48-408. Powers and duties of directors; compensation

A. The directors shall hold an annual meeting and such other meetings as they may determine are necessary from time to time. They shall make an annual report pursuant to section 48-251 showing the receipts and disbursements of all funds and property belonging to the district. They shall prepare an annual budget of the proposed expenditures to be made during the succeeding year. Any monies that may accrue to the district that are in excess of the budgetary requirements for the succeeding year may be invested by the directors in public bonds or deposited in a federal reserve bank or other federally insured depository.

B. A director shall serve without compensation, except that he shall be paid ten dollars per diem and expenses of not to exceed ten dollars for each day the directors meet to transact district business. Any director who may be designated so to do may travel within and without the state and may use vehicles owned by the district or public transportation for such travel when on district business, and shall be paid ten dollars per diem and actual travel expenses when so engaged.

C. The directors shall determine the number and compensation of all district employees and shall hire and discharge such employees as they see fit.

D. The directors may expend district funds for the purchase of any property, real or otherwise, equipment, supplies, services and all manner of things that may be required to carry out the intent and purpose of the district and may acquire by purchase, condemnation or otherwise in the name of the district any lands, right-of-ways, easements, or other real property necessary for the district. The directors may sell or lease any lands, right-of-ways, easements, material or other property, real or personal, acquired by the district, and may sue and be sued.

E. All district property and equipment shall be exempt from state and county taxes of any kind.

F. The directors may assign such district business as they may determine to a manager appointed by them and paid by the district. The manager shall have such powers as the directors may authorize.

G. The directors shall annually set the assessment for each acre of the crop to be protected by the district, and shall so notify the county assessor prior to March 1 of each year.

H. The directors may ask for amendments to the district either adding or removing pests from the list of those to be controlled or extending or contracting the boundaries of the district. The amendments shall be made in the same manner as the original district was formed.

I. The directors may contract and cooperate with agencies, instrumentalities and departments of the state, the county and the United States interested in the control, extermination and eradication of the pest sought to be controlled or eradicated and may in addition thereto do those things required in order to secure financial assistance from said agencies, instrumentalities and departments.

J. The directors shall establish minimum requirements to control pests by landowners in the district before the directors expend district funds on infested lands.