‘Sec. 3. Referendum; effective date. This Act takes effect when approved only for the purpose of permitting its submission to the legal voters of the Ashland Water and Sewer District at the same time and place as the next municipal election. The referendum must be called, advertised and conducted according to the law relating to municipal elections, except the registrar of voters is not required to prepare or the clerk to post a new list of voters. The referendum may be held outside the territory of the district if the usual voting place for persons located within the district is located outside the territory of the district. For the purpose of registering voters, the registrar of voters must be in session on the regular workday preceding the election. The question presented must conform to the following form:

"Do you favor authorizing the Ashland Water and Sewer District to establish a lien on real estate served or benefited by the sewers of the district to secure the payment of the district's rates?"

The voters shall indicate by a cross or check mark placed against the word "Yes" or "No" their opinion of the same.

The results must be declared by the trustees and entered upon the district's records. Due certificate of the result must be filed by the clerk with the Secretary of State.

This Act takes effect for all other purposes immediately upon its acceptance by a majority of the legal voters of the district voting in the referendum. Failure to achieve the necessary approval by a majority of voters does not prohibit subsequent referenda consistent with this section. The costs of referenda are borne by the district.’