Florida Florida Statutes

§ 157.22 — Repairing drains; appointment of committee; report to commissioners; contract; bond; assessment

FS § 157.22Ch. 157

Statute text

Whenever it shall become known to the board of county commissioners that it is necessary to repair any public drain or auxiliary thereto the said board of county commissioners shall appoint a committee of three competent and disinterested persons who are citizens of the county who shall ascertain the amount necessary for the repair of said work, and who shall report the same to the board of county commissioners at their next regular meeting, and upon the report of said committee to them they shall advertise not less than 30 days in a newspaper published in the county for bids on said work to be given to the lowest responsible bidder. Before letting the contract for the work, the said county commissioners shall require a sufficient bond from the contractor for the faithful performance of said work; when the work shall be completed the committee shall certify the same to the board of county commissioners who shall also inspect said work before final payment is made to the contractor, and such confirmation with the report of the commiEds are rejected, they may again advertise for further bids. The said board of county commissioners shall require of the person whose bid is accepted for said work a good and sufficient bond for the faithful performance of said contract, which said work shall be done under the supervision of the committee appointed as aforesaid. When the work shall be completed the committee shall certify the same to the board of county commissioners who shall also inspect such work before final payment is made to the contractor, and such confirmation with the report of the committee that the work has been done according to contract, shall be made a matter of record; provided, that nothing in this chapter shall prevent the county commissioners from making payments in installments during the progress of the work, if deemed expedient. Before letting such contract, the committee appointed by the commissioners shall view the lands to be benefited by the enlargement or deepening of said drain or auxiliary and assess each parcel according and in proportion as each shall be benefited, both those lands lying immediately along such ditch, drain or canal, and those adjacent thereto, for all the expenses that may be incurred in the enlarging or deepening of said drain and keeping the same in repair from year to year, and shall file a report of the same with the board of county commissioners, which said report shall show the several tracts of lands assessed and the names of the owners thereof, and the amounts assessed against each tract; provided, however, that if the owners of any tract cannot be ascertained by diligent inquiry, said tract shall be assessed as unknown.

Legislative history

s. 7, ch. 5378, 1905; RGS 1758; CGL 2809.