Title 37 · WY

37-13-120 shall be subject to redemption from the governing body

Citation: Wyo. Stat. § 37-13-120

Section: 37-13-120

37-13-120 shall be subject to redemption from the governing body and a redemption deed shall be executed after two (2) years from the date of the sale in the same manner as is provided for redemption in W.S. 15-6-418.

37-13-122. Assessment lien.

Special assessments levied hereunder are equal with taxes levied against the property by the state, the county and all other taxing districts, and are superior to any other lien or encumbrance created before or after. No sale of property for the nonpayment of taxes or other special assessments shall extinguish any lien other than the taxes or special assessments for the nonpayment of which sale is had.

37-13-123. Proceeds of sale. The proceeds of the sale of any property for nonpayment of special assessments shall be applied in the discharge of the assessments, the interest, costs and penalties thereon. If there are outstanding any special improvement bonds issued pursuant to the improvement in question, proceeds of the sale shall, after the payment therefrom of the costs of collection, be applied to the cost of redemption prior to maturity of as many of the outstanding special improvement bonds as can be retired with the amount available.

37-13-124. Property bid in by city, town or county to be held in trust; trust discharged by payment of assessment.

When any property is bid in by or stricken off to any city, town or county the property shall be held in trust by the city, town or county for the fund of the improvement district for which the assessment was levied to the extent of the unpaid assessment for which the property was sold, with penalty, and all accrued interest and interest owed in the future. However, the city, town or county may after receiving a deed pay the fund the amount of the delinquent assessment for which the property was sold, any penalties owed, and all accrued interest and interest to the time of the next call for bonds issued against the assessment fund at the rate provided, and thereupon take and hold the property discharged of the trust.

37-13-125. Sale of property held in trust; notice.

(a) After the period of redemption has expired and a deed has been issued to a city, town or county, it may sell the property at public auction to the highest bidder for cash. No bid may be accepted for less than the amount set forth in the deed plus accrued interest to date of sale computed on the assessment for which the property was sold from the date of the execution of the deed and all delinquent assessments and taxes against the property with accrued interest, penalties, costs and other charges. The city, town or county shall pay into the fund for which the property was held in trust an amount necessary to fully discharge the assessment for which the property was sold, together with all interest and penalties.

(b) Any sale shall be conducted only after notice has been given, describing the property and stating that the treasurer will on the day specified sell the property at the front door of the building in which the governing body holds its sessions, between the hours of 10:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. The notice shall be published at least five (5) times in a daily newspaper published within the district or if there is none, at least twice in a newspaper of general circulation in the district. The sale cannot be less than fifteen (15) days after the date of the last publication of the notice.

37-13-126. Advance payment of assessment installations.

The governing body, in the resolution levying the assessments, may provide that all unpaid installment assessments levied against any property may be paid, but only in their entirety, prior to the dates on which they become due if the person paying the installments pays all interest which would accrue thereon to the next succeeding date on which interest is payable on the bonds issued in anticipation of the collection of the assessments. In addition, the person must pay the additional amount of interest as in the opinion of the governing body is necessary to assure the availability of money fully sufficient to pay interest on the bonds as interest becomes due, and any redemption premiums which may become payable on the bonds in order to retire, in advance of maturity, bonds in a sufficient amount to utilize the assessments thus paid in advance. If no bonds have been issued then all unpaid installments of assessments levied against any piece of property may be paid in their entirety prior to the date upon which they become due by paying the principal amount due and the interest accrued thereon to the date of payment.

37-13-127. Issuance of bonds.

After the expiration of thirty (30) days from the date of the adoption of the resolution levying the assessments, the governing body may issue negotiable interest-bearing bonds in a principal amount not exceeding the unpaid balance of the assessments levied. The bonds shall bear interest payable semiannually or annually and shall mature serially over a period not exceeding twenty (20) years, but in no event shall the bonds extend over a longer period of time than the period of time over which the installments of special assessments are due and payable and ninety (90) days thereafter. The bonds shall be of a form and denomination and shall be payable in principal and interest at times and places and shall be sold, authorized and issued in a manner, as the governing body may determine. The bonds shall be dated no earlier than the date on which the special assessment shall begin to bear interest and shall be secured by and payable from the irrevocable pledge of the funds derived from the levy and collection of the special assessments in anticipation of the collection of which they are issued. Any premium received on the sale of the bonds shall be placed in the fund for the payment of principal and interest on the bonds. The bonds shall be callable for redemption from the proceeds of the sale of property sold for the nonpayment of special assessments but not otherwise unless the bonds on the face thereof provide for redemption prior to maturity. The governing body may provide that the bonds shall be redeemable on interest payment date or dates prior to maturity pursuant to notice and at premiums as it deems advisable. The bonds shall be signed by a member of the governing body designated by the governing body and shall be countersigned by the city recorder or the clerk of the board of the town trustees or the clerk of the board of the county commissioners, whichever is applicable, and one (1) of the signatures may be a facsimile signature. Interest may be evidenced by interest coupons attached to the bonds and signed by a facsimile signature of one (1) of the individuals who signed the bond.

37-13-128. Errors or irregularities not to void assessment; civil action to adjudicate grievance; action to test validity of resolution authorizing bond issue.

No special assessment shall be declared void or set aside in consequence of any error or irregularity permitted or appearing in any of the proceedings under this chapter, but any party feeling aggrieved by any special assessment or proceeding may bring a civil action to adjudicate the grievance if the action is commenced prior to the expiration of thirty (30) days after adoption of the assessment ordinance. Every person whose property is subject to the special assessment and who fails to appear during the public hearings on assessments to raise his objection to the tax shall be deemed to have waived all objection to the assessment except the objection that the governing body lacks jurisdiction to levy the tax, which objection must be raised within thirty (30) days after adoption of the assessment ordinance. Whenever any enactment authorizing the issuance of any bonds pursuant to the improvement contemplated is adopted, the resolution shall be published once in a newspaper in which the original notice of hearing was published. For twenty (20) days thereafter, any person whose property has been assessed and any taxpayer in the district may institute litigation for the purpose of questioning or attacking the legality of such bonds. After the expiration of twenty (20) days, all proceedings by the governing body, the bonds to be issued pursuant thereto, and the special assessments from which the bonds are to be paid, shall be final and no suit challenging the legality thereof may be instituted in this state, and no court shall have the authority to inquire into such matters.

37-13-129. Conversion costs.

(a) In determining the conversion costs included in the costs and feasibility report, the public utility shall be entitled to amounts sufficient to repay the following, as computed and reflected by the uniform system of accounts approved by the Wyoming public service commission, federal power commission or federal communications commission, or in the event the public utility is not subject to regulation by any of the above governmental agencies, by the public utility's system of accounts then in use and in accordance with standard accounting procedures of the public utility:

(i) The recorded original costs less depreciation taken as of the date of the assessment resolution of the existing overhead electric and communication facilities to be removed;

(ii) The estimated costs of removing the overhead electric and communication facilities, less the salvage value of the facilities removed;

(iii) If the estimated cost of constructing underground facilities exceeds the recorded original cost of constructing aerial facilities, then the cost difference between the two; and

(iv) The cost of obtaining new easements, including all reasonable acquisition costs, when technical considerations make it reasonably necessary to utilize easements for the underground facilities different from those used for the aboveground facilities, or where the preexisting easements are insufficient for underground facilities.

(b) If provision for payment of all or a portion of conversion cost by the affected public utility are included in tariffs, rules or regulations filed with or promulgated by the Wyoming public service commission, such conversion costs shall be the costs included in the costs and feasibility report and the rates and conditions of such tariff, rule or regulation shall also be applicable and binding on customers in the district. 37-13-130. Construction of and title to converted facilities.

The public utility concerned is responsible for all construction work involving its facilities and may contract out such of this construction work as it deems desirable. There shall be no competitive bidding as to the construction of the converted facilities since existing facilities are owned and operated by the public utility and the continuity of service of the public utility is essential. Title to the converted facilities is solely in the public utility involved. The public is only purchasing the intangible benefits which come from removal of the overhead facilities and replacement by underground facilities.

37-13-131. Conversion costs and service connections.

(a) The public utility performing the conversion shall, at the expense of the property owner, convert to underground all electric and communication service facilities located upon any lot or parcel of land within the improvement district and not within the easement for distribution, sometimes referred to as "service drops" or "drop wires." This shall include the digging and backfilling of a trench upon the lot or parcel unless the owner executes and files a written objection with the clerk of the governing body not later than the date set for hearing objections to the improvement district assessment as provided by law. Failure to file the written objection shall be taken as a consent and grant of easement to the utility and shall be construed as express authority to the public utility and their respective officers, agents and employees to enter upon the lot or parcel for such purpose, and through failure to object, any right of protest or objection in respect of the doing of such work shall be waived. If an owner does file the written objection, he shall be responsible for providing a trench in accordance with applicable rules, regulations or tariffs from the owner's service entrance to a point designated by the public utility and for backfilling the trench following installation of the underground service by the public utility involved.

(b) If conversion costs for the service facilities located upon any lot or parcel of land and not within the easement for distribution are included in tariffs, rules or regulations filed with or promulgated by the public service commission, the conversion costs shall be the costs included in the costs and feasibility report, and the property owner shall be obligated for that amount. (c) In any event the cost of any work done by the public utility shall be included in the assessment to be levied upon the lot or parcel. If a written objection is filed as above provided, the owner involved is obligated for and the public utility involved is entitled to payment for the actual cost for the work accomplished upon the owner's property by the public utility.

(d) The owner shall, at his expense, make all necessary changes in the service entrance equipment to accept underground service.

37-13-132. Notice of disconnection.

If the owner of any lot or parcel of land fails to make necessary changes in the service entrance equipment or fails to provide the trench in a timely manner, at the time the converted facilities are ready for connection to his property, the electric or communication service may be disconnected and removed and all overhead electric or communication facilities providing service to any building, structure or improvement located upon the lot or parcel may be disconnected. Written notice of disconnection shall be given at least ten (10) days prior to disconnection by leaving a copy of the notice at the principal building, structure or improvement located upon the lot or parcel.

37-13-133. Payment of public utility.

Upon completion of the conversion the public utility corporation shall present the governing body with its verified bill for conversion costs as computed pursuant to W.S. 37-13-129 or