Section 245.197

Title XV LANDS, LEVEES, DRAINAGE, SEWERS AND PUBLIC WATER SUPPLY

Chapter 245

Effective - 28 Aug 2008   

  245.197.  Readjustment of benefits, when — levy of new tax for carrying out supplemental plan — notice, how given — form of notice — lists, where filed. — 1.  Whenever the board of supervisors of any district now existing or hereafter organized pursuant to sections 245.010 to 245.280, for and in behalf of the district, or the owners of twenty-five percent or more of the acreage of the lands in the district, shall file a petition with the circuit clerk in whose office the articles of association were filed stating that there has been a material change in the values of all or some of the property in the district since the last previous assessment of benefits or readjustment of the assessment of benefits, and praying for a readjustment of the assessment of benefits of the property identified in the petition for the purpose of making a more equitable basis for the levy of the maintenance tax or for the purpose of levying a new tax to pay the costs of the completion of the proposed works and improvements as shown in the supplemental plan for reclamation adopted by the board of supervisors pursuant to section 245.105, or for both of the aforesaid purposes, the court wherein the petition is filed, if in session, or the clerk thereof in vacation, shall fix a date for the hearing of the petition which date shall not be less than forty-five nor more than sixty days from the date of the filing of the petition.

  2.  The circuit clerk shall give notice to all persons interested in the lands and property identified in the petition of the filing and hearing of the petition in the manner and for the time provided for in section 245.020.  Such notice may be in the following form:

To All Persons Interested in the Following Described
(insert description of lands and property)
Lands and Property Included Within ______ District:
You are hereby notified that a petition has been filed in the office of the clerk of the circuit court of ______ County, Missouri, praying for a readjustment of the assessment of benefits for the purpose(s) of ______ ______ ______ ______ ______ and that the petition will be heard by the circuit court on the ______ day of ______, 20______.
	__________________
	Clerk of the Circuit Court of
	______ County, Missouri.

  3.  Upon the hearing of the petition, if the court finds that there has been a material change in the values of the property in the district identified in the petition since the last previous assessment of benefits, the court shall order that there be made a readjustment of the assessment of benefits for the lands identified in the petition for the purpose of providing a basis upon which to levy the maintenance tax of the district or for the purpose of levying a new tax to pay the costs of the completion of the proposed works and improvements as shown in the supplemental plan for reclamation adopted by the board of supervisors pursuant to section 245.105, or for both of the aforesaid purposes.

  4.  Thereupon the court shall appoint three commissioners possessing the qualifications of commissioners appointed under section 245.110 to make such readjustment of assessments in the manner provided in section 245.120 with respect to those lands identified in the petition.  The commissioners shall make their report, and the same proceedings shall be had thereon, as nearly as may be, as are provided in sections 245.010 to 245.280, for the assessment of benefits accruing from the original construction.  In making the readjustment of the assessment of benefits, the commissioners shall not be limited to the aggregate amount of the original or any readjustment of the assessment of benefits, and may assess the amount of benefits that will accrue from carrying out and putting into effect the supplemental plan for reclamation adopted by the board of supervisors pursuant to section 245.105.  After the making of the readjustment, the limitation of ten percent of the benefits assessed for the annual maintenance tax which may be levied shall apply to the amount of benefits as readjusted, and the limitation of the tax which may be levied for payment of the costs of the completion of the proposed works and improvements as shown in the aforesaid supplemental plan for reclamation shall apply to the amount of the benefits readjusted.

  5.  There shall be no such readjustment of benefits more often than once in a year.  The lists of land and other property, with the readjusted assessed benefits and the decree and judgment of the court, shall be filed in the office of the county recorder as provided in section 245.130.

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(L. 1955 p. 602 § 1, A.L. 1977 S.B. 3, A.L. 1985 H.B. 378, A.L. 2008 S.B. 939)