§ 160A-663.  Creation of district.

(a) The boards of commissioners of any one or more counties within an area for which a district may be created as provided by G.S. 160A-662, and the governing body of any city geographically located within one or more of these counties and that chooses to join in the organization of a district, may by resolution signify their determination to organize a district under the provisions of this Article. Each of these resolutions shall be adopted after a public hearing thereon, notice of which hearing shall be given by publication at least once, not less than 10 days prior to the date fixed for the hearing, in a newspaper having a general circulation in the county. The notice shall contain a brief statement of the substance of the proposed resolution, shall set forth the proposed articles of incorporation of the district, and shall state the time and place of the public hearing. A copy of the notice shall be mailed not later than the first day of newspaper publication to the business office of any public utility that holds a franchise from the North Carolina Utilities Commission to serve any part of the proposed district with natural gas service. No county or city shall be required to make any other publication of the resolution under the provisions of any other law.

(b) Each resolution shall include articles of incorporation which shall set forth all of the following:

(1) The name of the district.

(2) The composition of the board of trustees, terms of office, and the manner of making appointments and filling vacancies.

(3) A statement that the district is organized under this Article.

(4) The names of the organizing counties and cities.

(5) Provision for the distribution of assets in the event the district is terminated.

(c) A certified copy of each of the resolutions signifying the determination to organize a district under the provisions of this Article shall be filed with the Secretary of State, together with proof of publication and mailing of the notice of hearing on each of the resolutions. If the Secretary of State finds that the resolutions, including the articles of incorporation, conform to the provisions of this Article and that the notices of hearing were properly published and mailed, the Secretary of State shall file the resolutions and proofs of publication and mailing, shall issue a certificate of incorporation under the seal of the State, and shall record the certificate in an appropriate book of record. The issuance of this certificate of incorporation by the Secretary of State shall constitute the district a public body and body politic and corporate of the State of North Carolina. The certificate of incorporation shall be conclusive evidence of the fact that the district has been duly created and established under this Article.

(d) When the district has been duly organized and its officers elected, the secretary of the district shall certify to the Secretary of State the names and addresses of the officers, the name and address of the registered agent, and the address of the principal office of the district. The district shall be subject to the provisions of Article 5 of Chapter 55A of the General Statutes. (1997-426, s. 2.)