Private Acts of 1997 Chapter 62

SECTION 1.  Effective September 1, 1998, Chapter 113 of the Private Acts of 1929, Chapter 512 of the Private Acts of 1931, Chapters 115 and 325 of the Private Acts of 1939, Chapter 114 of the Private Acts of 1953, Chapter 168 (sic) of the Private Acts of 1961, Chapter 346 of the Private Acts of 1972, as amended by Chapter 114 of the Private Acts of 1953 (sic), and any other acts amendatory thereto, are hereby repealed.

COMPILER'S NOTE:  Private Acts of 1961, Chapter 168, only applies to Roane County.

SECTION 2.  The highway commissioner for Hardin County shall be elected by popular vote for a term of four (4) years at the 1998 regular August election, with the term of office to commence on September 1, 1998.  This act shall not in any way abridge the term of office of the current highway commissioner.  The county highway commissioner shall be the chief administrator of the county highway department under the terms of the County Uniform Highway Law.

SECTION 3.  The county highway commissioner shall be the purchasing agent for the Hardin County Highway Department and as such is responsible for all purchases of the department, for proposing a budget for the department, and for maintaining the inventory of the department.  In performing these duties, the highway commissioner shall conform to all appropriate provisions of state law, including the County Uniform Highway Law, and to the appropriate local acts or resolutions.

SECTION 4.  The county highway commissioner shall have the authority to make expenditures from the highway fund and to issue warrants drawn against the road fund of Hardin County under his or her signature.

SECTION 5.  

(a)  There shall be an elected highway board for Hardin County.  One (1) member shall be elected from each of the four (4) highway districts in Hardin County with each member residing in the district which he or she represents.  Each board member, however, shall be elected by the qualified voters of the entire county.  Nothing in this act shall be construed to cut short the terms of office of the existing members of the highway board.  As the current terms of office naturally expire, a successor shall be elected in the regular August election immediately prior to the end of the term.  Members of the First and Second Districts shall therefore be elected in the regular August election of the year 2000.  Members of the Third and Fourth Districts shall be elected in the regular August election of the year 1998.  Subsequent terms of office shall be four (4) years in length and shall commence on September 1 immediately after the election.

(b)  The districts shall be composed as follows:

(1)  District No. 1:  lying east of the Tennessee River and north of U.S. Highway No. 64, formerly known as State Highway No. 15;

(2)  District No. 2:  lying east of the Tennessee River and south of U.S. Highway No. 64, formerly known as State Highway No. 15;

(3)  District No. 3:  lying west of the Tennessee River and south of U.S. Highway No. 64, formerly known as State Highway No. 15; and

(4)  District No. 4:  lying west of the Tennessee River and north of U.S. Highway No. 64, formerly known as State Highway No. 15.

SECTION 6.  This act shall have no effect unless it is approved by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the legislative body of Hardin County.  Its approval or nonapproval shall be proclaimed by the presiding officer of the county legislative body and certified to the Secretary of State.

SECTION 7.  For the purpose of approving or rejecting the provisions of this act, it shall be effective upon becoming a law, the public welfare requiring it.  For all other purposes, it shall become effective upon being approved as provided in Section 6.

Passed:  May 21, 1997.