§ 2-52. Transfer of facilities of existing libraries to county.

(a) Under the direction of the county executive, the director of the department of public libraries is hereby authorized and directed to negotiate with properly authorized representatives of the governing bodies of all public libraries or subscription libraries existing in the county or the governing bodies of any incorporated municipality within the county which operates, owns or supports, in whole or in part, a public library as of the effective date of this article for the transfer to the county, upon such terms and conditions as may be agreed upon, of all book collections, equipment and other facilities or property including land and buildings which such governing bodies may desire to transfer into the county public library system. The director is directed, at the request of such governing body, to include among such terms and conditions the following:

(1) Warranties to any such governing body that library facilities at least equivalent in value to the facilities and property transferred into the county system by any governing body will be made available by the county in the form of library facilities and services to the particular area represented by such governing body, and

(2) Provisions that any such governing body holding in trust cash, securities or any other evidences of indebtedness or unimproved real property acquired from proceeds of taxes levied for a library special taxing area may retain such cash, evidences of indebtedness and property for use in making available, at such times as there has been placed in operation a library building adequate to serve the council district in which located, such additional library facilities as such governing body in its discretion determines to be suitable and as may be approved by the director.

(b) After the terms and conditions of transfer of any such facilities and property have been agreed upon, the county executive is hereby authorized to accept, on behalf of the county, the transfer of such facilities and property to the county effective on the first day of July next following. The conveyance of title to the county of any property pursuant to the provisions of this article shall be evidenced by a written contract or agreement approved by the county attorney. (Mont. Co. Code 1965, § 2-58; 1969 L.M.C., ch. 34, § 14.)