§ 23-71-203 — Submission of plan for joining state system

(1) Any local
college district desiring to become a part of the state system shall use the
following procedures: The local district college board of trustees of the district
shall submit to the board a plan of dissolution, together with a detailed report of the
finances and programs of the existing local district college. The plan of dissolution
shall be in such form as may be prescribed by the board. The plan shall provide for
the transfer of district assets to the board and shall make provision for meeting all
liabilities of the district through assumption by the board or by other lawful means
which will not impair existing obligations of contract. Liabilities to be assumed by
the board shall include all revenue bonds and other special obligations which by
their terms are not payable from revenues derived from ad valorem taxes of the
district (such obligations being sometimes collectively designated in this article as
revenue bonds). The revenue bonds shall continue to be payable from the
revenues designated therein and shall not become the general obligation of the
board or of the state of Colorado. In each case where there exist outstanding
general liabilities at the time of dissolution, the plan shall provide for continuing the
tax levy within the boundaries of the dissolved district as may be necessary to retire
all general liabilities, including without limitation all general obligation bonded
indebtedness, both principal and interest. It is the intention of this part 2 that the
general assembly will make timely appropriations for the retirement, and, to the
extent moneys are thereby made legally available, the levy shall be diminished or
eliminated. Notwithstanding any other provision of this part 2, no local college
district shall be dissolved pursuant to this part 2 if, subsequent to May 27, 1967, it
has incurred liabilities (evidenced by other than revenue bonds) for capital
improvements without the approval of the board prior to the incurrence unless the
liabilities have been fully paid as to principal and interest before the dissolution.
The plan shall include a timetable for dissolution of the district and estimates of
potential enrollment and operating and capital expenditures for a period of five
years after dissolution. The date of dissolution and entry into the state system shall
be the first day of July immediately following the survey of the dissolution election
returns.

(2) (a) If the local district college board of trustees fails to submit a plan of
dissolution on its own initiative within five years after May 27, 1967, the eligible
electors of the local college district may petition the board of trustees to submit a
plan to the board. The petition shall be signed by at least five percent of the eligible
electors residing within each county in the local college district and shall be filed
with the secretary of the local college district. The signatures need not all be on
one sheet of paper, but each sheet shall contain an oath, subscribed to by the
person circulating the sheet, that the signatures thereon are genuine. Each person
signing the petition shall add to the signature the date of the signing and the
elector's place of residence. To the extent practicable, the provisions of article 40
of title 1, C.R.S., regarding circulation of petitions, elector information and
signatures on petitions, and affidavits and requirements of circulators of petitions
shall apply to petitions under this section.

(b) Upon receipt of the petition, the secretary shall refer the petition to the
local district college board of trustees. The board shall, without undue delay,
determine if the petition has been signed by the requisite number of eligible
electors residing in each county of the local college district. If the petition is found
to contain the requisite number of signatures, the board of trustees shall proceed
to develop and submit to the board within ninety days a plan of dissolution in
accordance with the provisions of subsection (1) of this section. If the petition does
not contain the requisite number of signatures, the board of trustees shall make the
determination by written resolution.

(c) If a petition and plan of dissolution is submitted pursuant to this section
and dissolution of the local college district should not be effected because of
rejection or nonapproval of the plan, or otherwise, at any stage of the process
provided for by subsection (1) of this section and section 23-71-204, no further
petition or plan of dissolution pursuant to this section shall be submitted or
accepted for a period of five years from the date of rejection or nonapproval or
other action causing the prior plan of dissolution not to be effected.

Legislative History

Source: L. 75: Entire article added, p. 760, � 1, effective July 1. L. 86: Entire section amended, p. 855, � 32, effective July 1. L. 92: Entire section amended, p. 858, � 69, effective January 1, 1993. L. 93: (2) amended, p. 696, � 3, effective May 4; (2)(c) amended, p. 1798, � 106, effective June 6.