Section 36-82-6. Notice, hearing, order of court, and affidavit of two disinterested witnesses as to destruction of bonds; compensation of witnesses; payment of costs of proceedings

   (a) The governing authorities of the county, municipal corporation, or political subdivision shall publish a notice, once a week for four consecutive weeks, in the newspaper in which county advertisements are usually published in the county or in the county in which the municipal corporation or political subdivision is located. The notice shall indicate that the unsold bonds will be destroyed at the time and at the place in the county, municipal corporation, or political subdivision stated in the notice.

(b) If no objection is filed by a taxpayer of the county, municipal corporation, or political subdivision with the clerk of the superior court of the county or of the county in which the municipal corporation or political division is located, at least five days before the date stated in the notice, or if such objection is filed and the judge of the superior court, after hearing, determines the objection to be without merit, the judge of the superior court shall order the unsold bonds destroyed by fire at the time and place stated in the notice or at the time and place stated in the order of the court.

(c) The judge shall also name two disinterested witnesses, who are neither officers nor employees of the county, municipal corporation, or political subdivision, to attend the destruction of the bonds, whose affidavits, filed with the clerk of the superior court, shall be prima-facie evidence that the bonds have been destroyed. The affidavits of the witnesses shall be preserved as records of the office of the clerk of the superior court. The witnesses shall be compensated for their services in the amount of $5.00 each.

(d) All costs of such proceedings shall be paid by the county, municipal corporation, or political subdivision, except where an objection filed is determined to be without merit, in which case costs of the pleadings, hearings, and judgment on the objection shall be taxed against the person objecting.

Ga. L. 1941, p. 426, § 2.