published in the county or counties at least once a week for four successive weeks. In the event that all matters pertaining to the dissolution of the mosquito control district cannot be concluded at the hearing, the hearing may be continued to a time and place determined by the Department. If after the hearing, the Commission and the county commissioners shall deem it advisable to comply with the request of the petition, the Commission shall adopt a resolution dissolving the district. (1959, c. 622, s. 3; 1973, c. 476, s. 128; 1983, c. 891, s. 2.)
§ 130A-359. Reserved for future codification purposes.