The boards of county commissioners of any two (2) or more counties jointly may provide a detention home or juvenile farm for the purpose of caring for children under eighteen (18) years of age who are in the custody of the judge of the district court; or upon presentation to the board of county commissioners of each of such counties of a petition signed by at least fifteen percent (15%) of the voters of said county as determined by the total vote cast for the office of secretary of state at the last preceding general election, said boards shall each call an election to be held at the date of the next succeeding election and shall submit at such election the question of establishing such joint detention home or juvenile farm. Such question shall appear upon the ballot as follows:
For the "detention home" (juvenile farm) ................................. []
Against the "detention home" (juvenile farm) ............................[]
And if a majority of the votes cast for and against such proposition in each such county shall be in favor of such establishment, the boards of county commissioners of such counties shall proceed to establish the same as herein provided. Until a properly equipped home or farm has been provided, such boards of county commissioners may lease or rent a suitable building or part thereof, for a term not to exceed five (5) years to be used for such purposes.
Control of the home or farm shall be under a board of directors composed of the judge of the district court and one county commissioner of each of the participating counties.
K.S.A. 38-528