J. MILLARD TAWES, Governor                         1731

estimate of the cost of making surveys and preparing a complete
engineering and financial report which shall include the estimated
assessed property valuation as fixed for County taxation purposes
within the proposed sub-district, which estimated assessed valua-
tion shall be furnished to the Commission by the County Commis-
sioners. Whenever such preliminary estimates are completed, the
Commission shall give notice by publication in one or more news-
papers published within the County once a week for three (3) suc-
cessive weeks and by handbills posted and circulated in the proposed
sub-district, which notice shall state the boundaries of the sub-
district and the urban service to be provided therein together with
the time and place of the hearing to be held, at which hearing those
present shall be given the probable cost of providing such area with
the urban service or services requested in said petition as shown by
the preliminary survey and the probable cost of the preparation of the
complete engineering and financial report incident thereto. At the
conclusion of the hearing, the Commission shall determine whether
on the basis of the preliminary surveys and estimates of the probable
cost of providing the urban service or services requested, and the
facts and comments presented by the residents of the area during
the hearing, it should have a complete engineering and financial
report made to determine the feasibility of providing the urban
service or services requested. If the Commission decides that the
proposed service is desirable for the health, safety and welfare of
the residents of the proposed sub-district and seems feasible from
both the engineering and financial standpoints, it shall proceed to
have complete engineering and financial reports prepared including
the estimated assessed property valuation as fixed for county taxa-
tion within the proposed sub-district. If the Commission decides not
to proceed, its decision shall be final unless within forty-five (45)
days after the date of said hearing a petition signed by the owners
of twenty-five percent (25%) of the assessed valuation of the land
(excluding improvements thereon) lying within the proposed sub-
district is filed with the Commission requesting a vote on the pro-
posal. Upon receipt of a petition signed by the owners of twenty-
five percent (25%) of the assessed valuation of the land lying within
the proposed sub-district requesting a vote on the proposal, the Com-
mission shall set a time and place for the balloting, which place shall
be within the proposed sub-district. The Commission shall give public
notice of the time, place and hours of the balloting by publication
in one or more newspapers published within said County once a week
for three (3) successive weeks and by notices posted in public
places within the proposed sub-district. The owners (eliminating
mortgagees and considering joint owners or owners in common as
one person) of property lying within said proposed sub-district shall
have the right to vote for or against the proposed service, and for
the purposes of such balloting each owner shall be entitled to cast
one vote for each $500.00 or majority fraction thereof, of assessed
valuation of his land, excepting therefrom, the assessed valuation of
all improvements thereon, lying within the proposed sub-district and
further provided that each owner shall be entitled to cast at least
one vote and that each separately assessed parcel shall be a unit for
voting purposes. If a majority of the votes cast at such balloting
are in favor of the proposed urban service in the designated area,
the Commission shall prepare a complete engineering and financial
report including the estimated assessed property valuation as fixed