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CHAPTER 8513 No. 118

AN ACT to Divide the County of DeSoto, and to create and establish the Counties of Hardee, Highlands, Glades and Charlotte from portions of DeSoto County, and Providing for the Organization and Government thereof.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF FLORIDA:

Section 1. That the County of DeSoto shall be and is hereby divided, and from portions thereof four new counties shall be and are hereby created and established, namely:

Hardee County, created and established hereby, shall comprise and include all that territory now situated in the County of DeSoto, described and bounded as follows, to-wit; Beginning at the Northeast corner of Township 33 South, Range 27 East, in DeSoto County, Florida, running thence South on Range line dividing Ranges 27 and 28, to the Southeast corner of Section 13, Township 36 South, Range 27 East; running thence West following the Section line to the Southwest corner of Section 18, Township 35 South, Range 23 East; running thence North on Range line dividing Ranges 22 and 23 to the Northwest corner of Township 33 South, Range 23 East; running thence East along Township line dividing Townships 32 and 33, to the place of beginning:

Highlands County, created and established hereby, shall comprise and include all that territory now situated in the County of DeSoto, described and bounded as follows, to-wit: Beginning at the Northwest corner of Township 33 South, Range 28 East, in DeSoto County, and running east on Township line dividing Townships 32 and 33, to the intersection of same with the Kissimee River; running thence Southerly along said River and bordering Okeechobee County, to the intersection of the Township line dividing Townships 37 and 38 with said River and boundary; running thence West on said Township line to the Southwest corner of Township 37, South, Range 32 East; running thence South on Range line dividing Rages 31 and 32 to the Southwest corner of Township 38 South, Range 32 East; running thence West on the Township line dividing Townships 38 and 39, to the Northwest corner of Township 39, South, Range 31 East; running thence South.

on the range line dividing ranges 30 and 31, to the Southwest corner of Township 39 South, Range 31 East; running thence West on the Township line dividing Townships 39 and 40, to the Northwest corner of Township 40, South, Range 28 East; running thence North on the Range line dividing Ranges 27 and 28 to the place of beginning:

Glades County, created and established hereby, shall comprise and include all that territory now situated in the County of DeSoto, described and bounded as follows, to-wit; Beginning at the Northwest corner of Township 40, South, Range 28 East, in DeSoto County, running thence East on Township line dividing Townships 39 and 40 to the Southeast corner of Township 39 South, Range 30 East; Running thence North on Range line dividing Ranges 30 and 31, to the Northwest corner of Township 39 South, Range 31 East; running thence East on Township line dividing Townships 38 and 39, to the Northwest corner of Township 39, South, Range 32 East; running thence North on Range line Dividing Ranges 31 and 32, to the Northwest corner of Township 38, South, Range 32 East; Running thence East on Township line dividing Townships 37 and 38 to the intersection of the same with the Kissimmee River, and the Western boundary of Okeechabee County; running thence Southerly along the Kissimmee River and the Western boundary of Okeechobee County to Lake Okeechobee; Running thence Southerly along Lake Okeechobee and the Western Boundary of Palm Beach County to the Intersection of the Township line dividing Townships 42 and 43; running thence West along said Township line to the Southwest corner of Township 42 South, Range 28 East; Running thence North on the Range line dividing Ranges 27 and 28 to the place of beginning:

Charlotte County, created and established hereby, shall comprise and include all that territory now situated in the County of DeSoto, described and bounded as follows, to-wit: Beginning at the Northeast corner of Township 40 South, Range 27 East, in DeSoto County, running thence South on Range line dividing Ranges 27 and 28 to the Township line dividing Townships 42 and 43 to Lee County; running thence West on said Township line to the waters of the Gulf of Mexico; running thence Northerly and Westerly along said Gulf of Mexico to the intersection therewith of the Township line dividing Townships 40 and 41; running thence East along said Township line to the Southeast corner of Township 40 South, Range 20 East; running thence North on the Range line dividing Ranges 20 and 21 to the Northwest corner of Township 40 South, Range21 East; running thence

East on Township line dividing Townships 39 and 40 to the place of beginning;

All the remaining territory shall continue to be and constitute the County of DeSoto.

Section 2. The said Counties shall be part of the First Congressional District; a part of the Twenty-seventh Senatorial District, and a part of the Twelfth Judicial Circuit, and each of said Counties shall have one member in the House of Representatives of Florida.

Section 3. The Town or City of Wauchula shall be the temporary county seat of Hardee County; the town or city of Sebring shall be the temporary county seat of Highlands County; the town or city of Moorehaven shall be the temporary county seat of Glades County; the town or city of Punta Gorda shall be the temporary county seat of Charlotte County; all until a permanent County seat is duly established for each said County in accordance with the laws of Florida.

Section 4. That it shall be the duty of the Governor of this State, after this Act shall become a law, to appoint officers to the several offices of each of said new counties, as in other counties in this State to which each of said Counties may be entitled under the Constitution and laws of the State of Florida.

Section 5. That it shall be the duty of the Board of County Commissioners of each of said new Counties, to hold their first meeting on the first Monday after they shall have been duly qualified, and at said meeting they shall make arrangements for carrying on the county government and shall perform such other duties as may be required of them by law. And at some future meeting they shall order an election for the purpose of locating a permanent county seat for each said county in accordance with the laws of Florida to be held not later than the 2nd Tuesday in February, 1923.

Section 6. That it shall be the duty of the Board of Public Instruction of each of said new counties, to hold their first meeting on the first Monday after they shall have been duly qualified, and to proceed to perform their duties.

Section 7. It shall be the duty of the Board of County Commissioners of each of said new counties, and of the County of

DeSoto, at as early a date as may be possible, to hold a conference or conferences and agree upon a plan or plans for the assumption by each of said counties of its pro rata share of the indebtedness od DeSoto County in accordance with the Constitution of the State of Florida, and also upon and equitable division of the surplus funds and personal or movable property that DeSoto County may have on hand, not otherwise provided for in this Act; and also to agree upon a plan or plans for the distribution and disposition, and provisions for the payment of, any indebtedness of any Special Tax Road District or Districts, and also any indebtedness of any Special Road and Bridge District or Districts, the territory of which may be divided between any counties by this Act; and also for the division and distribution of any moneys, funds, and other personal property of any such Special Tax Road Districts or Special Road and Bridge Districts.

Section 8. Whenever the boundaries of any of said counties as herein given, shall divide any special tax road district, or special road and bridge district, so much of any such district as shall be in each county shall constitute and be a separate district, and the Board of Tustees of any such district, a portion of which remains in Desoto County, shall be and remain the Board of Trustees as to such portion for the remainder of their terms of office, and it shall be the duty of the Governor of the State of Florida to appoint members of a Board of Trustees for any portion of such district as may be in any one of the new counties hereby established, or should portions of said district be in more than one of said new counties, as well as in DeSoto, to appoint a Board of Trustees for each such portion or new district; said appointed members to hold office until the election or appointment and qualification thereupon of their successors according to law. Should the boundaries of said new counties as given herein so divide any such district as not to leave any portion thereof in DeSoto County, each portion so divided shall constitute a separate district, and the Board of Trustees for said old district shall continue as trustees for the largest portion or new district into which said old district is divided, and the Governor of the State shall appoint a Board or Boards of Trustees for the other portion or portions as above provided.

Section 9. It shall be the duty of the Board of Public Instruction of each of said new counties, and of the County of DeSoto, at as early a date as may be possible, to hold a conference or conferences and agree upon a plan or plans for the assumption by each of said counties of its pro rata share of the indebtedness of the Board of Public Instruction of DeSoto County, and also upon an equitable division of the surplus funds that said Board may have on hand, or that may be owing to said Board; and also to agree upon a plan or plans for the distribution and disposition, and provisions for the payment of any indebtedness of any Special School Tax District, the territory of which may be divided between any counties by this Act; and also upon the division and distribution of any moneys, funds and other personal property of any such Special School Tax District.

Section 10. Wherever the boundaries of any of said counties as given herein, shall divide any Special School Tax District so much of any such district as shall be in each county shall constitute and be a separate Special School Tax District, and the Board of Trustees of any such District, a portion of which remains in DeSoto County, shall be and remain the Board of Trustees as to such portion for the remainder of their terms of office, and it shall be the duty of the Governor for the State of Florida to appoint members of a Board of Trustees for any portion of such district as may be in any one of the new counties hereby established, or should portions of said district be in more than one of said new counties, as well as in DeSoto County, to appoint a Board for each such portion, or new district, said appointed members to hold office until the election or appointment and qualification thereupon of their successors according to law. Should the boundaries of said new counties, as given herein, divide any Special Board Tax District, but leaving no portion thereof in DeSoto County, each such portion so divided shall constitute a separate district, and the Board of Trustees for said old district shall continue as Trustees for the largest portion of new district into which said old district is divided, and the Governor of the State shall appoint a Board or Boards of Trustees for the other portion or portions, as above provided.

Section 11. The courts of each of said counties shall have civil and criminal jurisdiction throughout said county over causes of action which shall have accrued, and over crimes and