Within 20 days after the damages likely to be sustained by reason of the proposed laying out, widening, alteration or vacation of any township or district road have been finally ascertained, either by agreement of the parties or by condemnation proceedings, or within 20 days after such damages may have been released, the highway commissioner or the county superintendent of highways, as the case may be, shall hold a public hearing at which he shall hear and consider reasons for or against the proposed laying out, widening, alteration or vacation of such road, and at which time and place he shall publicly announce his final decision relative thereto. The highway commissioner or the county superintendent of highways, as the case may be, shall give public notice of such public hearing by publi
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Within 20 days after the damages likely to be sustained by reason of the proposed laying out, widening, alteration or vacation of any township or district road have been finally ascertained, either by agreement of the parties or by condemnation proceedings, or within 20 days after such damages may have been released, the highway commissioner or the county superintendent of highways, as the case may be, shall hold a public hearing at which he shall hear and consider reasons for or against the proposed laying out, widening, alteration or vacation of such road, and at which time and place he shall publicly announce his final decision relative thereto. The highway commissioner or the county superintendent of highways, as the case may be, shall give public notice of such public hearing by publication in at least one newspaper published in the township or district or, in the absence of such published newspaper, in at least one newspaper of general circulation in the township or district or, in the absence of such generally circulated newspaper at the time prescribed for notice, by posting notices thereof in at least 5 of the most public places in the district in the vicinity of the road for at least 5 days prior thereto. A written notice shall be mailed or delivered to all owners of the property adjacent to the road which is the subject of the hearing. A written notice may be mailed or delivered to every person known to have been present at the hearings conducted pursuant to Sections 6-305 and 6-306 of this Act and to every other person who has requested such notice. At such time and place the highway commissioner, if he is the official conducting the hearing, shall determine the advisability of such proposed laying out, widening, alteration or vacation of such road, shall make an order for the same and shall within 5 days thereafter file such order in the office of the district clerk. At such time and place the county superintendent of highways, if he is the official conducting the hearing, shall: (a) Be empowered to administer oaths; (b) Permit the appearance in person or by counsel, the introduction of evidence and the cross examination of witnesses by not less than 3 of the qualified petitioners, not less than 3 other legal voters residing within 2 miles of any portion of such road, and not less than 3 other persons owning land in the road district or owning land wholly or partially situated within 2 miles of any portion of such road, except that no such permission shall extend to a person other than a petitioner unless it appears that he will be directly and adversely affected by the change requested in the petition; (c) Provide that every person offering testimony shall testify under oath or affirmation and shall be subject to cross examination, except that the technical rules of evidence governing proceedings in circuit courts are inapplicable in such hearing; (d) Secure and retain a stenographic transcript of the proceedings, including all evidence offered or introduced at the hearing; and (e) Determine the advisability of such proposed laying out, widening, alteration or vacation of such road, shall make an order for the same and shall within 5 days thereafter file such final order in the office of the district clerk. Every order entered and filed pursuant to this Section in approval of the change requested in the petition shall contain an express finding that such alteration or vacation of the township or district road will be in the public and economic interest and will not deprive residents or owners of proximate land of reasonable access elsewhere as specified in Section 6-305 of this Act.