AN ACT Relating to irrigation district administration; amending RCW 87.06.040; and repealing RCW 87.80.140 and 87.80.150.

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

Sec. 1.  RCW 87.06.040 and 1988 c 134 s 4 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) After the completion of the title searches, the treasurer, in the name of the irrigation district, shall commence legal action to foreclose on the assessment liens. The treasurer shall give notice of application for judgment foreclosing assessment liens and summons to all parties in interest as disclosed by the title search. The treasurer may include in any notice any number of separate properties. Such notice and summons shall contain:

(a) A statement that the irrigation district is applying to superior court of the county in which the property is located for a judgment foreclosing the lien against the property for delinquent assessments, costs, and interest;

(b) The full name of the superior court in which the district is applying for the judgment; and for each property: The description of the property, the local street address (if any), and the name of each party in interest;

(c) A description of the lien amount due, which shall include the amount listed in RCW 87.06.020(1)(d), plus any costs and interest accruing since the date of preparation of the certificate of delinquency;

(d) A direction to each party in interest summoning the party to appear within sixty days after service of the notice and summons, exclusive of the day of the service, and defend the action or pay the lien amount due; and when service is made by publication, a direction summoning each party to appear within sixty days after the date of the first publication of the notice and summons, exclusive of the day of first publication, and defend the action or pay the amount due;

(e) A notice that, in case of failure to defend or pay the amount due, judgment will be rendered foreclosing the lien of the assessments, costs, and interest against the property; and

(f) The date, time, and place of the foreclosure sale as specified in the application for judgment.

(2) The treasurer shall record in the office of the auditor of the county in which the property is located a notice of lis pendens before commencing the service of the notice and summons.

(3) The notice and summons shall be served in a manner reasonably calculated to inform each party in interest of the foreclosure action. At a minimum, service shall be accomplished by either (a) personal service upon a party in interest, or (b) publication once in a newspaper of general circulation that is circulated in the area in which the property is located and mailing of notice by certified mail to the party in interest.

(4) Notice and summons need not be served on holders of easements on the property if the easements are a matter of public record in the auditor's office of the county in which the property is located. Any foreclosure of delinquent assessments on any tract, lot, or parcel of real property subject to such easement or easements, and any treasurer's deed subsequently issued, is subject to such easement or easements that were established of record before the date of the certificate of delinquency for which the delinquent assessment was foreclosed.

(5) It shall be the duty of the treasurer to mail a copy of the notice and summons, within fifteen days after the first publication or service thereof, to the treasurer of each county, city, or town within which any property involved in an assessment foreclosure is situated, but the treasurer's failure to do so shall not affect the jurisdiction of the court nor the priority of any assessment lien sought to be foreclosed.

(1) RCW 87.80.140 (Annual budget of board—Hearing—Notice) and 1996 c 320 s 12 & 1949 c 56 s 13; and

(2) RCW 87.80.150 (Hearing and adoption of budget) and 1949 c 56 s 14.