Title 7, Title 7

(1) Each board of county commissioners shall construct and maintain every bridge over a natural stream necessary to be constructed and maintained in any city or town. (2) The city or town in which any such bridge is situated shall pay the whole or such part, not less than one-hal…

(1) Before any bridge constructed and maintained by the county in any city or town may be used as a part of any street or suburban railway, the owner of that railway shall pay into the county bridge fund a sum determined by the board which shall not be less than one-fourth or mor…

The district shall primarily serve the residents within the district boundaries but may authorize service outside the district boundaries where deemed appropriate.

(1) A board of county commissioners may appoint a county road superintendent. The superintendent has the duties, powers, and responsibilities set forth in this part. After the appointment, the county road superintendent shall serve at the pleasure of and under the direction and c…

(1) Under the direction and supervision of the board of county commissioners, the superintendent shall furnish plans and specifications for highway or bridge work. The superintendent is the presiding officer of all boards of road viewers. (2) Under direction and supervision, the …

(1) Upon the requisition of the superintendent, the board of county commissioners shall furnish any necessary equipment, tools, and implements and pay for them out of the county road fund. (2) The superintendent shall preserve the equipment, tools, and implements and may not allo…

Whenever it is necessary, the superintendent may employ suitable laborers, hire equipment and implements, and contract as to the wages and prices to be paid. Wages and prices shall not exceed rates established by the board of county commissioners for an 8-hour day.

(1) The superintendent may open or construct drains and ditches for making and preserving roads and highways, doing as little injury as may be possible to the adjoining land. (2) Any person who stops or obstructs any drain or ditch so constructed forfeits the sum of $50, to be re…

The superintendent shall keep correct accounts of all labor performed, equipment and implements used, and materials furnished. The superintendent shall give each person performing work or furnishing equipment, implements, or materials a certificate stating the work performed and …

Upon the presentation of any certificate issued by the superintendent and verification of it by the holder as in other cases of claims against the county, the board of county commissioners shall have a warrant issued for the amount of the certificate, drawn on the treasury agains…

At least once each year and more often if required by the board of county commissioners, the superintendent shall file a report with the board detailing the activities and expenditures of the superintendent's office and containing any other information the board requires. At the …

The board shall annually present its budget to the commissioners at the regular budget meetings as prescribed by law and therewith certify the amount of money necessary and proper for the ensuing year.

Subject to 15-10-420, the commissioners shall annually, at the time of levying county taxes, fix and levy a tax in mills upon all property within the transportation district sufficient to operate the district, taking into account the amount requested by the board.

(1) The procedure for the collection of the tax shall be in accordance with the existing laws of the state of Montana. (2) The funds collected under the tax levy shall be held by the county treasurer. (3) The county treasurer shall be, ex officio, the treasurer for the transporta…

Funds shall be paid out on warrants issued by direction of the board and signed by a majority of its membership.

A transportation district may borrow money by the issuance of general obligation or revenue bonds or a combination thereof to provide funds for the district.

The amount of bonds issued to provide funds for the district and outstanding at any time may not exceed 1.51% of the total assessed value of taxable property, determined as provided in 15-8-111, within the district, as ascertained by the last assessment for state and county taxes…

(1) Subject to the limitations and restrictions provided in the code for the letting of contracts, each board may let by contract the construction, maintenance, and improvement of county roads and the construction, maintenance, or repair of bridges when the amount of work to be d…

When the estimated cost of opening, establishing, constructing, changing, abandoning, discontinuing, or widening a county road exceeds $1,000, the work may in the discretion of the board be let by contract unless the board shall find that such work may be otherwise done at less c…

Before any contract authorized by 7-14-2402 is let, the board shall advertise for bids as provided in 7-1-2121.

Each bidder shall comply with the requirements of Title 18, chapter 1, part 2. The contract must be awarded to the lowest responsible bidder in accordance with the requirements of 18-1-102 and Title 18, chapter 2, part 4, and the board may reserve the right to reject any bids. If…

Before entering upon performance of the work, the contractor shall comply with the requirements of Title 18, chapter 2, part 2. For the purposes of those sections with relation to contracts with the board, a contract shall not be completed until the board, while formally convened…

(1) All bids for construction or repair of bridges must meet the following requirements: (a) If the department of transportation has adopted or established a standard plan and specifications, the bids must be submitted on the standard plan and specifications. (b) All bids must be…

When the board of county commissioners authorizes a construction or reconstruction project for a wooden county bridge, it shall require the use of Montana-made wooden decking, guardrail posts, fenceposts, and signposts when appropriate and when the cost of wooden materials is les…

(1) A real property owner may petition to have that owner's property included in a district. The addition of the real property owner's property must be approved by a majority vote of the transportation board. (2) An area added to a district pursuant to this part may be removed fr…

Any transportation district may be dissolved upon presentation to the county commissioners of a petition signed by at least 51% of the qualified voters of such district.

(1) Upon the filing of such petition, the commissioners shall carefully examine the petition. (2) (a) If it is found that the petition is in proper form and bears the requisite number of signatures of qualified petitioners, the commissioners shall by resolution call for a public …

(1) A notice of the hearing required by 7-14-243(2)(a) must be published as provided in 7-1-2121. (2) The notice must state the time, date, place, and purpose of the hearing.

(1) If upon such hearing the commissioners find that the district is not indebted beyond funds immediately available to extinguish all of its debts and obligations and that there is good reason for the dissolution of such district, the commissioners shall enter upon their minutes…

Any assets of the district remaining after all debts and obligations of the district have been paid, discharged, or irrevocably settled shall be evenly divided between the county and any cities within or partially within the dissolved district.

(1) Subject to 15-10-420 and to raise revenue for the construction, maintenance, or improvement of public highways, each board of county commissioners may levy a tax upon the taxable property in the county. The tax must be collected the same as other taxes as the board may direct…

(1) Subject to 15-10-420, a board may levy a special tax on all taxable property in the county for the purpose of constructing, maintaining, and repairing free public bridges, which includes those bridges within the municipalities. (2) For the purposes of this section, a free pub…

Subject to 15-10-420, a board may levy a special tax on the taxable property in the county to defray the costs of any bridge required to be constructed and maintained by the county in any city or town.

Each board of county commissioners may allocate to the county road fund not more than 50% of the proceeds from oil and gas leases entered into and royalty interests reserved under Title 82, chapter 10, part 2.

The governing body of a county may establish a road and bridge capital improvement fund in accordance with the provisions of Title 7, chapter 6, part 6.

When collected by the treasurer of the county in which a motor vehicle is registered, all license and registration fees for which there is no specific provision as to disposition of the fee shall be credited to the county motor vehicle fund.

(1) (a) The county treasurer shall segregate from the county motor vehicle fund and designate as the "city road fund" 50% of the net license fees derived from the registration of motor vehicles whose owners reside within the limits of any incorporated city or town. (b) At the end…

The county road fund of each county shall be used for the construction, repair, and maintenance of all public highways within its boundaries which are outside the corporate limits of any city or town and are not either state or federal highways.

(1) The expenditures in any road district for labor and equipment, together with the compensation to be paid to the supervisor, shall not exceed the sum apportioned quarterly by the board of county commissioners to that district. However, if that sum is not sufficient, the board …

(1) A county may issue limited general obligation bonds to: (a) finance the establishment, construction, reconstruction, improvement, maintenance, and repair of county roads; (b) acquire rights-of-way for roads and highways; or (c) acquire capital equipment or supplies to improve…

Subject to the limitations and restrictions provided in the law, each board of county commissioners may issue bonds upon the faith and credit of the county for the construction or improvement of county bridges.

(1) Each board may issue, negotiate, and sell coupon bonds on the credit of the county: (a) to construct, improve, or acquire rights-of-way for public bridges; (b) to refund, pay, and redeem optional, redeemable, or maturing bridge bonds when there are not sufficient funds availa…

(1) Bonds issued under 7-14-2522(1) may not be issued for a term longer than 20 years. (2) A bond issued under 7-14-2522(1)(b) may not be issued for a term longer than 10 years, except that if the unexpired term of the bonds to be refunded is greater than 10 years, the refunding …

(1) Except as otherwise provided in 7-7-2203, 7-7-2204, and this section, a county may not issue bonds in an amount that, with all outstanding bonds and warrants except emergency bonds, exceeds 0.68% of the total assessed value of taxable property, determined as provided in 15-8-…

(1) Whenever the total indebtedness of a county exceeds 2.5% of the total assessed value of taxable property, determined as provided in 15-8-111, within the county and the board determines that the county is unable to pay the indebtedness in full, the board may: (a) negotiate wit…

All bonds issued by a county must be either amortization bonds or serial bonds.