SB0499enr 98TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SB0499 Enrolled LRB098 04744 OMW 34772 b

AN ACT concerning local government.

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly:

Section 5. The Tri-City Regional Port District Act is amended by changing the title of the Act and Sections 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7.5, 8, 13, 15, 15.5, 16, 18, 19, 25, 33, and 34 as follows:

(70 ILCS 1860/Act title)

An Act to create the America's Central Tri-City Regional Port District (formerly known as the "Tri-City Regional Port District Act") and to define its powers and duties.

(70 ILCS 1860/1) (from Ch. 19, par. 284)

Sec. 1. This Act shall be known and may be cited as the "America's Central Tri-City Regional Port District Act."

(Source: Laws 1959, p. 71.)

(70 ILCS 1860/2) (from Ch. 19, par. 285)

Sec. 2. When used in this Act:

"District" or "Port District" means America's Central the Tri-City Regional Port District created by this Act.

"Terminal" means a public place, station or depot for receiving and delivering baggage, mail, freight or express matter and for any combination of such purposes, in connection with the transportation of persons and property on water or land or in the air.

"Terminal facilities" means all land, buildings, structures, improvements, equipment and appliances useful in the operation of public warehouse, storage and transportation facilities and industrial, manufacturing, processing and conversion activities for the accommodation of or in connection with commerce by water or land or in the air or useful as an aid to further the public interest, or constituting an advantage or convenience to, the safe landing, taking off and navigation of aircraft, or the safe and efficient operation or maintenance of a public airport; except that nothing in this definition contained shall be interpreted as granting authority to the District to acquire, purchase, create, erect or construct a bridge across any waterway which serves as a boundary between the State of Illinois and any other state.

"Port facilities" means all public structures, except terminal facilities as defined herein, that are in, over, under or adjacent to navigable waters and are necessary for or incident to the furtherance of water commerce and includes the widening and deepening of slips, harbors and navigable waters.

"Aircraft" means any contrivance now known or hereafter invented, used or designed for navigation of, or flight in, the air.

"Airport" means any locality, either land or water, which is used or designed for the landing and taking off of aircraft, or for the location of runways, landing fields, airdromes, hangars, buildings, structures, airport roadways and other facilities.

"Airport hazard" means any structure, or object of natural growth, located on or in the vicinity of an airport, or any use of land near an airport which is hazardous to the use of such airport for the landing and take-off of aircraft.

"Approach" means any path, course or zone defined by an ordinance of the District or by other lawful regulation, on the ground or in the air, or both, for the use of aircraft in landing and taking off from an airport located within the District.

"Commercial aircraft" means any aircraft other than public aircraft engaged in the business of transporting persons or property.

"Private aircraft" means any aircraft other than public and commercial aircraft.

"Public aircraft" means an aircraft used exclusively in the governmental service of the United States, or of any state or of any public agency, including military and naval aircraft.

"Public airport" means an airport owned by a Port District, an airport authority or other public agency which is used or is intended for use by public, commercial and private aircraft and by persons owning, managing, operating or desiring to use, inspect or repair any such aircraft or to use any such airport for aeronautical purposes.

"Public incinerator" means a facility for the disposal of waste by incineration by any means or method for public use, including, but not limited to, incineration and disposal of industrial wastes.

"Public interest" means the protection, furtherance and advancement of the general welfare and of public health and safety and public necessity and convenience.

"Navigable waters" means any public waters which are or can be made usable for water commerce.

"Governmental agency" means the Federal, State and any local governmental body, and any agency or instrumentality, corporate or otherwise, thereof.

"Person" means any individual, firm, partnership, corporation, both domestic and foreign, company, association or joint stock association; and includes any trustee, receiver, assignee or personal representative thereof.

"General obligation bond" means any bond issued by the District any part of the principal or interest of which bond is to be paid by taxation.

"Revenue bond" means any bond issued by the District the principal and interest of which bond is payable solely from revenues or income derived from terminal, terminal facilities or port facilities of the District.

"Board" means the America's Central Tri-City Port District Board.

"Governor" means the Governor of the State of Illinois.

"Mayor" means the Mayor of the city of Venice, the Mayor of the city of Madison or the Mayor of the city of Granite City, as the case may require.

(Source: P.A. 92-643, eff. 1-1-03.)

(70 ILCS 1860/3) (from Ch. 19, par. 286)

Sec. 3. There is created a political subdivision, body politic, and municipal corporation by the name of America's Central the Tri-City Regional Port District embracing the following territory in Madison and Jersey Counties County: all the territory included within the townships of Granite City, Venice, and Nameoki, Chouteau, Wood River, Alton, Godfrey, Elsah, and Quarry ; and that part of the township of Chouteau which lies south of the Cahokia diversion canal; and all of Chouteau and Gaboret Islands. Territory may be annexed to the District in the manner hereinafter provided in this Act. The District may sue and be sued in its corporate name but execution shall not in any case issue against any property of the District. It may adopt a common seal and change the same at its pleasure.

(Source: Laws 1959, p. 71.)

(70 ILCS 1860/4) (from Ch. 19, par. 287)

Sec. 4. The Port District has the following rights and powers:

1. To issue permits: for the construction of all wharves, piers, dolphins, booms, weirs, breakwaters, bulkheads, jetties, bridges or other structures of any kind, over, under, in, or within 40 feet of any navigable waters within the Port District; for the deposit of rock, earth, sand or other material, or any matter of any kind or description in such waters; except that nothing contained in this paragraph 1 shall be construed so that it will be deemed necessary to obtain a permit from the District for the erection, operation or maintenance of any bridge crossing a waterway which serves as a boundary between the State of Illinois and any other State, when such erection, operation or maintenance is performed by any city within the District;

2. To prevent or remove obstructions in navigable waters, including the removal of wrecks;

3. To locate and establish dock lines and shore or harbor lines;

4. To regulate the anchorage, moorage and speed of water borne vessels and to establish and enforce regulations for the operation of bridges, except nothing contained in this paragraph 4 shall be construed to give the District authority to regulate the operation of any bridge crossing a waterway which serves as a boundary between the State of Illinois and any other State, when such operation is performed or to be performed by any city within the District;

5. To acquire, own, construct, lease for any period not exceeding 99 years, operate and maintain terminals, terminal facilities and port facilities, to fix and collect just, reasonable, and nondiscriminatory charges for the use of such facilities, and, except as provided herein for short term financing, to use the charges so collected to defray the reasonable expenses of the Port District and to pay the principal of and interest on any revenue bonds issued by the District;

6. To acquire, erect, construct, reconstruct, improve, maintain, operate and lease in whole or part for any period not exceeding 99 years, central office or administrative facilities for use by the Port District, any tenant, occupant or user of the District facilities, or anyone engaged in commerce in the District.

7. To sell, assign, pledge or hypothecate in whole or in part any contract, lease, income, charges, tolls, rentals or fees of the District to provide short term interim financing pending the issuance of revenue bonds by the District, provided that when such revenue bonds are issued, such contracts, leases, income, charges, tolls, rentals or fees shall be used to defray the reasonable expenses of the Port District and pay the principal of and income on any revenue bonds issued by the District;

8. To acquire, own, construct, lease for any period not exceeding 99 years, operate, develop and maintain Port District water and sewerage systems including but not limited to pipes, mains, lines, sewers, pumping stations, settling tanks, treatment plants, water purification equipment, wells, storage facilities and all other equipment, material and facilities necessary to such systems, for the use upon payment of a reasonable fee as set by the District, of any tenant, occupant or user of the District facilities, or anyone engaged in commerce in the District, provided that the District shall not acquire, own, construct, lease, operate, develop and maintain such water and sewerage systems if such services can be provided by a public utility or municipal corporation upon request of the District, and provided further that if the District develops its own water and sewerage systems such systems may be sold or disposed of at anytime to any public utility or municipal corporation which will continue to service the Port District.

9. To create, establish, maintain and operate a public incinerator for waste disposal by incineration by any means or method, for use by municipalities for the disposal of municipal wastes and by industries for the disposal of industrial waste; and to lease land and said incineration facilities for the operation of an incinerator for a term not exceeding 99 years and to fix and collect just, reasonable and non-discriminatory charges for the use of such incinerating facilities, and to use the charges or lease proceeds to defray the reasonable expenses of the Port District, and to pay the principal of and interest on any revenue bonds issued by the Port District.

10. To locate, establish and maintain a public airport, public airports and public airport facilities within its corporate limits or within or upon any body of water adjacent thereto, and to construct, develop, expand, extend and improve any such airport or airport facilities;

11. To operate, maintain, manage, lease or sublease for any period not exceeding 99 years, and to make and enter into contracts for the use, operation or management of, and to provide rules and regulations for, the operation, management or use of, any public airport or public airport facility;

12. To fix, charge and collect reasonable rentals, tolls, fees, and charges for the use of any public airport, or any part thereof, or any public airport facility;

13. To establish, maintain, extend and improve roadways and approaches by land, water or air to any such airport and to contract or otherwise provide, by condemnation if necessary, for the removal of any airport hazard or the removal or relocation of all private structures, railways, mains, pipes, conduits, wires, poles, and all other facilities and equipment which may interfere with the location, expansion, development, or improvement of airports or with the safe approach thereto or take-off therefrom by aircraft, and to pay the cost of removal or relocation; and, subject to the "Airport Zoning Act", approved July 17, 1945, as amended, to adopt, administer and enforce airport zoning regulations for territory which is within its corporate limits or which extends not more than 2 miles beyond its corporate limits;

14. To restrict the height of any object of natural growth or structure or structures within the vicinity of any airport or within the lines of an approach to any airport and, when necessary, for the reduction in the height of any such existing object or structure, to enter into an agreement for such reduction or to accomplish same by condemnation;

15. To agree with the state or federal governments or with any public agency in respect to the removal and relocation of any object of natural growth, airport hazard or any structure or building within the vicinity of any airport or within an approach and which is owned or within the control of such government or agency and to pay all or an agreed portion of the cost of such removal or relocation;

16. For the prevention of accidents, for the furtherance and protection of public health, safety and convenience in respect to aeronautics, for the protection of property and persons within the District from any hazard or nuisance resulting from the flight of aircraft, for the prevention of interference between, or collision of, aircraft while in flight or upon the ground, for the prevention or abatement of nuisances in the air or upon the ground or for the extension or increase in the usefulness or safety of any public airport or public airport facility owned by the District, the District may regulate and restrict the flight of aircraft while within or above the incorporated territory of the District;

17. To police its physical property only and all waterways and to exercise police powers in respect thereto or in respect to the enforcement of any rule or regulation provided by the ordinances of the District and to employ and commission police officers and other qualified persons to enforce the same. The use of any such public airport or public airport facility of the District shall be subject to the reasonable regulation and control of the District and upon such reasonable terms and conditions as shall be established by its Board. A regulatory ordinance of the District adopted under any provision of this Section may provide for a suspension or revocation of any rights or privileges within the control of the District for a violation of any such regulatory ordinance. Nothing in this Section or in other provisions of this Act shall be construed to authorize such Board to establish or enforce any regulation or rule in respect to aviation, or the operation or maintenance of any airport facility within its jurisdiction, which is in conflict with any federal or state law or regulation applicable to the same subject matter;

18. To enter into agreements with the corporate authorities or governing body of any other municipal corporation or any political subdivision of this State to pay the reasonable expense of services furnished by such municipal corporation or political subdivision for or on account of income producing properties of the District;

19. To enter into contracts dealing in any manner with the objects and purposes of this Act;

20. To acquire, own, lease, sell or otherwise dispose of interests in and to real property and improvements situate thereon and in personal property necessary to fulfill the purposes of the District;

21. To designate the fiscal year for the District;

22. To engage in any activity or operation which is incidental to and in furtherance of efficient operation to accomplish the District's primary purpose;

23. To apply to proper authorities of the United States of America pursuant to appropriate appropriated Federal Law for the right to establish, operate, maintain and lease foreign trade zones and sub-zones within the limits of America's Central the Tri-City Regional Port District, or its limits as approved by the United States Foreign-Trade Zones Board, or within the jurisdiction of the United States Customs Service Office of the St. Louis Port of Entry and to establish, operate, maintain and lease such foreign trade zones and the sub-zones;

24. To operate, maintain, manage, lease, or sublease for any period not exceeding 99 years any former military base owned or leased by the District and within its jurisdictional boundaries, to make and enter into any contract for the use, operation, or management of any former military base owned or leased by the District and located within its jurisdictional boundaries, and to provide rules and regulations for the development, redevelopment, and expansion of any former military base owned or leased by the District and located within its jurisdictional boundaries;

25. To locate, establish, re-establish, expand or renew, construct or reconstruct, operate, and maintain any facility, building, structure, or improvement for a use or a purpose consistent with any use or purpose of any former military base owned or leased by the District and located within its jurisdictional boundaries;

26. To acquire, own, sell, convey, construct, lease for any period not exceeding 99 years, manage, operate, expand, develop, and maintain any telephone system, including, but not limited to, all equipment, materials, and facilities necessary or incidental to that telephone system, for use, at the option of the District and upon payment of a reasonable fee set by the District, of any tenant or occupant situated on any former military base owned or leased by the District and located within its jurisdictional boundaries;

27. To cause to be incorporated one or more subsidiary business corporations, wholly owned by the District, to own, operate, maintain, and manage facilities and services related to any telephone system, pursuant to paragraph 26. A subsidiary corporation formed pursuant to this paragraph shall (i) be deemed a telecommunications carrier, as that term is defined in Section 13-202 of the Public Utilities Act, (ii) have the right to apply to the Illinois Commerce Commission for a Certificate of Service Authority or a Certificate of Interexchange Service Authority, and (iii) have the powers necessary to carry out lawful orders of the Illinois Commerce Commission;

28. To improve, develop, or redevelop any former military base situated within the boundaries of the District, in Madison County, Illinois, and acquired by the District from the federal government, acting by and through the United States Maritime Administration, pursuant to any plan for redevelopment, development, or improvement of that military base by the District that is approved by the United States Maritime Administration under the terms and conditions of conveyance of the former military base to the District by the federal government; .

29. To acquire, erect, construct, maintain and operate aquariums, museums, planetariums, climatrons and other edifices for the collection and display of objects pertaining to natural history or the arts and sciences, or sports facilities and to permit the directors or trustees of any corporation or society organized for the erection, construction, maintenance and operation of an aquarium, museum, planetarium, climatrons, sports facilities or other such edifice to perform such erection, construction, maintenance and operation on or within any property now or hereafter owned by or under the control or supervision of the District; and to contract with any such directors or trustees relative to such acquisition, erection, construction, maintenance and operation and to authorize such directors or trustees to charge an admission fee, the proceeds of which shall be devoted exclusively to such erection, construction, maintenance and operation;

30. To acquire, erect, construct, reconstruct, improve, maintain and operate one or more, or a combination or combinations of, industrial buildings, office buildings, residential buildings, buildings to be used as a factory, mill shops, processing plants, packaging plants, assembly plants, fabricating plants, and buildings to be used as warehouses and other storage facilities;

31. To cause to be incorporated one or more subsidiary business corporations to own, operate, maintain, and manage facilities and services related to any terminal, terminal facilities, airfields, airports, port facilities, or real property of the District, whether as shareholder, partner, or co-venturer, alone or in cooperation with federal, state, or local governmental authorities or any other public or private corporation or person or persons. Such subsidiary business corporations and all of the property thereof, wholly or partly owned, directly or indirectly, by the District, shall have the same privileges and immunities as accorded to the District; and subsidiary business corporations may borrow money or obtain financial assistance from private lenders or federal and state governmental authorities or issue revenue bonds with the same kinds of security, and in accordance with the same procedures, restrictions and privileges applicable when the District obtains financial assistance or issues bonds for any of its other authorized purposes.

(Source: P.A. 93-874, eff. 8-6-04.)

(70 ILCS 1860/6) (from Ch. 19, par. 289)

Sec. 6. The District has power to apply for and accept grants, loans, or appropriations from the federal government, the State of Illinois, and Madison or Jersey Counties County, or any agency or instrumentality thereof to be used for any of the purposes of the District and to enter into any agreements with the federal, State, and county governments in relation to such grants, loans or appropriations.

The District may petition any federal, state, municipal, or local authority, administrative, judicial and legislative, having jurisdiction in the premises, for the adoption and execution of any physical improvement, change in method or system of handling freight, warehousing, docking, lightering, and transfer of freight, which in the opinion of the District is designed to improve or better the handling of commerce in and through the Port District or improve terminal or transportation facilities therein.

(Source: P.A. 92-643, eff. 1-1-03.)

(70 ILCS 1860/7.5)

Sec. 7.5. Authorization to borrow moneys. The District's Board may borrow money from any bank or other financial institution and may provide appropriate security for that borrowing, if the money is repaid within 20 3 years after the money is borrowed. "Financial institution" means any bank subject to the Illinois Banking Act, any savings and loan association subject to the Illinois Savings and Loan Act of 1985, any savings bank subject to the Savings Bank Act, and any federally chartered commercial bank or savings and loan association organized and operated in this State pursuant to the laws of the United States.

(Source: P.A. 94-562, eff. 1-1-06.)

(70 ILCS 1860/8) (from Ch. 19, par. 291)

Sec. 8. The District has the continuing power to borrow money and issue either general obligation bonds, after approval by referendum as hereinafter provided, or revenue bonds without referendum approval for the purpose of acquiring, constructing, reconstructing, extending or improving terminals, terminal facilities, airfields, airports and port facilities, and for acquiring any property and equipment useful for the construction, reconstruction, extension, improvement or operation of its terminals, terminal facilities, airfields, airports and port facilities, and for acquiring necessary working cash funds.

The District may, pursuant to ordinance adopted by the Board and without submitting the question to referendum, from time to time issue and dispose of its interest bearing revenue bonds and may also in the same manner from time to time issue and dispose of its interest bearing revenue bonds to refund any revenue bonds at maturity or pursuant to redemption provisions or at any time before maturity with the consent of the holders thereof.

If the Board desires to issue general obligation bonds it shall adopt an ordinance specifying the amount of bonds to be issued, the purpose for which they will be issued, the maximum rate of interest they will bear which shall not be greater than that permitted in "An Act to authorize public corporations to issue bonds, other evidences of indebtedness and tax anticipation warrants subject to interest rate limitations set forth therein", approved May 26, 1970, as now or hereafter amended. Such interest may be paid semiannually. The ordinance shall also specify the date of maturity which shall not be more than 20 years after the date of issuance, and levying a tax that will be required to amortize such bonds. This ordinance is not effective until it has been submitted to referendum of, and approved by, the legal voters of the District. The Board shall certify the ordinance and the question to the proper election officials, who shall submit the question to the voters at an election in accordance with the general election law. If a majority of the vote is in favor of the issuance of the general obligation bonds the county clerk shall annually extend taxes against all taxable property within the District at a rate sufficient to pay the maturing principal and interest of these bonds.

The question shall be in substantially the following form:

-------------------------------------------------------------

Shall general obligation bonds

in the amount of $.... be issued YES

by America's Central

the Tri-City Regional Port

District for the purpose of .... -------------

maturing in not more than .....

years, bearing not more than ....% NO

interest, and a tax levied to pay

the principal and interest thereof?

-------------------------------------------------------------

(Source: P.A. 82-902.)

(70 ILCS 1860/13) (from Ch. 19, par. 296)

Sec. 13. The Board may, after referendum approval, levy a tax for corporate purposes of the District annually at the rate approved by referendum, but which rate shall not exceed .05% of the value of all taxable property within the Port District as equalized or assessed by the Department of Revenue.

If the Board desires to levy such a tax it shall order that the question be submitted at a referendum to be held within the District. The Board shall certify the order and the question to the proper election officials, who shall submit the question to the voters at an election in accordance with the general election law. The Board shall cause the result of the election to be entered upon the records of the Port District. If a majority of the vote is in favor of the proposition, the Board may thereafter levy a tax for corporate purposes at a rate not to exceed that approved by referendum but in no event to exceed .05% of the value of all taxable property within the District as equalized or assessed by the Department of Revenue.

The question shall be in substantially the following form:

-------------------------------------------------------------

Shall America's Central

the Tri-City Regional

Port District levy a tax for YES

corporate purposes annually at

a rate not to exceed ....% of --------------------

the value of taxable property

as equalized or assessed by the NO

Department of Revenue?

-------------------------------------------------------------

(Source: P.A. 81-1489; 81-1509.)

(70 ILCS 1860/15) (from Ch. 19, par. 298)

Sec. 15. The governing and administrative body of the Port District shall be a Board of Commissioners consisting of 9 7 members, to be known as the America's Central Tri-City Regional Port District Board. All members of the Board shall be residents of the District and shall be known as Commissioners of the America's Central Tri-City Regional Port District Board. The members of the Board shall serve without compensation but shall be reimbursed for actual expenses incurred by them in the performance of their duties. However, any Commissioner of the Board who is appointed to the office of secretary or treasurer may receive compensation for his services as such officer. No Commissioner of the Board or employee of the District shall have any private financial interest, profit or benefit in any contract, work or business of the District nor in the sale or lease of any property to or from the District, except to the extent allowed under "An Act to prevent fraudulent and corrupt practices in the making or accepting of official appointments and contracts by public officers", approved April 9, 1872, as now or hereafter amended.

(Source: P.A. 86-681.)

(70 ILCS 1860/15.5)

Sec. 15.5. A mayor may hold the office of Commissioner of America's Central the Tri-City Regional Port District simultaneously with the office of mayor. Notwithstanding any statute to the contrary, a mayor's acceptance of an appointment as a Commissioner of America's Central the Tri-City Regional Port District does not terminate or impair the mayor's public office.

(Source: P.A. 92-643, eff. 1-1-03.)

(70 ILCS 1860/16) (from Ch. 19, par. 299)

Sec. 16. The Governor shall appoint 6 members of the Board and the Mayor of the cities of Venice, Madison and Granite City shall each appoint one member of the Board, for a total of 9 Board members. Within 60 days after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 98th General Assembly, the Governor shall appoint 2 members residing in the area north of the Cahokia Diversion Canal to represent that area, with one member appointed for an initial term expiring May 31, 2016 and one member appointed for an initial term expiring May 31, 2017. The number of Board members appointed by the Governor from the area north of the Cahokia Diversion Canal shall remain at 2 members until such time that the gross operating revenues from the area north of the Cahokia Diversion Canal exceeds 33% of the Port District's total gross operating revenue, as certified by the Port District's certified public accountant. When the gross operating revenue exceeds this amount, the Governor shall, upon the expiration of their term, replace a Board member who resides in the area south of the Cahokia Diversion Canal with an appointee that resides to the north of the Cahokia Diversion Canal, for a total of 3 members who reside in the area north of the Cahokia Diversion Canal. When the gross operating revenue exceeds 45% of the Port District's total gross operating revenue, as certified by the Port District's certified public accountant, the Governor shall replace a Board member who resides in the area south of the Cahokia Diversion Canal, upon the expiration of their term, with an appointee that resides to the north of the Cahokia Diversion Canal, for a total of 4 members who reside in the area north of the Cahokia Diversion Canal. In no case shall there be more than 2 members appointed by the Governor from the area to the south or to the north of the Cahokia Diversion Canal whose terms expire in the same year. At the expiration of the term of any member, the member's successor shall be appointed by the Governor or the respective Mayor in the same manner as the original appointment. No more than 4 members may reside in the area north of the Cahokia Diversion Canal. The Governor shall appoint 4 members of the Board and each Mayor of the cities of Venice, Madison and Granite City shall appoint one member of the Board. All initial appointments shall be made within 60 days after this Act takes effect. Of the 4 members initially appointed by the Governor 2 shall be appointed for initial terms expiring June 1, 1960, one for an initial term expiring June 1, 1961 and one for an initial term expiring June 1, 1962. The terms of the members initially appointed by the respective Mayors shall expire June 1, 1962. At the expiration of the term of any member, his successor shall be appointed by the Governor or the respective Mayors in like manner and with like regard to place of residence of the appointee, as in the case of appointments for the initial terms.

After the expiration of initial terms, each successor shall hold office for the term of 3 years from the first day of June of the year in which the term of office commences. In the case of a vacancy during the term of office of any member appointed by the Governor, the Governor shall make an appointment for the remainder of the term vacant and until a successor is appointed and qualified. In case of a vacancy during the term of office of any member appointed by a Mayor, the proper Mayor shall make an appointment for the remainder of the term vacant and until a successor is appointed and qualified. The Governor and each Mayor shall certify their respective appointments to the Secretary of State. Within 30 days after certification of his appointment, and before entering upon the duties of his office, each member of the Board shall take and subscribe the constitutional oath of office and file it in the office of the Secretary of State.

(Source: Laws 1959, p. 71.)

(70 ILCS 1860/18) (from Ch. 19, par. 301)

Sec. 18. As soon as possible after the appointment of the initial members, the Board shall organize for the transaction of business, select a chairman and a temporary secretary from its own number, and adopt bylaws and regulations to govern its proceedings. The initial chairman and successors shall be elected by the Board from time to time for a term of office as provided in the District bylaws. However, such term of office shall not exceed his term of office as a member of the Board.

(Source: Laws 1965, p. 393.)

(70 ILCS 1860/19) (from Ch. 19, par. 302)

Sec. 19. Regular meetings of the Board shall be held at least once in each calendar month, the time and place of such meetings to be fixed by the Board. Five Four members of the Board shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business. All action of the Board shall be by ordinance or resolution and the affirmative vote of at least 5 4 members shall be necessary for the adoption of any ordinance or resolution. All such ordinances and resolutions before taking effect shall be approved by the chairman of the Board, and if he approves thereof he shall sign the same, and such as he does not approve he shall return to the Board with his objections thereto in writing at the next regular meeting of the Board occurring after the passage thereof. But in the case the chairman fails to return any ordinance or resolution with his objections thereto by the time aforesaid, he shall be deemed to have approved the same and it shall take effect accordingly. Upon the return of any ordinance or resolution by the chairman with his objections, the vote by which the same was passed shall be reconsidered by the Board, and if upon such reconsideration said ordinance or resolution is passed by the affirmative vote of at least 6 5 members, it shall go into effect notwithstanding the veto of the chairman. All ordinances, resolutions and all proceedings of the District and all documents and records in its possession shall be public records, and open to public inspection, except such documents and records as are kept or prepared by the Board for use in negotiations, legal actions or proceedings to which the District is a party.

(Source: Laws 1959, p. 71.)

(70 ILCS 1860/25) (from Ch. 19, par. 308)

Sec. 25. Within 60 days after the end of each fiscal year, the Board shall cause to be prepared and printed a complete and detailed report and financial statement of the operations and assets and liabilities of the Port District. A reasonably sufficient number of copies of such report shall be printed for distribution to persons interested, upon request, and a copy thereof shall be filed with the Governor and the county clerks clerk and the presiding officers officer of the county boards board of Madison and Jersey Counties County. A copy of such report shall be addressed to and mailed to the Mayor and city council or president and board of trustees of each municipality within the area of the District.

(Source: Laws 1959, p. 71.)

(70 ILCS 1860/33) (from Ch. 19, par. 316)

Sec. 33. At least 5% of the legal voters resident within the limits of such proposed addition to the District shall petition the circuit court for the county in which the major part of the District is situated, to cause the question to be submitted to the legal voters of such proposed additional territory, whether such proposed additional territory shall become a part of the District and assume a proportionate share of the general obligation bonded indebtedness, if any, of the District. Such petition shall be addressed to the court and shall contain a definite description of the boundaries of the territory to be embraced in the proposed addition.

Upon filing any such petition with the clerk of the court, the court shall fix a time and place for a hearing upon the subject of the petition.

Notice shall be given by the court to whom the petition is addressed, or by the circuit clerk or sheriff of the county in which such petition is made at the order and direction of the court, of the time and place of the hearing upon the subject of the petition at least 20 days prior thereto by at least one publication thereof in any newspaper having general circulation within the area proposed to be annexed, and by mailing a copy of such notice to the mayor or president of the board of trustees of all cities, villages and incorporated towns within the District.

At the hearing all persons residing in or owning property situated in the area proposed to be annexed to the District may appear and be heard touching upon the sufficiency of the petition. If the court finds that the petition does not comply with the requirements of the law, the court shall dismiss the petition; but if the court finds that the petition is sufficient the court shall enter an appropriate order and the clerk of the circuit court shall certify the order and the proposition to the proper election officials, who shall submit the proposition to the voters at an election in accordance with the general election law. In addition to the requirements of the general election law the notice of the referendum shall specify the purpose of such referendum with a description of the area proposed to be annexed to the District.

The proposition shall be in substantially the following form:

-------------------------------------------------------------

For joining America's Central

the Tri-City Regional Port

District and assuming a proportionate

share of general obligation bonded

indebtedness, if any.

-------------------------------------------------------------

Against joining America's Central

the Tri-City Regional

Port District and assuming a proportionate

share of general obligation bonded

indebtedness, if any.

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The court shall cause a statement of the result of such election to be filed in the records of the court.

If a majority of the votes cast upon the question of annexation to the District are in favor of becoming a part of such District, the court shall then enter an order stating that such additional territory shall thenceforth be an integral part of the America's Central Tri-City Regional Port District and subject to all of the benefits of service and responsibilities of the District. The circuit clerk shall transmit a certified copy of the order to the circuit clerk of any other county in which any of the territory affected is situated.

(Source: P.A. 83-343.)

(70 ILCS 1860/34) (from Ch. 19, par. 317)

Sec. 34. If there is territory contiguous to the District which has no legal voters residing therein, a petition to annex such territory, signed by all the owners of record of such territory may be filed with the circuit court for the county in which the major part of the District is situated. A time and place for a hearing on the subject of the petition shall be fixed and notice thereof shall be given in the manner provided in Section 33. At such hearing any owner of land in the territory proposed to be annexed, the District and any resident of the District may appear and be heard touching on the sufficiency of the petition. If the court finds that the petition satisfies the requirements of this Section it shall enter an order stating that thenceforth such territory shall be an integral part of the America's Central Tri-City Regional Port District and subject to all of the benefits of service and responsibilities, including the assumption of a proportionate share of the general obligation bonded indebtedness, if any, of the District. The circuit clerk shall transmit a certified copy of the order of the court to the circuit clerk of any other county in which the annexed territory is situated.

(Source: Laws 1967, p. 3692.)