1.1                          A bill for an act 
  1.2             relating to local government; authorizing certain 
  1.3             cities, towns, and the county for certain unorganized 
  1.4             townships to create the Virginia area ambulance 
  1.5             district; authorizing a tax levy; requiring local 
  1.6             approval. 
  1.7   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.8      Section 1.  [VIRGINIA AREA AMBULANCE DISTRICT.] 
  1.9      Subdivision 1.  [AGREEMENT; POWERS; GENERAL 
  1.10  DESCRIPTION.] (a) The cities of Virginia, Mountain Iron, and 
  1.11  Gilbert, and all or part of the towns of Pike, Clinton, 
  1.12  McDavitt, Colvin, Sandy, Cherry, Ellsburg, Wouri, Lavell, and 
  1.13  Embarrass, may by resolution of their city councils and town 
  1.14  boards establish the Virginia area ambulance district. 
  1.15     (b) The St. Louis county board may by resolution provide 
  1.16  that property located in unorganized townships described in 
  1.17  clauses (1) to (6), or any part of them, may be included within 
  1.18  the district: 
  1.19     (1) Township 61 North, Range 17 West; 
  1.20     (2) Township 59 North, Ranges 16 and 18 West; 
  1.21     (3) Township 56 North, Range 16 West; 
  1.22     (4) Township 60 North, Range 18 West; 
  1.23     (5) Township 58 North, Range 17 West; and 
  1.24     (6) Township 55 North, Ranges 15, 18, and 19 West.  
  1.25     (c) The district shall make payments of the proceeds of the 
  1.26  tax authorized in this section to the city of Virginia, which 
  2.1   shall provide ambulance services throughout the district and may 
  2.2   exercise all the powers of the cities and towns that relate to 
  2.3   ambulance service anywhere within its territory.  
  2.4      (d) Any other contiguous town or home rule charter or 
  2.5   statutory city may join the district with the agreement of the 
  2.6   cities and towns that comprise the district at the time of its 
  2.7   application to join.  Action to join the district may be taken 
  2.8   by the city council or town board of the city or town.  
  2.9      Subd. 2.  [BOARD.] The district shall be governed by a 
  2.10  board composed of one member appointed by the city council or 
  2.11  town board of each city and town in the district.  A district 
  2.12  board member may, but is not required to, be a member of a city 
  2.13  council or town board.  Except as provided in this section, 
  2.14  members shall serve two-year terms ending the first Monday in 
  2.15  January and until their successors are appointed and qualified.  
  2.16  Of the members first appointed, as far as possible, the terms of 
  2.17  one-half shall expire on the first Monday in January in the 
  2.18  first year following appointment and one-half the first Monday 
  2.19  in January in the second year.  The terms of those initially 
  2.20  appointed must be determined by lot.  If an additional member is 
  2.21  added because an additional city or town joins the district, the 
  2.22  member's term must be fixed so that, as far as possible, the 
  2.23  terms of one-half of all the members expire on the same date. 
  2.24     Subd. 3.  [TAX.] The district may impose a property tax on 
  2.25  real and personal property in the district in an amount 
  2.26  sufficient to discharge its operating expenses and debt payable 
  2.27  in each year.  The St. Louis county auditor and treasurer shall 
  2.28  collect the tax and pay it to the Virginia area ambulance 
  2.29  district. 
  2.30     Subd. 4.  [PUBLIC INDEBTEDNESS.] The district may incur 
  2.31  debt in the manner provided for a municipality by Minnesota 
  2.32  Statutes, chapter 475, when necessary to accomplish a duty 
  2.33  charged to it. 
  2.34     Subd. 5.  [WITHDRAWAL.] Upon two years' notice, a city or 
  2.35  town may withdraw from the district.  Its territory shall remain 
  2.36  subject to taxation for debt incurred prior to its withdrawal 
  3.1   pursuant to Minnesota Statutes, chapter 475. 
  3.2      Subd. 6.  [EFFECTIVE DATE.] This section is effective in 
  3.3   the cities of Virginia, Mountain Iron, and Gilbert, and the 
  3.4   towns of Pike, Clinton, McDavitt, Colvin, Sandy, Cherry, 
  3.5   Ellsburg, Wouri, Lavell, and Embarrass the day after compliance 
  3.6   with Minnesota Statutes, section 645.021, subdivision 3, by the 
  3.7   governing body of each.  This section is effective for 
  3.8   unorganized townships described in subdivision 1, paragraph (b), 
  3.9   clauses (1) to (6), the day after compliance with Minnesota 
  3.10  Statutes, section 645.021, subdivision 3, by the St. Louis 
  3.11  county board.