Division 5-31. County Historical Museum Districts  

    (55 ILCS 5/5-31001) (from Ch. 34, par. 5-31001)
    Sec. 5-31001. Subtitle. This Division shall be subtitled the County Historical Museum District Law.
(Source: P.A. 86-962.)

    (55 ILCS 5/5-31002) (from Ch. 34, par. 5-31002)
    Sec. 5-31002. Purpose. The purpose of this Division is to provide for the creation of county historical museum districts to acquire real property and collect and curate materials which help establish or illustrate the history of the county in such aspects as its exploration, settlement, development, activities in peace and war and progress in population, wealth, education, arts, science, agriculture, manufactures, trade and transportation. The museum district shall collect: printed material such as histories, genealogies, biographies, descriptions, gazetteers, directories, newspapers, pamphlets, catalogues, circulars, handbills, programs and posters; manuscripts such as letters, diaries, journals, memoranda, reminiscences, rosters, service records, account books, charts, surveys and field books; and other museum material such as pictures, photographs, paintings, portraits, scenes, aboriginal relics and objects.
    The museum district shall provide for the preservation of and public access to such materials for examination and study; shall cooperate in ensuring the preservation and accessibility of the records and archives of the county and its cities, towns, villages, and institutions; and shall assist in ensuring the preservation of historical buildings, monuments and markers.
(Source: P.A. 86-962.)

    (55 ILCS 5/5-31003) (from Ch. 34, par. 5-31003)
    Sec. 5-31003. Definitions. As used in this Division unless the context otherwise requires:
    (a) "museum district" means a museum district organized under this Division.
    (b) "board" means the board of trustees of a museum district.
    (c) "trustee" means a trustee of a museum district.
    (d) "political party" means a political party as defined in Section 7-2 of The Election Code.
    (e) "political office" means any office to which a person is elected or appointed to discharge a public duty for the State or any of its political subdivisions and which is established and the qualifications and duties for which are prescribed by law.
    (f) "development of real property" means the construction, installation, planting or creation of any permanent improvement of real property in which a museum district has or has taken steps to acquire an interest.
(Source: P.A. 86-962.)

    (55 ILCS 5/5-31004) (from Ch. 34, par. 5-31004)
    Sec. 5-31004. Election. (a) In any county having less than 1,000,000 population which is not organized as a forest preserve district and in which the county board has not in any 3 of the past 5 years levied taxes in support of an historical museum as authorized by Division 6-23, at least 1% of the voters may file with the circuit clerk of the county a petition addressed to the circuit court of the county requesting the creation of a county historical museum district, the boundaries of which shall be those of the county. At least 1% of the voters in each county of a group of not more than 5 contiguous counties, each of which has less than 1,000,000 population and none of which is organized as a forest preserve district and in none of which the county board has in any 3 of the past 5 years levied taxes in support of an historical museum as authorized by Division 6-23, may jointly file with the circuit clerk of the county having the largest population a petition addressed to the circuit court of the county having the largest population requesting the creation of an historical museum district, the boundaries of which shall be those of the counties as a whole. If the museum district shall embrace more than one county, the petition shall be accompanied by the written approval of the Illinois State Museum. A museum district composed of a single county shall be designated by the name of the county.
    The circuit court of the county shall set the petition for hearing. The petition shall set forth (1) a description of the territory to be embraced in the proposed museum district, (2) the names of the municipalities located within the area, (3) the name of the proposed museum district, (4) the population of the museum district, and request that the question be submitted to the electors residing within the limits of the proposed museum district whether they will establish a museum district under this Division to be known as .... Historical Museum District. The petitioners in and by the petition shall designate one or more persons to represent them on the petition, and in the proceedings thereon in the circuit court, with authority to amend, to move to dismiss, or to withdraw the petition. The circuit court shall set the petition for hearing within not less than 30 nor more than 40 days after the filing of the petition with the circuit clerk.
    Notice shall be given by the circuit court of the time and place where the hearing will be held, by publication on 3 separate days in one or more newspapers having a general circulation within the territory proposed to be incorporated as a museum district, the first of which publications shall be not less than 20 days prior to the date set for the hearing and if there is no such newspaper, then such notice shall be posted in 10 of the most public places in such territory, not less than 20 days prior to the date set for the hearing. This notice shall include a description of the territory as set out in the petition, names of municipalities located therein and the name of the proposed museum district and the question of creating such area into a museum district.
    The filing fee on the petition and costs of printing and publication or posting of notices of public hearing thereon shall be paid in advance by the petitioners, and, if a museum district is organized under this Division, they shall be reimbursed out of the funds received by the museum district from taxation or other sources.
    (b) The court may continue the hearing on the petition from time to time. During the public hearing the petitioners may move to amend the petition or to dismiss or to withdraw it, and any such motion shall be allowed by the court. If such petition is not dismissed or withdrawn, the court by written order shall find and determine whether such territory meets the requirements of this Division, and the sufficiency of the petition as filed or amended, and of the proceedings thereon.
    Should 2 or more petitions covering in part the same territory be filed prior to the public hearing, such petitions shall be consolidated for public hearing, and hearing upon the first petition which is filed may be continued to permit the giving of notice of any such subsequent petition or petitions. At the public hearing upon such petitions, the petitioners in the petition first filed may move to amend such petition to include any part of the territory described in the subsequent petition or petitions, either as originally filed or as amended. Any such motion shall be allowed by the court. The public hearing shall proceed upon the first petition as originally filed or as so amended, and further proceedings upon any such other petitions subsequently filed shall be stayed and held in abeyance until the termination of all proceedings upon the first petition, or any such petition may be dismissed or withdrawn upon motion of the petitioners therein by their representatives.
    If such territory, petition and proceedings meet the requirements of this Division, the court shall in, and by the order finding and determining the sufficiency of the petition and that the territory meets the requirements of this Division or by a separate order, order the proposition submitted to referendum in accordance with the general election law. The clerk of the circuit court shall certify the order and the proposition to the appropriate election officials who shall submit the proposition to the voters at an election in accordance with the general election law.
    (c) In addition to the requirements of the general election law, notice of the referendum shall state briefly the purpose of the referendum and shall include a description of the territory. The notice shall further state that any such museum district upon its establishment shall have the powers, objects and purposes provided by this Division, including the power to levy a tax of not to exceed .02 per cent of value, as equalized or assessed by the Department of Revenue, of all taxable property within the area of the museum district. Each legal voter residing within the territory shall have a right to cast a ballot at such election. The proposition shall be in substantially the following form:
--------------------------------------------------------------
    Shall the County Historical
 Museum District Law be adopted
 and the.... Historical Museum
 District be established?                    YES
 If established, the Museum
 District will have the powers,
 objects and purposes provided          ----------------------
 by the Law, including the power
 to levy a tax of not to exceed
 .02 per cent of the value                   NO
 of taxable property, as equalized
 or assessed by the Department of
 Revenue.
 -------------------------------------------------------------
    The court shall cause the order determining and declaring results of the election to be entered of record in the court and a certified copy thereof shall be filed with the circuit clerk of each such other county who shall cause the same to be filed in the records of the court of such county.
    (d) If a majority of the voters in any county voting upon the question of the adoption of this Division and the establishment of a museum district shall be favorable, the inhabitants thereof shall be deemed to have accepted the provisions of this Division, and the territory of the approving county or counties shall thenceforth be deemed an organized museum district under this Division, having the name stated in the petition which shall be evidenced by an order to be entered of record by the court.
(Source: P.A. 86-962.)

    (55 ILCS 5/5-31005) (from Ch. 34, par. 5-31005)
    Sec. 5-31005. Board of trustees. The affairs of a museum district shall be managed by a board of 5 trustees. If the museum district is composed of one county, the trustees shall be residents of the county. If the museum district is composed of 2 counties, 3 trustees shall be residents of the county with the larger population and 2 shall be residents of the other county. If the museum district is composed of 3 counties, one trustee shall be a resident of the county with the smallest population and the remaining trustees shall be residents 2 each of the other counties. If the museum district is composed of 4 counties, 2 trustees shall be residents of the county with the largest population and the remaining trustees shall be residents one each of the other counties. If the museum district is composed of 5 counties, one trustee shall be a resident of each county.
    The chairman of the county board for the county of which the trustee is a resident shall, with the consent of the county board, appoint the first trustees who shall hold office for terms expiring on June 30 after one, 2, 3, 4 and 5-year periods respectively as determined by lot. Successor trustees shall be appointed in the same manner no later than June 1 prior to the commencement of their terms. Trustees shall be selected on the basis of their demonstrated interest in the purpose of the museum district.
    Each successor trustee shall serve for a term of 5 years. A vacancy shall be filled for the unexpired term by appointment of a trustee by the county board chairman of the county of which the trustee shall be a resident, with the approval of the county board of that county. When any trustee during his term of office shall cease to be a bona fide resident of the museum district, he is disqualified as a trustee and his office becomes vacant.
    Trustees shall serve without compensation but may be paid their actual and necessary expenses incurred in the performance of official duties. A trustee may be removed for cause by the county board chairman for the county of which the trustee is a resident, with the approval of the county board of that county, but every such removal shall be by a written order which shall be filed with the county clerk.
(Source: P.A. 86-962.)

    (55 ILCS 5/5-31006) (from Ch. 34, par. 5-31006)
    Sec. 5-31006. Organization of board. Within 60 days after their appointment, the trustees shall organize by selecting from their number a president, secretary, treasurer and such other officers as are deemed necessary who shall hold office for the fiscal year in which elected and until their successors are selected and qualified. Three trustees shall constitute a quorum of the board for the transaction of business. The board shall hold regular monthly meetings. Special meetings may be called by the president and shall be called on the request of a majority of members.
    The board shall provide for the proper and safe keeping of its permanent records and for the recording of the corporate action of the museum district. It shall keep in order proper systems of accounts showing a true and accurate record of its receipts and disbursements, and it shall cause an annual audit to be made of its books, records, and accounts.
    The museum district shall annually make a full and complete report to the county board of each county within the museum district and to the Illinois State Museum of its transactions and operations for the preceding year. Such report shall contain a full statement of its receipts, disbursements and the program of work for the period covered, and may include such recommendations as may be deemed advisable.
    Executive or ministerial duties may be delegated to one or more trustees or to an authorized officer, employee, agent, attorney or other representative of the museum district.
    All officers and employees authorized to receive or retain the custody of money or to sign vouchers, checks, warrants or evidences of indebtedness binding upon the museum district shall furnish a surety bond for the faithful performance of their duties and the faithful accounting for all moneys that may come into their hands in an amount to be fixed and in a form to be approved by the board.
    All contracts for supplies, materials or work involving an expenditure in excess of $4,000 shall be let to the lowest responsible bidder after due advertisement except work requiring personal confidence or necessary supplies under the control of monopolies where competitive bidding is impossible. All contracts for supplies, materials or work shall be signed by the president of the board and by any such other officers as the board in its discretion may designate.
(Source: P.A. 86-962.)

    (55 ILCS 5/5-31007) (from Ch. 34, par. 5-31007)
    Sec. 5-31007. Funds. The board of any museum district, when requested by the treasurer, shall designate a bank, banks or other depository in which the funds received by the treasurer may be placed.
    Each designated depository shall furnish the museum district with a copy of all statements of resources and liabilities which it is required to furnish to the Commissioner of Banks and Real Estate or to the Comptroller of the Currency. No bank is qualified to receive museum district funds until it has furnished the museum district with copies of the 2 most recent statements.
    The treasurer of the museum district shall be discharged from responsibility for all funds while they are in a designated bank or depository, except that the amount of such deposits shall not exceed 75% of the capital stock and surplus of such bank or depository. The treasurer shall not be discharged from responsibility for any funds deposited in excess of such limitation.
    When a bank has been designated as a depository it shall continue as such until 10 days after a new depository is designated and is qualified. When a new depository is designated, the museum district shall notify the sureties of the treasurer of that fact in writing at least 5 days before the transfer of funds.
(Source: P.A. 89-508, eff. 7-3-96.)

    (55 ILCS 5/5-31008) (from Ch. 34, par. 5-31008)
    Sec. 5-31008. Ordinances. All ordinances of the board imposing any penalty or making any appropriations shall be published at least once a week for 2 weeks in at least one general circulation newspaper published in the museum district. If no newspaper of general circulation is published in the museum district, copies of such ordinances shall be posted in at least 15 conspicuous public places in the museum district. No such ordinance shall take effect until 10 days after it is so published or posted. All other ordinances and resolutions shall take effect from and after their passage unless otherwise provided therein.
    All ordinances, orders and resolutions and the date of their publication may be proven in court by the certificate of the secretary under the seal of the museum district and, when printed in book or pamphlet form and purporting to be published by the museum district, such book or pamphlet shall be received as evidence of the passage and legal publication of such ordinances, orders and resolutions as of the dates mentioned in such book or pamphlet.
(Source: P.A. 86-962.)

    (55 ILCS 5/5-31009) (from Ch. 34, par. 5-31009)
    Sec. 5-31009. Judicial effect. The courts of this State shall take judicial notice of the existence of a museum district and its jurisdiction. A museum district shall constitute a body corporate and public and as such may sue and be sued.
(Source: P.A. 86-962.)

    (55 ILCS 5/5-31010) (from Ch. 34, par. 5-31010)
    Sec. 5-31010. Consultation. Every museum district shall seek the guidance of and consult with the Illinois State Museum and related agencies on all matters relating to preservation and restoration policies and plans.
(Source: P.A. 86-962.)

    (55 ILCS 5/5-31011) (from Ch. 34, par. 5-31011)
    Sec. 5-31011. Preservation. Every museum district shall consider the preservation of natural conditions and protection of any material which may help to establish or illustrate the history of the county as part of its principal purpose and shall assist any cities, towns, villages and institutions to preserve materials.
    A museum district may dedicate the preservation of historical buildings, monuments and markers so as not to conflict with national, State or other local similar designations.
(Source: P.A. 86-962.)

    (55 ILCS 5/5-31012) (from Ch. 34, par. 5-31012)
    Sec. 5-31012. Powers of district. To the extent necessary to carry out the purpose of this Division and in addition to any other powers, duties and functions vested in museum districts by law, but subject to limitations and restrictions imposed elsewhere by this Division or other law, a museum district is authorized and empowered:
    (a) To adopt bylaws, adopt and use a common seal, enter into contracts, acquire and hold real and personal property and take such other actions as may be necessary for the proper conduct of its affairs.
    (b) To make and publish all ordinances, rules and regulations necessary for the management and protection of its property and the conduct of its affairs.
    (c) To study and ascertain the museum district artifacts and other materials, the need for preserving such resources and providing such facilities and the extent to which such needs are currently being met, and to prepare and adopt coordinated plans to meet such needs.
    (d) To acquire by gift, devise, purchase, lease, agreement or otherwise the fee or any lessor right or interest in real and personal property, and to hold the same with public access for those who wish to examine or study it. The museum district may accept the transfer of any real or personal property owned or controlled by the State of Illinois, the county board, or the governing body of any municipality, district or public corporation and not devoted or dedicated to any other inconsistent public use. In acquiring or accepting land or rights thereto, the museum district shall give due consideration to its historical value or county significance, and no real property shall be acquired or accepted which in the opinion of the museum district and the Illinois State Museum is of low value as to its proposed use.
    (e) To acquire any or all interest in real or personal property by a contract for purchase providing for payment in installments over a period not to exceed 10 years with interest on the unpaid balance owing not to exceed an amount calculated pursuant to the provisions of "An Act to authorize public corporations to issue bonds, other evidences of indebtedness and tax anticipation warrants subject to interest rate limitations set forth therein", approved May 26, 1970, as amended. The indebtedness incurred under this subsection when aggregated with existing indebtedness may not exceed the debt limits provided in Section 5-31016.
    (f) To classify, designate, plan, develop, preserve, administer and maintain all areas and facilities in which it has an interest and to construct, reconstruct, alter, renew, equip and maintain buildings and other structures. Any work performed on any building, appurtenance, structure or area listed on the National Register of Historic Places or deemed eligible for such listing shall be performed within such guidelines as are established by the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency.
    (g) To accept gifts, grants, bequests, contributions and appropriations of money and personal property for museum district purposes.
    (h) To employ and fix the compensation of an executive officer who shall be responsible to the board for the implementation of its policies. The executive officer shall have the power, subject to the approval of the board, to employ and fix the compensation of such assistants and employees as the board may consider necessary for the implementation of this Division.
    (i) To charge and collect reasonable fees for the use of such facilities, privileges and conveniences as may be provided.
    (j) To police its property and to exercise police powers in respect thereto or in respect to the enforcement of any rule or regulation provided by its ordinances.
    (k) To lease land for a period not longer than 50 years to a responsible person, firm, or corporation for construction, reconstruction, alteration, development, operation and maintenance of buildings, roads, and parking areas. Any work performed on any leased building, structure, appurtenances or area which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places or deemed eligible for such listing shall be performed within such guidelines as are established by the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency. Upon expiration of any lease of land under this subsection, title to all structures on the leased land shall be vested in the museum district.
    (l) To lease any building or facility constructed, reconstructed, altered, renewed, equipped, furnished, extended, developed, and maintained by the museum district to a responsible person, firm or corporation for operation or development or both, and maintenance for a period not longer than 20 years. Development, maintenance or both of any building, structures, appurtenances or area which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places or deemed eligible for such listing shall be performed within such guidelines as are established by the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency.
    (m) To make grants to not-for-profit historical clubs, organizations or groups within the county.
(Source: P.A. 86-962.)

    (55 ILCS 5/5-31013) (from Ch. 34, par. 5-31013)
    Sec. 5-31013. Transfer of property. No personal or real property may be disposed of, sold, conveyed or otherwise transferred except upon approval of 3/5 of the district trustees.
(Source: P.A. 86-962.)

    (55 ILCS 5/5-31014) (from Ch. 34, par. 5-31014)
    Sec. 5-31014. Finance. The fiscal year of each museum district shall commence July 1 and extend through the following June 30.
    The board of each museum district shall, on or before the second Tuesday in September of each year, adopt a combined annual budget and appropriation ordinance as provided in The Illinois Municipal Budget Law.
    Except as otherwise provided in this Division, a museum district may annually levy taxes at the following rates and for the following purposes upon the value of the taxable property within the museum district as equalized or assessed by the Department of Revenue:
    (a) .01% for the general purposes of the museum district, including acquisition and development of real property which may be in excess of current requirements and allowed to accumulate from year to year, to not more than .05% of the equalized assessed value of property within the museum district.
    (b) .01% for acquisition of historic properties both real and personal which may be in excess of current requirements and allowed to accumulate from year to year, to not more than .10% of the equalized assessed value of the property within the museum district. However, this levy may be used also for the development of real property and for the general purposes of the museum district.
    Unless otherwise provided by law, a museum district may not levy annual taxes for all its purposes in the aggregate in excess of .02% of the value, as equalized or assessed by the Department of Revenue, of the taxable property therein.
    After the adoption of the appropriation ordinance and on or before the second Tuesday in September of each year, the board shall ascertain the total amount of the appropriations which are to be provided from tax levies for the current year. Then, by an ordinance specifying in detail the purposes for which such appropriations have been made and the amounts appropriated for such purposes, the board shall levy upon the taxable property within the museum district a tax the proceeds of which shall not exceed the amount so ascertained. A certified copy of such ordinance shall be filed on or before the first Tuesday in October with the clerk of each county within the museum district.
    However, if the museum district has levied such tax at a rate lower than the maximum rate set forth in this Section, the board of trustees may increase the rate of the tax, but not exceeding such maximum rate, by following the procedures set forth above in this Section and then by certifying the proposition of such increase to the proper election officials for submission to the voters of the museum district at a regular election in accordance with the general election law. The proposition shall be in substantially the following form:
--------------------------------------------------------------
    Shall the maximum rate
of the tax levied by the County            YES
Historical Museum District
for the purposes provided by the       -----------------------
County Historical Museum District
Law be increased from .......              NO
to .......(not to exceed .02%)?
--------------------------------------------------------------
    If a majority of all the votes cast upon the proposition are in favor thereof, the board of trustees may levy the tax at a rate not to exceed the rate set forth in this Section.
(Source: P.A. 86-962.)

    (55 ILCS 5/5-31015) (from Ch. 34, par. 5-31015)
    Sec. 5-31015. Donations. Gifts, contributions and bequests of money and all licenses, fees, charges and other revenue received or collected by the museum district shall be deposited in the treasury of the museum district to be used for the purchase of land, property and equipment and the payment of expenses incurred in carrying out the activities of the museum district, except that moneys given upon specified trust shall be held and applied in accordance with such trust.
(Source: P.A. 86-962.)

    (55 ILCS 5/5-31016) (from Ch. 34, par. 5-31016)
    Sec. 5-31016. Indebtedness. Whenever a museum district does not have sufficient money in its treasury to meet all necessary expenses and liabilities, it may issue tax anticipation warrants. Such issue of tax anticipation warrants shall be subject to the provisions of Section 2 of "An Act to provide for the manner of issuing warrants upon any county, township, or other municipal corporation or quasi municipal corporation, or of any farm drainage district, river district, drainage and levee district, fire protection district and jurors' certificates", approved June 27, 1913, as now or hereafter amended.
    No museum district shall become indebted in any manner or for any purpose in an amount, including existing indebtedness, in the aggregate exceeding .25% of the value, as equalized or assessed by the Department of Revenue, of the taxable property within the museum district.
(Source: P.A. 86-962.)

    (55 ILCS 5/5-31017) (from Ch. 34, par. 5-31017)
    Sec. 5-31017. Historical buildings. Nothing in this Division shall prohibit the museum district from appropriating funds as otherwise provided in this Division for the construction, equipment, extension, improvement, operation or maintenance of any historical building, monument or marker. Provided, however, that any work performed on any historical building, monument or marker listed on the National Register of Historic Places or deemed eligible for such listing shall be conducted within such guidelines as are established by the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency.
(Source: P.A. 86-962.)

    (55 ILCS 5/5-31018) (from Ch. 34, par. 5-31018)
    Sec. 5-31018. Assistance. A museum district may apply for and receive the grant or loan of money or other financial aid necessary for the undertaking, performance or execution of any of its purposes from any department or agency of the State or federal government. A museum district may undertake any of its activities aided by, in cooperation with, or as a joint enterprise with any department or agency of the State or federal government or any other museum district, forest preserve district, conservation district, park district, school district, planning commission, county board, municipality or other governmental unit.
(Source: P.A. 86-962.)

    (55 ILCS 5/5-31019) (from Ch. 34, par. 5-31019)
    Sec. 5-31019. Existing county museum tax levy. Nothing in this Division shall be construed to prohibit or modify existing tax levies for county museums as authorized by Division 6-23.
(Source: P.A. 86-962.)

    (55 ILCS 5/5-31020) (from Ch. 34, par. 5-31020)
    Sec. 5-31020. Dissolution. At least 5% of the voters of a museum district which has been in existence for at least 3 years may file with the circuit clerk of the county comprising the museum district or the county within the museum district having the largest population a petition addressed to the circuit court of the county requesting dissolution of the museum district.
    A hearing shall be held thereon as nearly as possible as in the case of a formation petition. If upon the hearing, the court finds that the petition is sufficient it shall certify the proposition to the proper election officials, who shall submit the question to the voters at an election in accordance with the general election law. The proposition shall be substantially in the following form:
--------------------------------------------------------------
    Shall the ......                    YES
Historical Museum District    --------------------------------
be dissolved?                           NO
--------------------------------------------------------------
    If a majority of the votes cast on the proposition are in favor of dissolution, the court shall by order declare the museum district dissolved.
    If the vote is not in favor of the dissolution of the museum district, the proposition to dissolve the museum district shall not again be submitted to a vote for a period of 3 years. If the vote is in favor of dissolution of the museum district, the board shall close the affairs of the museum district and all property, excluding real property, shall be conveyed within 12 months to the Illinois State Museum or to such State or county agency, State university, community college, private college or other such semi-public, tax exempt, organization as the district trustees shall designate upon the approval of the director of the Illinois State Museum. Any remaining property may then be conveyed to the county board. The Attorney General of the State of Illinois shall be responsible for the enforcement of this Division and shall see that no liquidation of any property acquired by any district established by this Division shall violate these provisions.
    All money remaining after the business affairs of the museum district have been closed, and its debts and obligations have been paid, shall be paid to the county comprising the museum district. If the museum district is located in more than one county, then all such remaining money shall be paid to each county on a pro rata basis of the assessed value of property of the museum district located in each county. All conveyances of real property shall be subject to the approval of the Illinois State Museum.
(Source: P.A. 86-962.)

    (55 ILCS 5/5-31021) (from Ch. 34, par. 5-31021)
    Sec. 5-31021. Construction. This Division shall be construed as supplemental and in addition to existing statutory authority and as providing an independent method of financing the cost of acquiring lands or rights thereof and holding the same for historical purposes.
(Source: P.A. 86-962.)

    (55 ILCS 5/5-31022)
    Sec. 5-31022. Cessation of district organization. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, if a majority vote of the board is in favor of the proposition to annex the district to another district whose boundaries are contiguous, or consolidate the district into a municipality with which the district is coterminous or substantially coterminous, or consolidate the district into the county in which the district sits if the district contains territory within only one county, and if the governing authorities of the governmental unit assuming the functions of the former district agree by resolution to accept the functions (and jurisdiction over the territory, if applicable) of the consolidated or annexed district, then the district shall cease. On the effective date of the annexation or consolidation, all the rights, powers, duties, assets, property, liabilities, indebtedness, obligations, bonding authority, taxing authority, and responsibilities of the district shall vest in and be assumed by the governmental unit assuming the functions of the former district.
    The employees of the former district shall be transferred to the governmental unit assuming the functions of the former district. The governmental unit assuming the functions of the former district shall exercise the rights and responsibilities of the former district with respect to those employees. The status and rights of the employees of the former district under any applicable contracts or collective bargaining agreements, historical representation rights under the Illinois Public Labor Relations Act, or under any pension, retirement, or annuity plan shall not be affected by this amendatory Act.
(Source: P.A. 98-1002, eff. 8-18-14.)