§ 2-623 — Extension districts, establishment or expansion; agreement therefor, terms, prior approval by attorney general; publication of notice of proposed new district or expansion, protest petition and election; district name, powers, personnel and property; governing body, appointment or election and terms of office of first members

(a) Prior to July 1 of any year, any two or more county extension councils may establish an extension district composed of all of the counties of such councils by entering into an agreement in accordance with this section to combine the extension programs for each county involved into one extension program serving the extension district. No such agreement shall be effective unless such agreement has received the prior approval of: (1) The board of county commissioners of each county included in the proposed extension district, subject to the provisions of subsection (i); (2) the executive board of the extension council of each county included in the proposed extension district and the director of extension of Kansas state university of agriculture and applied science, or the director's authorized representative, acting together as a body; and (3) the attorney general in accordance with subsection (h).
(b) Prior to July 1 of any year, one or more county extension councils and the governing body of any existing extension district may establish a new extension district by entering into an agreement in accordance with this section to combine the extension programs for each such county and such district into one extension program serving a new extension district composed of all counties represented by such county extension councils and the area served by the existing extension district. No such agreement shall be effective unless such agreement has received the prior approval of: (1) The board of county commissioners of each county being added to the existing extension district, subject to the provisions of subsection (i); (2) the executive board of the county extension council of each county being added to the existing extension district, the governing body of the existing extension district and the director of extension of Kansas state university of agriculture and applied science, or the director's authorized representative, acting together as a body; and (3) the attorney general in accordance with subsection (h).
(c) On July 1 after the approval under subsection (a) or (b) of an agreement to establish an extension district, such extension district is hereby established and shall constitute a body corporate and politic possessing the usual powers of a corporation for public purposes under the name of "extension district no. _________ (the number designated by the director of extension), ________ counties (naming the counties included within the district), state of Kansas." Each extension district is a taxing subdivision and has the power to contract, sue and be sued and to acquire, hold and convey real and personal property in accordance with law.
(d) Upon the establishment of an extension district under subsection (a) or (b), all of the personnel and property of each of the extension programs which are combined into the new district extension programs shall be transferred to the new extension district and shall be subject to the authority of the governing body of the extension district in accordance with the agreement to establish the extension district.
(e) Upon the establishment of an extension district under subsection (a), the board of county commissioners of each county joining in the establishing of an extension district shall appoint four qualified electors to membership on the governing body of the district. The terms of all members so appointed shall commence on July 1 following their appointment. Of the members so appointed two members shall serve for terms ending upon the election and qualification of their successors at an election held on the Tuesday following the first Monday in November of the first odd-numbered year following their appointment and two members shall serve for terms ending upon the election and qualification of their successors at an election held on the Tuesday succeeding the first Monday in November of the second odd-numbered year following their appointment.
(f) In the case of one or more counties being included in an existing extension district under subsection (b), the board of county commissioners of each county being included in an existing extension district shall appoint four qualified electors of the county to membership on the governing body of the expanded district. The terms of all members so appointed shall commence on July 1 following their appointment. Of the members so appointed two members shall serve for terms ending upon the election and qualification of their successors at an election held on the Tuesday following the first Monday in November of the first odd-numbered year following their appointment and two members shall serve for terms ending upon the election and qualification of their successors at an election held on the Tuesday following the first Monday in November of the second odd-numbered year following their appointment. The offices of the members of the governing body of the existing extension district shall continue in existence and the persons in such offices shall be members of the governing body of the expanded extension district which is established on July 1 for the remainder of their existing terms of office.
(g) In addition to other required provisions, each agreement entered into under this section shall specify the permissible method or methods to be employed in disposing of the assets and liabilities of the extension district in the event that one or more counties withdraw from the extension district under K.S.A. 2-628, and amendments thereto.
(h) Each agreement entered into under this section or under K.S.A. 2-628, and amendments thereto, prior to and as a condition precedent to its entry into force, shall be submitted to the attorney general who shall determine whether the agreement is in proper form and compatible with this act and the other laws of Kansas. The attorney general shall approve any agreement submitted for approval under this section or K.S.A. 2-628, and amendments thereto, unless the attorney general finds that the submitted agreement does not meet the requirements of this act. In such case, the attorney general shall specify in writing to the proposed parties to the agreement and to each other entity required to approve the agreement, the specific respects in which the proposed agreement fails to meet the requirements of law. Failure by the attorney general to disapprove an agreement submitted pursuant to this subsection within 90 days of its submission shall constitute approval of the agreement by the attorney general.
(i) Prior to approving an agreement under this section, the board of county commissioners of each county to be included in a proposed extension district under subsection (a) or to be added to an existing extension district under subsection (b), as the case may be, shall adopt a resolution stating the intention of the board of county commissioners to approve such agreement and specifying the counties that are to be included in the extension district. Such resolution shall be published once each week for two consecutive weeks in the official county newspaper. If, within 60 days following the last publication of the resolution, a petition in opposition to the approval of the agreement and the inclusion of the county in the extension district is signed by not less than 5% of the qualified electors of the county and is filed with the county election officer, such board of county commissioners shall not approve such agreement and the county shall not be included in the extension district unless and until the same is approved by a majority of the qualified electors of the county voting thereon at a primary election or general election or at a special election called and held for such purpose. Any such special election shall be called, noticed and held in accordance with the provisions of K.S.A. 10-120, and amendments thereto.

Legislative History

L. 1991, ch. 2, § 1; L. 1994, ch. 225, § 1; L. 2015, ch. 88, § 17; July 1.