The board may sell bonds from time to time in amounts necessary and most advantageous to raise money for the construction or purchase of canals, reservoirs, reservoir sites, water rights, water wells and works, power plants, electrical motors, engines, power transmission lines, gas lines or oil lines for the primary purpose of supplying fuel and generating power for pumping purposes and necessary drainage works and otherwise to fully carry out the object and purposes of this act [73-12-1 to 73-12-57 NMSA 1978]. Before making any sale, the board shall, at a meeting, by resolution declare its intention to sell a specified amount of the bonds and the day and hour and place of the sale and shall cause the resolution to be entered in the minutes and notice of the sale to be given by publication thereof by three insertions at least twenty days prior to the sale in a daily newspaper published in the city of Santa Fe and a like notice in a daily newspaper published in the city of Albuquerque and any other newspaper at its discretion. The board shall state that sealed proposals will be received by the board at its office for the purchase of the bonds and tell the day and hour named in the resolution. At the time appointed, the board shall open the proposals and award the purchase of the bonds to the highest responsible bidder and may reject all bids, but said board shall, in no event, sell any of said bonds for less than eighty-five percent of the face value thereof. In case no bid is made and accepted, as above provided, the board of directors is hereby authorized to use the bonds for the purchase or construction of canals, reservoir sites, reservoirs, water rights and works, power plants and transmission lines, oil and gas lines for the primary purpose of generating power for pumping purposes and necessary drainage works, provided such bonds shall not be so disposed of at less than eighty-five percent of the face value thereof.
Refunding bonds may be issued and used by any district organized under the laws of this state for the purpose of retiring any bonds which may have been issued under the provisions of this act after the question of issuing refunding bonds has been submitted to an election as herein provided and has received the affirmative vote of a majority of those voting thereon within the district. The refunding bonds may be payable at the time or times and may be of such denominations as the board of directors may determine and shall be executed in the same manner as provided herein for the original issue of bonds. The board of directors shall have power to contract for the purchase of, and exchange of refunding bonds for, the whole or any part of the bonds to be refunded by the issue. The refunding bonds shall first be deposited with the county treasurer of the county wherein the office of the district is located and shall be delivered only as and when bonds so to be refunded in like amounts are surrendered to the county treasurer for cancellation. The refunding bonds may also be sold from time to time in such amounts as the board of directors may determine and in the same manner as provided for the sale of the original issue of bonds, the proceeds to be deposited with the treasurer to be paid out by him upon order of the board of directors in exchange for any of the outstanding bonds that may be so purchased or contracted for by the board of directors.
The treasurer may use the proceeds at any time in his hands to pay the principal and interest of any matured outstanding bonds presented for payment in case he does not have sufficient funds of the district otherwise provided for paying such maturing bonds.
The treasurer shall cancel all bonds of the district as and when the bonds are paid or refunded and shall cause to be recorded in the office of the county clerk of the county his certificate showing that the bonds, giving dates, serial numbers and amounts thereof, have been paid and cancelled, and such cancelled bonds shall be delivered to the board of directors of the district to be destroyed. It shall be the duty of the board of directors to destroy such cancelled bonds and to enter upon their records a statement giving the dates, serial numbers and amounts of the bonds so destroyed.
History: Laws 1929, ch. 76, § 16; C.S. 1929, § 73-716; Laws 1931, ch. 133, § 3; 1941 Comp., § 77-2416; 1953 Comp., § 75-25-16; 1983, ch. 265, § 58.
Cross references. — For authorization of bondholders to appoint a director, see 73-13-7 NMSA 1978.
The 1983 amendment, effective April 7, 1983, added the section heading; in the second paragraph, deleted "bear such rate of interest not exceeding six percentum (6) per annum and" following "time or times and" and "and have annexed interest coupons" following "in the same manner" in the second sentence, substituted "the issue" for "such issue at any price not exceeding par and approved interest" in the third sentence and deleted "at not less than eighty-five (85) percent of their face value" following "original issue of bonds" in the last sentence and "at a price not exceeding par and accrued interest" at the end of the last sentence; and made minor stylistic changes throughout the section.
Am. Jur. 2d, A.L.R. and C.J.S. references. — 45 Am. Jur. 2d Irrigation § 67.
94 C.J.S. Waters § 322.
Structure New Mexico Statutes
Chapter 73 - Special Districts
Article 12 - Electrical Irrigation Districts
Section 73-12-1 - Majority of the resident freeholders may propose district.
Section 73-12-3 - Notice of hearing on petition to be published.
Section 73-12-4 - Petition hearing; objections; boundaries; election; appeals.
Section 73-12-5 - Notice of election; qualification of electors; election procedure.
Section 73-12-6 - Canvass of votes, by board of county commissioners.
Section 73-12-7 - Regular elections of district; oath of office and bond of directors.
Section 73-12-8 - Office of board; subsequent elections.
Section 73-12-9 - The election board; oath of judges; polls kept open.
Section 73-12-10 - Returns canvassed by board of directors.
Section 73-12-11 - Secretary to certify results of election to county clerk.
Section 73-12-16 - Sale of bonds; refunding bonds; use of bonds.
Section 73-12-19 - Duties of county assessor.
Section 73-12-20 - Board of county commissioners to fix rate per-acre levy.
Section 73-12-21 - Duties of county treasurer.
Section 73-12-22 - Revenue laws of state to govern; may refuse service to delinquents.
Section 73-12-23 - Construction and material contracts to be let to lowest bidder.
Section 73-12-26 - Right of eminent domain.
Section 73-12-27 - Compensation of board; members may not be interested in any contract.
Section 73-12-28 - Board of directors have no power to incur debt other than provided in this act.
Section 73-12-29 - Manner of distribution of power or water.
Section 73-12-30 - Prior water rights not affected.
Section 73-12-31 - Boundaries may be changed, but such change shall not affect obligations incurred.
Section 73-12-32 - Petition for inclusion of land.
Section 73-12-33 - Notice of application for inclusion of land to be published.
Section 73-12-34 - Hearing on petition for inclusion of land.
Section 73-12-35 - Terms on which lands may be included.
Section 73-12-37 - Board to transmit order and plat of new boundaries to county clerk.
Section 73-12-38 - Authority to sign petition of protest.
Section 73-12-39 - Board may redivide district for election purposes [after inclusion of land].
Section 73-12-40 - Land may be excluded from district.
Section 73-12-41 - Owner shall file petition for exclusion.
Section 73-12-42 - Publish notice of petition for exclusion.
Section 73-12-43 - Board shall consider petition for exclusion.
Section 73-12-44 - Board shall act on petition for exclusion.
Section 73-12-45 - Order making change and plat to be transmitted to county clerk.
Section 73-12-46 - Board may redivide district for election purposes [after exclusion of land].
Section 73-12-48 - District shall pay tax on gross revenue derived from sales of surplus power.
Section 73-12-49 - Petition for dissolution of district; election thereon.
Section 73-12-50 - Vote on dissolution to be canvassed.
Section 73-12-51 - Confirmation proceedings may be brought.
Section 73-12-52 - Petition to be filed in district court.
Section 73-12-53 - Court to fix time for hearing and publish notice thereof.
Section 73-12-54 - Provisions of Civil Code shall apply; effect of findings of court.
Section 73-12-55 - The court's findings of fact and conclusions of law; judgment res judicata.