Okla. Stat. tit. 82, § 82-667

district.

Additional territory may be annexed to a master conservancy

district in the following manner:

(a) A petition praying for such annexation signed by fifty or a

majority of the qualified voters residing in the territory and who

own taxable property therein, and who duly rendered the same for

taxes to the county or counties, (if not situated within a city or

Oklahoma Statutes - Title 82. Waters and Water Rights Page 124

town), shall be filed with the board of directors of the master

conservancy district. The petition shall describe the territory by

metes and bounds or by other appropriate description, unless such

territory is the same as that of a city or town, in which event it

shall be sufficient to state that the territory to be annexed is the

same as that which is contained within such city or town.

(b) If the board of directors finds that the petition is signed

by the required number of qualified persons and otherwise complies

with the foregoing subsection, that the annexation would be to the

interest of the territory and the master conservancy district, and

that the master conservancy district will be able to render service

to the territory, it shall, provided a majority of all the board

members vote in favor thereof, adopt a resolution stating the

conditions, if any, under which such territory may be annexed to the

master conservancy district, and declaring its intention to call an

election in the territory for the purpose of submitting the

proposition of whether or not such territory shall be annexed to the

master conservancy district, and fixing a time and place when and

where a hearing shall be held on the question of whether the

territory will be benefited by the improvements, works and

facilities then owned and operated by the master conservancy

district. Railroad right-of-way, transmission lines and other

property of telephone and telegraph and electric and gas utilities

which are not situated within the defined limits of an incorporated

city or town that will not be benefited by improvements, works and

facilities which the master conservancy district is authorized to

construct; therefore, no railroad right-of-way, or transmission

lines, or other property of electric and gas utilities or right-of-

way or other property and facilities of telephone and telegraph

utilities shall thereafter be annexed to the master conservancy

district except such right-of-way, transmission lines and other

property of electric and gas utilities as are contained within the

limits of an incorporated city or town then or thereafter annexed to

the master conservancy district.

(c) Notice of the adoption of such resolution stating the time

and place of such hearing, addressed to the citizens and owners of

property in such territory shall be published once each week for

three (3) consecutive weeks in a newspaper designated by the board

of directors and having a general circulation in the territory, the

last publication to be at least ten (10) days prior to the date of

such hearing. The notice shall describe the territory in the same

manner as hereinabove required or permitted for the petition. If no

newspaper is published in the territory to be annexed, it shall be

sufficient if notices are posted at five public places therein and

published as aforesaid in a newspaper having general circulation in

the territory. The secretary shall also mail notice of such hearing

Oklahoma Statutes - Title 82. Waters and Water Rights Page 125

addressed to the Mayor and governing body of each constituent city

at least thirty (30) days prior to the hearing.
, it shall be

sufficient if notices are posted at five public places therein and

published as aforesaid in a newspaper having general circulation in

the territory. The secretary shall also mail notice of such hearing

Oklahoma Statutes - Title 82. Waters and Water Rights Page 125

addressed to the Mayor and governing body of each constituent city

at least thirty (30) days prior to the hearing.

(d) All interested persons who reside in the master conservancy

district or in the territory seeking annexation may appear at such

hearing and offer evidence for or against the intended annexation.

Such hearing shall proceed in such order and under such rules as may

be prescribed by the board of directors, and the hearing may be

recessed from time to time. If at the conclusion of the hearing,

the board of directors finds that all or a part of the lands in such

territory will be benefited by the present or contemplated

improvements, works or facilities of the master conservancy

district, it shall adopt a resolution calling an election in the

territory to be annexed, stating therein the date of the election,

the place or places of holding the same and appointing a presiding

judge for each voting place, who shall appoint the necessary

assistant judges and clerks to assist in holding the election.

(e) Notice of said election, stating the date thereof, the

proposition to be voted upon and the conditions under which the

territory may be annexed, or making reference to the resolution of

the board of directors for that purpose, and the place or places for

holding the same, shall be published once each week for three (3)

consecutive weeks in a newspaper published in the territory to be

annexed and designated by the board of directors, the last

publication to be at least ten (10) days before the day set for the

election. If no newspaper is published in the territory to be

annexed, it shall be sufficient if notices are posted at five public

places therein and published as aforesaid in a newspaper having

general circulation in the territory.

(f) Only qualified electors who reside in such territory, who

own taxable property therein, and who have duly rendered the same

for taxes to the county or counties, in which it is situated (if not

situated within a city or town), shall be qualified to vote in said

election. Returns of said election shall be made to the board of

directors.

(g) The board of directors shall canvass the returns of the

election and adopt a resolution declaring the results thereof. If

such resolution shows that a majority of the votes cast are in favor

of annexation to the master conservancy district, such annexation

shall thereafter be incontestable except in the manner and within

the time for contesting elections under the general election laws. A

certified copy of said order shall be recorded in the deed records

of the county and/or counties in which a territory is situated.

(h) In calling an election on the proposition for annexation of

territory, the board of directors may include as a part of the same

proposition the assumption of its part of any obligations of the

master conservancy district then outstanding and in force, and, in

the case of bonds, those theretofore voted but not yet sold, and for

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the levy of ad valorem taxes on taxable property in said territory

on the same basis as taxes are levied in the remainder of the master

conservancy district for the payment of such tax obligations. If

the proposition thus submitted carries by a majority vote, the

effect thereof shall be the same as that resulting from the separate

assumption election provided for in the next succeeding subparagraph

(i).
ad valorem taxes on taxable property in said territory

on the same basis as taxes are levied in the remainder of the master

conservancy district for the payment of such tax obligations. If

the proposition thus submitted carries by a majority vote, the

effect thereof shall be the same as that resulting from the separate

assumption election provided for in the next succeeding subparagraph

(i).

(i) After territory is added to the master conservancy district,

the board of directors of the master conservancy district shall call

an election over the entire master conservancy district for the

purpose of determining whether the entire master conservancy

district as enlarged shall assume the taxes and obligations then

outstanding and in force, and, in the case of bonds, those

theretofore voted but not yet sold, and whether ad valorem taxes

shall be levied, on the basis of benefits, upon all taxable property

within the master conservancy district as enlarged for the payment

thereof, unless such proposition is favorably voted along with the

annexation election and becomes lawfully binding upon the territory

annexed. Notice of the elections provided for in this and the next

preceding subparagraph (h) shall be given and said election shall be

held in the same manner as elections for the issuance of bonds as

provided in the Conservancy Act of Oklahoma.