317.21 Cost of weed destruction.

When the commissioner destroys any weeds under the authority of section 317.16, after failure of the landowner responsible to destroy such weeds pursuant to the order of the board of supervisors, the cost of the destruction shall be assessed against the land and collected from the landowner responsible in the following manner:

1. Annually, after the weed commissioner has completed the program of destruction of weeds by reason of noncompliance by persons responsible for the destruction, the board of supervisors shall determine as to each tract of real estate the actual cost of labor and materials used by the commissioner in cutting, burning, or otherwise destroying the weeds, the cost of serving notice, and of special meetings or proceedings, if any. To the total of all sums expended, the board shall add an amount equal to twenty-five percent of that total to compensate for the cost of supervision and administration and assess the resulting sum against the tract of real estate by a special tax, which shall be certified to the county auditor and county treasurer by the clerk of the board of supervisors, and shall be placed upon the tax books, and collected, with interest after delinquent, in the same manner as other unpaid taxes. The tax shall be due on March 1 after assessment, and shall be delinquent from April 1 after due. However, when the last day of March is a Saturday or Sunday, such amount shall be delinquent from the second business day of April. When collected, the moneys shall be paid into the fund from which the costs were originally paid.

2. Before making any such assessment, the board of supervisors shall prepare a plat or schedule showing the several lots, tracts of land or parcels of ground to be assessed which shall be in accord with the assessor’s records and the amount proposed to be assessed against each of the same for destroying or controlling weeds during the fiscal year.

3. Such board shall thereupon fix a time for the hearing on such proposed assessments, which time shall not be later than December 15 of the year, and at least twenty days prior to the time thus fixed for such hearing shall give notice thereof to all concerned that such plat or schedule is on file, and that the amounts as shown therein will be assessed against the several lots, tracts of land or parcels of ground described in said plat or schedule at the time fixed for such hearing, unless objection is made thereto. Notice of such hearing shall be given by one publication in official county newspapers in the county in which the property to be assessed is situated; or by posting a copy of such notice on the premises affected and by mailing a copy by certified mail to the last known address of the person owning or controlling said premises. At such time and place the owner of said premises or anyone liable to pay such assessment, may appear with the same rights given by law before boards of review, in reference to assessments for general taxation.

[S13, §1565-c, -d; C24, 27, §4824, 4825; C31, 35, §4824, 4825, 4825-c1, -c2; C39, §4829.19; C46, §317.20; C50, 54, 58, 62, 66, 71, 73, 75, 77, 79, 81, §317.21]

85 Acts, ch 171, §7; 92 Acts, ch 1016, §4; 98 Acts, ch 1107, §7; 2005 Acts, ch 34, §2, 26

Referred to in §317.16, 317.20, 331.502, 331.559