To carry out the purposes set forth in section 13-304, the county board of any county is authorized to hire such employees as it deems necessary, and to appoint a park and recreation board of not less than three members to serve without compensation and to issue bonds for such purposes; Provided, that no such bonds shall be issued until the question of issuing the same shall have been submitted to the electors of the county at a general election therein, or at a special election called for such purposes, and a majority of electors voting at such election shall have voted in favor of issuing the bonds. Notice of such election shall be given by publication once each week for three successive weeks prior thereto in a legal newspaper published in or of general circulation in such county. Such bonds shall be payable in not less than five nor more than twenty years from the date of issuance thereof, and shall bear interest not exceeding the rate of six percent per annum, payable annually, with interest coupons attached to the bonds.

Whenever five percent of the registered voters voting in the county at the last general election and residing in such county shall file a petition in the office of the county clerk of such county requesting the county board of such county to submit the question of issuing bonds to the electors at the next general election or at a special election; or to submit to such electors the question of levying a park and recreation tax, as authorized by section 13-304, or both such questions, the county clerk shall determine and certify whether such petition has been signed by at least five percent of the registered voters voting in the county in the last general election, and who appear to reside in such county. He shall then present such petition to the county board at its next regular meeting. The county board shall thereupon cause such question of the issuance of bonds or levying such tax or both such questions, according to such petition, to be submitted to the electors of such county at the next general election, or special election called for such purpose if requested in such petition.