24-656. Drainage districts organized with territory in two or more counties; definitions. The following terms when used in this act shall be construed to have the meaning ascribed to them in this section:

(a) "Person" shall mean any person, firm, partnership, association or corporation;

(b) "publication" shall mean the publication in a newspaper or newspapers admitted to the United States mail as second-class matter, of general circulation within the joint drainage district;

(c) "land" shall mean real property as that term is defined by the laws of the state of Kansas, and shall include any road, highway, bridge, street or other right-of-way;

(d) "chief engineer" shall mean the chief engineer of the division of water resources of the Kansas department of agriculture;

(e) "board" shall mean the board of directors of a joint drainage district;

(f) "qualified voter" shall mean any qualified elector of the district and any person 18 years of age or over owning land within the district, although not a resident therein;

(g) "landowner" shall mean the record owner of the fee in any real estate in the district or the fee in the surface rights of any real estate in the district, but the owners of an oil and gas lease, mineral rights or interest, easements or mortgages as such shall not be considered landowners, and school districts, cemetery associations and municipal corporations shall not be considered landowners;

(h) "steering committee" shall be the group of not less than three (3) qualified voters who shall serve as the governing body of the proposed drainage district until the first board of directors is elected.

History: L. 1963, ch. 225, § 1; L. 1972, ch. 124, § 3; L. 1976, ch. 174, § 1; L. 2004, ch. 101, § 71; July 1.