Section 16-6-27 - Bond issue election; ballot; notice; voters; sale of bonds.

16-6-27. [Bond issue election; ballot; notice; voters; sale of bonds.]

The board of county commissioners of Curry county, New Mexico, may submit to the voters of said county at any regular election or at any special election called for that purpose the question of issuing bonds in a sum not to exceed one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000) for the purpose of erecting a building or buildings at the bi-state fair grounds, such building or buildings to be used for the holding of the bi-state fair. The proposition to be voted upon shall be submitted to the voters by separate ballot and shall be in substantially the following form:   

"For the issuance of bi-state fair association bonds in the sum of $. . . . . . . .; Against the issuance of bi-state fair association bonds in the sum of  $. . . . . . .."   

The board of county commissioners shall give notice of such election by publication for at least three consecutive weeks in any newspaper published in said county; which notice shall set forth the time and place of holding such election, the fair building or buildings proposed to be built, the amount of bonds to be voted, the rate of interest to be paid on such bonds and the length of time for which the bonds shall be issued, which shall not be less than five nor more than twenty years, and no issue of bonds shall be made under this act [16-6-25 to 16-6-30 NMSA 1978] in excess of one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000).   

Only the qualified electors of the county who paid a property tax during the preceding year shall be entitled to vote at such election, and if a majority of all votes at such election shall be in favor of the issue of said bonds, then said board shall issue bonds to the amount voted, but no bonds shall bear interest at a rate in excess of six percentum. Said bonds shall be known as the bi-state fair association bonds of Curry county, New Mexico, shall be signed by the chairman of the board of county commissioners, and countersigned by the county treasurer. They shall have interest coupons attached providing for the payment of interest either annually or semiannually. The board shall have power by contract to provide a place for the payment of the principal and interest of said bonds, and the terms upon which said interest shall be paid.   

The county treasurer shall advertise for the sale of said bonds to the highest bidder in not less than two weekly issues in some newspaper published in the county, and said bonds shall be sold for no less than par and accrued interest and the proceeds thereof placed to the credit of the county in a fund to be known as the bi-state fair association fund, which fund shall be disbursed upon warrants drawn as in the case of the general funds of the county.   

Provided, that said bonds or any part thereof may be sold to the state of New Mexico at private sale, without advertisement for not less than par and accrued interest.   

The county treasurer shall stand charged upon his official bond for all bonds that may be delivered to him, and with all moneys that may be received by him under the provisions of this act.