§2740.64. Springhill Downtown Development District

            A. Creation. The Springhill Downtown Development District, referred to in this Section as the "district", is hereby created within the city of Springhill. The district shall be a political subdivision of the state created for the purpose of redeveloping and revitalizing the downtown business district in order to provide for substantial economic activity and employment opportunities.

            B. Boundaries. The district shall be comprised of a certain piece, parcel, or lot of ground being, lying, and situated in Sections 11, 12, and 13, Township 23 North, Range 11 West, Louisiana Meridian, City of Springhill, Webster Parish, Louisiana, being more particularly described as follows, to wit:

            Commencing at a point located at the northwest corner of Section 11, Township 23 North, Range 11 West proceed East 248.52 feet to the center line of the L & A Railroad right-of-way;

            Thence run south along the mid point of said right-of-way approximately 944 feet to the point of beginning;

            Thence proceed East approximately 384.4 feet; thence South approximately 97 feet, thence East 172 feet to west side of 1st Street N. E.; thence South along western boundary of said 1st Street N. E. approximately 150 feet; thence East approximately 395 feet to the western boundary of 2nd Street N. E.;

            Thence South approximately 1,169 feet to the center point of Little Crooked Creek, thence follow the creek in a Southerly direction approximately 1,940 feet; thence, still following the creek, go South 13 degrees 05 minutes 00 seconds East 257.12 feet; thence South 26 degrees 30 minutes 00 seconds East 283.67 feet; thence South 23 degrees 43 minutes 00 seconds East 95.7 feet; thence South 55 degrees 28 minutes 00 seconds East 71.14 feet;

            Thence, leaving creek proceed south approximately 370 feet to Elm Street; thence West approximately 637.5 feet, thence South approximately 275 feet to Martin Street (formerly Estrin Street); thence West approximately 270 feet to the center line of L & A Railroad right-of-way; thence follow the center line of the right-of-way in a Northerly direction approximately 3,452.5 feet to the center line of Church Street; thence West approximately 250 feet; thence North approximately 740 feet to the North side of Butler Street; thence West on Butler Street approximately 1,290 feet to Arkansas Street; thence Northward approximately 400 feet; thence East approximately 1,581 feet to the center line of L & A Railroad right-of-way; thence go South 31.5 feet to the point of beginning.

            C. Governance. (1) In order to provide for the orderly planning, development, acquisition, construction, and effectuation of the services, improvements, and facilities to be furnished by the district and to provide for the representation in the affairs of the district of those persons and interests immediately concerned with and affected by the purposes and development of the district, the district shall be managed by a five-member board of commissioners, referred to in this Section as the "board". The members of the board shall be appointed as follows:

            (a) Three members shall be appointed by the mayor of the city of Springhill with approval of the governing authority of the city of Springhill.

            (b) Two members shall be appointed by the governing authority of the city of Springhill, each of whom shall have his principal place of business or profession in, or own property in, the district.

            (2)(a) Members of the board shall serve five-year terms after initial terms as provided by Subparagraph (b) of this Paragraph.

            (b) One member shall serve an initial term of one year; one shall serve an initial term of two years; one shall serve an initial term of three years; one shall serve an initial term of four years; and one shall serve an initial term of five years, as determined by lot at the first meeting of the board.

            (c) Any vacancy which occurs prior to the expiration of the term for which a member of the board has been appointed shall be filled for the remainder of the unexpired term in the same manner as the original appointment.

            (3) The board shall elect from its members a chairman, a vice chairman, a secretary-treasurer, and such other officers as it may deem necessary. The duties of the officers shall be fixed by the bylaws adopted by the board.

            (4) The minute books and archives of the district shall be maintained by the secretary of the board. The monies, funds, and accounts of the district shall be in the official custody of the board.

            (5) The board shall adopt such rules and regulations as it deems necessary or advisable for conducting its business affairs. It shall hold regular meetings as shall be provided in the bylaws and may hold special meetings at such times and places within the district as may be prescribed in the bylaws.

            (6) A majority of the members of the board shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business. The board shall keep minutes of all meetings and shall make them available through the secretary of the board.

            (7) The members of the board shall serve without compensation; however, they may receive a travel allowance as reimbursement for expenses incurred while attending to the business of the board or district.

            D. District plan. (1) The board shall prepare or cause to be prepared a plan or plans, referred to in this Section as the "plan", specifying the public improvements, facilities, and services proposed to be furnished, constructed, or acquired for the district and shall conduct public hearings, publish notice with respect thereto, and disseminate information as it, in the exercise of its sound discretion, may deem to be appropriate or advisable and in the public interest.

            (2) Any plan may specify and encompass any public services, capital improvements, and facilities which the city of Springhill is authorized to undertake, furnish, or provide under the constitution and laws of the state of Louisiana and such specified public services, improvements, and facilities shall be special and in addition to all services, improvements, and facilities which the city of Springhill is then furnishing or providing or may then or in the future be obligated to furnish or provide within the district.

            (3) Any plan shall include an estimate of the annual and total cost of acquiring, constructing, or providing the services, improvements, or facilities set forth therein.

            (4) Any monies received by the district must be used exclusively for the development of the district plan.

            (5)(a) The board shall submit the plan to the governing authority of the city of Springhill. The governing authority of the city of Springhill shall review and consider the plan and may, by a majority vote of all its members, adopt or reject the plan as originally submitted by the board or alter or modify the plan or any portion or detail thereof.

            (b) If the plan as originally submitted by the board is adopted by the majority vote of the governing authority of the city, it shall become final and conclusive and may thereafter be implemented. If the governing authority of the city alters or modifies the plan by a majority vote of its members, the plan as altered or modified shall be resubmitted to the board for its concurrence or rejection.

            (c) The board may concur in the modified plan by a majority vote of all of its members. If the board votes to concur in the plan as modified by the governing authority of the city, the plan shall become final and conclusive and may thereafter be implemented. If the board does not concur in the plan as modified by the governing authority of the city, it shall notify the governing authority of the city in writing of its decision.

            (d) Thereafter and as often as the board may deem to be necessary or advisable, it shall prepare or cause to be prepared a plan or plans and submit such plan or plans to the governing authority of the city for its adoption, modification, or rejection in the manner and with the same effect as provided with respect to the original plan.

            E. Services and improvements. (1) All services to be furnished within the district pursuant to any plan finally and conclusively adopted may be furnished, supplied, and administered by the city of Springhill through its regularly constituted departments, agencies, boards, commissions, and instrumentalities. All capital improvements and facilities to be acquired, constructed, or provided within the district may likewise be so acquired, constructed, or provided by the city of Springhill through its regularly constituted departments, agencies, boards, commissions, and instrumentalities, it being the intention of this Paragraph to avoid the duplication of administrative and management efforts and expense in the implementation of any plan adopted for the benefit of the district.

            (2) In order to perform services and provide, construct, or acquire capital improvements or facilities, the board may enter into intergovernmental local service contracts with the city of Springhill.

            Acts 2006, No. 75, §1, eff. May 25, 2006.