Syfert Injury Law Firm

Your Trusted Partner in Personal Injury & Workers' Compensation

Call Now: 904-383-7448

2018 Georgia Code 36-82-77 | Car Wreck Lawyer

TITLE 36 LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Chapter 82 information not found

ARTICLE 3 REVENUE BONDS

36-82-77. Hearing and judgment on validation; parties to proceedings; right of appeal; review of valuation of existing undertakings.

  1. Within the time prescribed in the order or such further time as he may fix, the judge of the superior court shall proceed to hear and determine all questions of law and of fact in the case and shall render judgment thereof. Any citizen of this state who is a resident of the governmental body which desires to issue such bonds may become a party to the proceedings at or before the time set for the hearing and any party thereto who is dissatisfied with the judgment of the court confirming and validating the issuance of the bonds or refusing to confirm and validate the issuance of the bonds and the security therefor may appeal from the judgment under the procedure provided by law in cases of injunction. Only a party to the proceedings at the time the judgment appealed from is rendered may appeal from such judgment.
  2. Whenever any governmental body values existing undertakings as permitted by law in connection with the issuance of bonds, the superior courts may review such action, which review shall be had in the proceedings to validate the revenue bonds.

(Ga. L. 1937, p. 761, § 13; Ga. L. 1939, p. 362, § 3; Ga. L. 1966, p. 48, § 2; Ga. L. 1987, p. 3, § 36.)

JUDICIAL DECISIONS

Constitutionality.

- See Lawson v. City of Moultrie, 194 Ga. 699, 22 S.E.2d 592 (1942).

Duty of trial court to review soundness of venture.

- It is the duty of the trial court on the hearing of an application to validate revenue anticipation bonds to determine from the evidence the fact of whether or not the venture is sound, feasible, and reasonable, and not to review the discretion of the municipal authorities in proposing the venture. Carter v. State, 93 Ga. App. 12, 90 S.E.2d 672 (1955).

Generally there can be but one action to validate either certificates or bonds; in either case all interventions would be heard in the validation proceedings, and the allegation that a declaratory judgment is necessary to avoid a multiplicity of actions is a conclusion of the pleader, contrary to the statutory provisions pertaining to validation of revenue anticipation bonds. Liner v. City of Rossville, 212 Ga. 664, 94 S.E.2d 862 (1956).

This section authorizes intervention of "any citizen of this state, resident of such municipality" in any proceeding to validate revenue anticipation bonds. Liner v. City of Rossville, 212 Ga. 664, 94 S.E.2d 862 (1956) (see O.C.G.A. § 36-82-77).

Standing to challenge bond validation.

- Appeal filed by challengers to a trial court judgment confirming and validating a city's bond issuance was dismissed because the challengers failed to present any evidence to establish the challengers standing under O.C.G.A. § 36-82-77(a) to become parties in the bond validation proceeding; thus, the challengers lacked standing to appeal the judgment in that proceeding. Sherman v. City of Atlanta, 317 Ga. 345, 730 S.E.2d 113 (2013).

Attorney who intervened in a bond validation proceeding pursuant to O.C.G.A. § 36-82-77(a) and then offered to withdraw the attorney's objections if the developers paid the attorney a substantial amount of money did not violate Ga. St. Bar R. 4-102(d):4.2(a) or Ga. St. Bar. R. 4-102(d):8.4(a)(4) because the attorney's conduct was not fraudulent; a party could intervene for ulterior and personal reasons and still have standing. In the Matter of Woodham, 296 Ga. 618, 769 S.E.2d 353 (2015).

Validity of agreement proper subject for superior court.

- Superior court had authority to adjudicate the validity of a Hotel/Motel Tax Operation and Maintenance Agreement for a stadium project even though the agreement did not act as security for the bonds, based on the court's jurisdiction to hear and determine all questions of law and of fact in the bond validation case and render judgment on those issues, pursuant to O.C.G.A. § 36-82-77. Cottrell v. Atlanta Dev. Auth., 297 Ga. 1, 770 S.E.2d 616 (2015).

No right to jury trial.

- Bond validation proceeding is not one of class of cases, either in terms or by analogy, in which jury trials have ever existed as a matter of right; and it does not fall within Ga. Const. 1976, Art. VI, Sec. XV, Para. I (see Ga. Const. 1983, Art. I, Sec. I, Para. XI). Steadham v. State, 224 Ga. 78, 159 S.E.2d 397, cert. denied, 393 U.S. 825, 89 S. Ct. 87, 21 L. Ed. 2d 96 (1968).

Sufficiency of information in engineering report.

- Information contained in engineering report introduced in evidence met the statutory requirements as to certainty and definiteness, in that it showed with reasonable certainty the nature, kind, and location of the improvements and described and defined with reasonable fullness and definiteness the undertaking including the estimated costs thereof. Carter v. State, 93 Ga. App. 12, 90 S.E.2d 672 (1955).

Burden of making out case on intervenors when stipulations make prima facie case.

- When citizens as intervenors file an intervention objecting to the validation of revenue anticipation bonds, the burden is on the plaintiff in the proceeding to make out a prima facie case, but when the parties to such a proceeding by stipulation and other admissions admit sufficient material allegations to make out a prima facie case it is not error for the judge to rule that the burden is upon intervenors to introduce evidence in support of their intervention. Dade County v. State, 77 Ga. App. 139, 48 S.E.2d 144 (1948).

Intervention seeking validation denial for nonconformity with law not subject to dismissal.

- Intervention filed by a resident and taxpayer of the municipality proposing to issue revenue bonds which seeks to have the validation denied and the proceedings dismissed because such petition was not filed in conformity with such laws is not subject to demurrer (now motion to dismiss). State v. Smallwood, 103 Ga. App. 400, 119 S.E.2d 297 (1961).

Intervention in bond validation proceeding.

- Challenger in an action validating and confirming taxable revenue bonds lacked standing to intervene in the action as a result of failing to comply with the intervention procedures set forth in O.C.G.A. § 9-11-24(c); and, because the challenger lacked standing to become a party in the trial court, the challenger also lacked standing to appeal the trial court's judgment, therefore, the appeal was dismissed. Sherman v. Dev. Auth., 324 Ga. App. 23, 749 S.E.2d 29 (2013).

Exception must be taken to judgment validating revenue anticipation bonds within 20 days from such judgment, and, when the superior court of a county enters an order validating water revenue certificates of a city on February 16, and exception is not taken to such judgment until March 16, (a period of 28 days), the Court of Appeals is without jurisdiction to review that judgment. Drury v. City of Woodbine, 96 Ga. App. 158, 99 S.E.2d 550 (1957).

State a necessary party in intervention in validation proceeding.

- On appeal by intervening taxpayers and citizens from a judgment of the superior court overruling their objections and validating the bonds, the state is a necessary and indispensable party, and, it appearing that the state had not been made a party to the bill of exceptions or served with a copy of the bill of exception, the writ of error is properly dismissed. Darby v. City of Vidalia, 75 Ga. App. 804, 44 S.E.2d 454 (1947).

Notice and a hearing required before dismissal of intervention complaints.

- Trial court erred in dismissing a complaint by intervenors objecting to a bond validation proceeding without notice and a hearing on the dismissal issue, although the trial court found that the intervenors had intervened for the improper purpose of seeking $ 1.3 million from developers to avoid the litigation. Citizens for Ethics in Gov't, LLC v. Atlanta Dev. Auth., 303 Ga. App. 724, 694 S.E.2d 680 (2010), cert. denied, No. S10C1350, 2010 Ga. LEXIS 722 (Ga. 2010).

When proper issue of fact is raised as to feasibility of plan to validate refunding bonds, it is for the trial court to determine, under the evidence, such issue. Dade County v. State, 75 Ga. App. 330, 43 S.E.2d 434 (1947); Carter v. State, 93 Ga. App. 12, 90 S.E.2d 672 (1955).

Bond approval not proper.

- Trial court erred by validating taxable revenue bonds for a county development authority as the order validating the bonds failed to set forth sufficient findings of fact and conclusions of law to support the court's holdings and, thus, failed to satisfy the requirements of O.C.G.A. § 9-11-52(a). Sherman v. Dev. Auth., 320 Ga. App. 689, 740 S.E.2d 663 (2013).

Standard of review.

- When the trial court has concluded the project promoted the statutory objectives and there is evidence to support the trial court's decision, the Supreme Court will find no error. Alexander v. Macon-Bibb County Urban Dev. Auth. & Urban Properties #47, 257 Ga. 181, 357 S.E.2d 62 (1987).

Remand to trial court for preparation of findings and conclusions.

- Judgment granting the state's petition to validate revenue bonds under the Revenue Bond Law, O.C.G.A. § 36-82-60 et seq., was remanded to the trial court because the trial court failed to mention in the judgment the citizen who intervened in the proceedings and to set forth findings of fact and conclusions of law with respect to various grounds pursued by the citizen as required by O.C.G.A. § 9-11-52(a); prior to the judgment, the citizen requested findings of fact and conclusions of law. Sherman v. Dev. Auth., 314 Ga. App. 237, 723 S.E.2d 528 (2012).

Validation upheld.

- After a trial court required two intervenors to post a bond of $625,000 with regard to the intervenors' challenge to the public improvement bond approved by a city's building authority for a sewer project, the trial court properly validated the bond by following all necessary procedural requirements and the bond did not violate Ga. Const. 1983, Art. IX, Sec. V, Para. I(a) since the city's payment for the use of the sewer project was a debt specifically authorized under the constitution pursuant to Ga. Const. 1983, Art. IX, Sec. III, Para. I(a). Berry v. City of E. Point, 277 Ga. App. 649, 627 S.E.2d 391 (2006).

Memorandum of agreement establishing valuation method part of lease agreement.

- Because a memorandum of agreement establishing the valuation methodology to be used in assessing ad valorem taxes on a leasehold estate was referenced by the lease and dictated the methodology to be used to value a corporation's leasehold estate for ad valorem tax purposes, it constituted an integral part of the lease agreement and was properly before the trial court; in a transaction in which revenue bonds will be paid through lease proceeds, all agreements relating to the lease are properly within the trial court's jurisdiction. Sherman v. Dev. Auth., 317 Ga. App. 345, 730 S.E.2d 113 (2012).

Cited in Gibbs v. City of Social Circle, 191 Ga. 422, 12 S.E.2d 335 (1940); Mays v. State, 110 Ga. App. 881, 140 S.E.2d 223 (1965); Peagler v. State, 223 Ga. 886, 159 S.E.2d 72 (1968); Nations v. Downtown Dev. Auth., 255 Ga. 324, 338 S.E.2d 240 (1985); Youngblood v. State, 259 Ga. 864, 388 S.E.2d 671 (1990).

RESEARCH REFERENCES

Am. Jur. 2d.

- 64 Am. Jur. 2d, Public Securities and Obligations, §§ 369, 372.

C.J.S.

- 64A C.J.S., Municipal Corporations, §§ 2139, 2140, 2173.

Cases Citing O.C.G.A. § 36-82-77

Total Results: 18  |  Sort by: Relevance  |  Newest First

Copy

Savage v. State of Georgia, 297 Ga. 627 (Ga. 2015).

Cited 28 times | Published | Supreme Court of Georgia | Jun 29, 2015 | 774 S.E.2d 624

...The more significant and realistic protection against improper validation of revenue bonds is provided by the statutory right of any resident of the affected jurisdiction to intervene in the proceedings to present objections and then to appeal the trial court’s validation decision. See OCGA § 36-82-77; Greene County Dev. Auth., 296 Ga. at 726; Nations I, 255 Ga. at 325, 332.13 13 OCGA § 36-82-77 says: Any citizen of this state who is a resident of the governmental body which desires to issue such bonds may become a party to the proceedings at or before the time set for the hearing and any party thereto who is d...
Copy

Sherman v. City of Atlanta, 293 Ga. 169 (Ga. 2013).

Cited 24 times | Published | Supreme Court of Georgia | Jun 17, 2013 | 744 S.E.2d 689, 2013 Fulton County D. Rep. 1818

...become parties and raise objections in this case, and no competent evidence was admitted to show that either Appellant was a Georgia citizen and Atlanta resident, which were the prerequisites to becoming a party under the Revenue Bond Law. See OCGA § 36-82-77 (a) (“Any citizen of this state who is a resident of the governmental body which desires to issue such bonds may become a party to the proceedings at or before the time set for the hearing ”)....
...public. See OCGA § 36-82-76. A bond validation hearing is an evidentiary hearing at which “the judge of the superior court shall proceed to hear and determine all questions of law and of fact in the case and shall render judgment thereof.” OCGA § 36-82-77 (a). Just before the hearing started, counsel for Appellants John S....
...Eichler filed and served on the parties a document entitled “Objections to Bond Validation and Denial of Bond Validation Petition Allegations” (“Objection”). The Objection, which was verified by Eichler, alleged that Appellants were Georgia citizens and City residents and as such had the right under OCGA § 36-82-77 (a) to become parties to the proceeding and file objections to the bond issuance....
...her Sherman nor Eichler was present at the bond validation hearing, and that Appellees had “raised the issue of whether the Objection could be heard if [Appellants] were not present to show that they were citizens of this State as required by OCGA § 36-82-77 (a).” However, the court ruled that it was “not necessary to reach this question” because of the court’s decision to “overrule [ ], den[y] and dismiss[ ] each of the objections to the [bond] validation” on the merits....
...ties to be prepared to address at oral argument whether the appellants proved in the trial court that they were citizens of this state and residents of the governmental body which desires to issue the bonds, as required to become a party under OCGA § 36-82-77 (a), and, if not, whether the appellants are authorized to bring this appeal. We authorized additional briefing on these issues, and the parties filed supplemental briefs....
...ncy the requirements both for becoming parties in the trial court and for appealing the trial court’s judgment, it is to that question that we now turn. 3. The Revenue Bond Law includes a broad, but not unlimited, citizen-standing provision. OCGA § 36-82-77 (a) states, in pertinent part: ....
...in *173cases of injunction. Only a party to the proceedings at the time the judgment appealed from is rendered may appeal from such judgment. (Emphasis added.) Thus, Appellants’ standing to participate in the bond validation proceeding under OCGA § 36-82-77 (a) was contingent on their proving that they were Georgia citizens and City of Atlanta residents....
...There is simply no evidence in the record that either man was a Georgia citizen or a City resident at the time the Objection was filed on May 8, 2012. Appellants therefore failed to carry their burden of proving their standing to become parties under OCGA § 36-82-77 (a), and the trial court should have dismissed the Objection instead of addressing the merits of Appellants’ arguments against the bond issuance. Moreover, because Appellants were not proper parties in the trial court, they also lack standing under OCGA § 36-82-77 (a) to appeal the trial court’s judgment, and this appeal must be dismissed. 4....
...s necessary to correct the defect. See Sherman II, 321 Ga. App. at 555, n.8. In the end, civil litigants must bear the consequences of their litigation decisions. For the reasons discussed above, Appellants failed to prove their standing under OCGA § 36-82-77 (a) to become parties in this bond validation proceeding, and they therefore also lack standing to appeal the judgment in that proceeding....
Copy

Nations v. Downtown Dev. Auth., 338 S.E.2d 240 (Ga. 1985).

Cited 17 times | Published | Supreme Court of Georgia | Dec 11, 1985 | 255 Ga. 324

...Any citizen of Georgia who is a resident of the issuing governmental body may become a party to the proceedings. At a duly scheduled hearing the judge shall hear and determine all questions of law and fact and render judgment confirming and validating the issuance of the bonds or refusing to do so. OCGA § 36-82-77 (a)....
Copy

In re Woodham, 296 Ga. 618 (Ga. 2015).

Cited 16 times | Published | Supreme Court of Georgia | Feb 16, 2015 | 769 S.E.2d 353

...g “[a]ny citizen of this state who is a resident of the county, municipality, or political subdivision desiring to issue the bonds [to] become a party to the proceedings —” OCGA § 36-82-23 (concerning bond validation generally). See also OCGA § 36-82-77 (a) (concerning revenue bond validation) (“Any citizen of this state who is a resident of the governmental body which desires to issue such bonds may become a party to the proceedings____”)....
Copy

Copeland v. State, 490 S.E.2d 68 (Ga. 1997).

Cited 15 times | Published | Supreme Court of Georgia | Sep 15, 1997 | 268 Ga. 375, 97 Fulton County D. Rep. 3410

...135(2), 62 S.E.2d 921 (1951). The report in this case meets the statutory requirements. Nor is the rate covenant as proposed in the joint resolution deficient in any manner. Judgment affirmed. All the Justices concur. NOTES [1] OCGA § 36-82-60 et seq. [2] See OCGA § 36-82-77, which permits intervention by a resident of the governmental body which desires to issue such bonds, and allows an intervenor to appeal from any judgment rendered in the validation proceeding....
Copy

Youngblood v. State of Ga., 388 S.E.2d 671 (Ga. 1990).

Cited 13 times | Published | Supreme Court of Georgia | Feb 15, 1990 | 259 Ga. 864

...e expenditure of income from the operation of the proposed stadium. 5. The remaining enumerations of error concerning the Stadium Funding Agreement are without merit. Bond Validation 6. Foster argues that the notice provisions of OCGA §§ 36-82-76; 36-82-77 (a) are insufficient to meet the requirements of due process....
Copy

Charlton Dev. Auth. v. Charlton Cnty., 317 S.E.2d 204 (Ga. 1984).

Cited 13 times | Published | Supreme Court of Georgia | Jul 2, 1984 | 253 Ga. 208

...edge and statutory notice of the validation proceedings. All of the issues regarding the tax levy agreements which the County attempts to raise, could have been asserted therein, and any adverse judgment could have been appealed. OCGA §§ 36-82-76, 36-82-77 and 36-82-78; Miller v....
Copy

Alexander v. MacOn-bibb Cnty. Urban Dev. Auth. & Urban Props. 47, 357 S.E.2d 62 (Ga. 1987).

Cited 10 times | Published | Supreme Court of Georgia | Jun 19, 1987 | 257 Ga. 181

...On December 1, 1986, the Authority finalized the resolution to issue bonds for this project, and thereafter the State of Georgia initiated a bond validation proceeding in accordance with OCGA §§ 36-62-8 (g); 36-82-60 et seq. Appellant, a taxpayer, was permitted to intervene in this proceeding. OCGA § 36-82-77....
...espective bond resolutions. In each instance the State of Georgia initiated the appropriate bond validation proceedings which were consolidated for consideration by the trial court. The appellant was permitted to intervene in these proceedings. OCGA § 36-82-77....
Copy

Nations v. Downtown Dev. Auth., 345 S.E.2d 581 (Ga. 1986).

Cited 9 times | Published | Supreme Court of Georgia | Jul 15, 1986 | 256 Ga. 158

...Subsequently, the City and DDA restructured certain portions of the lease, and again petitioned the Superior Court of Fulton County for validation of the bonds. The appellants in Nations I were again permitted to intervene in this proceeding [3] under OCGA § 36-82-77 (a)....
Copy

Frazen v. Downtown Dev. Auth. of Atlanta, 309 Ga. 411 (Ga. 2020).

Cited 7 times | Published | Supreme Court of Georgia | Jun 29, 2020

...intent to issue the Enterprise Zone Bonds. On that same day, the State of Georgia, through the District Attorney, filed a petition for validation of the hearing, four citizens of the City (“Intervenors”), who are the appellants in the present case, moved to intervene.15 See OCGA § 36-82-77 (a)....
...g the Intervenors’ objections on June 21, 2019, and one validating issuance of the Bonds on July 3, 2019. These two rulings form the crux of this appeal. 3. Rulings on Objections Timely Raised by the Intervenors.16 (a) Citing OCGA § 36-82-77 (a), the Intervenors first contend that the trial court erred by failing to hold a wholly separate hearing 16 In their appellate briefs, the Intervenors intertwine objections that were raised in and ruled upon by the trial court with numerous objections that were not....
...We address only those objections considered timely by the trial court, as more fully discussed in Division 3 (b). for the purpose of considering their nine timely objections to the bond validation petition. We disagree. In relevant part, OCGA § 36-82-77 (a) provides: “Within the time prescribed in the order or such further time as he may fix, the judge of the superior court shall proceed to hear and determine all questions of law and of fact in the case and shall render judgment th...
...additional objections to the petition for validation prior to December 19, the date that the hearing on the bond validation resumed. There is no merit to this argument. In general, citizens seeking to intervene in a bond validation proceeding under OCGA § 36-82-77 (a) must file a motion to intervene under OCGA § 9-11-24, as Georgia’s Civil Practice Act applies to bond validation proceedings and dictates the procedure by which a private citizen may become a party to such an action....
Copy

Woodham v. City of Atlanta, 657 S.E.2d 528 (Ga. 2008).

Cited 7 times | Published | Supreme Court of Georgia | Feb 11, 2008 | 283 Ga. 95, 2008 Fulton County D. Rep. 416

...The Atlanta Independent School System ("school system"), the city of Atlanta, and Fulton County (appellees herein) were named as defendants in that action. Appellant John F. Woodham, a resident of Fulton County and the city of Atlanta, intervened under OCGA § 36-82-77(a) and filed objections....
Copy

Quarterman v. Douglas Cnty. Bd. of Commissioners, 602 S.E.2d 651 (Ga. 2004).

Cited 7 times | Published | Supreme Court of Georgia | Sep 13, 2004 | 278 Ga. 363, 2004 Fulton County D. Rep. 2940

...Akridge, supra; Charlton Development Auth. v. Charlton County, 253 Ga. 208, 209, 317 S.E.2d 204 (1984). Instead, he urges that the trial court erroneously denied his request to intervene in the validation proceeding without motion pursuant to OCGA § 36-82-77....
Copy

Cottrell Et Al. v. Atlanta Dev. Auth. Et Al., 297 Ga. 1 (Ga. 2015).

Cited 6 times | Published | Supreme Court of Georgia | Mar 16, 2015 | 770 S.E.2d 616

...However, the trial court’s statement has nothing to do with and no control over a superior court’s jurisdiction “to hear and determine all questions of law and of fact in the [bond validation] case and [] render judgment” on those issues. (Emphasis supplied.) OCGA § 36-82-77....
...ble” [Cit.]) (footnote and punctuation omitted). The validity of the O&M agreement was indeed placed in issue at the April 10, 2014 bond validation hearing, and the trial court committed no error in rendering a judgment on this issue. See OCGA § 36-82-77. 7....
Copy

Dev. Auth. of Cobb Cnty. v. State, 829 S.E.2d 160 (Ga. 2019).

Cited 1 times | Published | Supreme Court of Georgia | Jun 3, 2019

...J., who is disqualified, and Boggs, J., who is not participating. According to the record, the new grocery store is a part of a proposed $ 120 million mixed-use development. It appears that the remainder of the mixed-use development is to be privately financed. See OCGA § 36-82-77 (a) ("Any citizen of this state who is a resident of the governmental body which desires to issue such bonds may become a party to the proceedings [concerning the validation of the bonds]."). The statutory pronouncement that "the develop...
Copy

Dev. Auth. of Cobb Cnty. v. State of Georgia, 306 Ga. 375 (Ga. 2019).

Published | Supreme Court of Georgia | Jun 3, 2019

...1 Cobb County resident Larry Savage objected to the bonds,2 and the 1 According to the record, the new grocery store is a part of a proposed $120 million mixed-use development. It appears that the remainder of the mixed-use development is to be privately financed. 2 See OCGA § 36-82-77 (a) (“Any citizen of this state who is a resident of the governmental body which desires to issue such bonds may become a party to the proceedings [concerning the validation of the bonds].”). Superior Court of Cobb County denied val...

Cottrell v. Atlanta Dev. Auth., D/B/A Invest Atlanta (Ga. 2015).

Published | Supreme Court of Georgia | Mar 16, 2015

...However, the trial court’s statement has nothing to do with and no control over a superior court’s jurisdiction “to hear and determine all questions of law and of fact in the [bond validation] case and . . . render judgment” on those issues. (Emphasis supplied.) OCGA § 36-82-77....
...reasonable.” [Cit.]) (Punctuation and footnote omitted). The validity of the O&M agreement was indeed placed in issue at the April 10, 2014 bond validation hearing, and the trial court committed no error in rendering a judgment on this issue. See OCGA § 36-82-77. 7....

in the Matter of John Floyd Woodham (Ga. 2015).

Published | Supreme Court of Georgia | Feb 16, 2015

...ny citizen of this state who is a resident of the county, municipality, or political subdivision desiring to issue the bonds [to] become a party to the proceedings . . . .” OCGA § 36-82-23 (concerning bond validation generally). See also OCGA § 36-82-77 (a) (concerning revenue bond validation) (“Any citizen of this state who is a resident of the governmental body which desires to issue such bonds may become a party to the proceedings ....

in the Matter of John Floyd Woodham (Ga. 2015).

Published | Supreme Court of Georgia | Feb 16, 2015

...ny citizen of this state who is a resident of the county, municipality, or political subdivision desiring to issue the bonds [to] become a party to the proceedings . . . .” OCGA § 36-82-23 (concerning bond validation generally). See also OCGA § 36-82-77 (a) (concerning revenue bond validation) (“Any citizen of this state who is a resident of the governmental body which desires to issue such bonds may become a party to the proceedings ....