Effective 28 Aug 1990

243.050. County commission to appoint engineer and viewers — qualifications and duties. — 1. When such petition and bond has been filed and the bond approved, the county commission shall without delay appoint a competent civil and drainage engineer, who may be an individual, copartnership or corporation, and three persons as viewers, who shall be persons residing within the state of Missouri, and who shall not be landowners in the proposed district nor of kin within the fourth degree of consanguinity to any person owning land within the boundary line set forth in such petition. A majority of the viewers shall constitute a quorum and shall control in all matters. They shall subscribe an oath to faithfully discharge their duties as such viewers and engineer and to make a true report of the work done and the facts by them ascertained.

2. They shall proceed at once under the direction of an order of the county commission, certified by the clerk thereof, to view the location of the proposed ditch or improvement and the premises along and adjacent thereto. If they find that the proposed improvement is necessary, practicable and would be of public utility or conducive to the public health, convenience or welfare, they shall so report and in said report they shall indicate approximately the proper character, dimension, location and probable cost of the improvement necessary to accomplish the object of said petition and if necessary to determine the above facts the engineer may employ assistants and make surveys and with the approval of the county commission he may employ a consulting engineer or secure expert advice and the expense shall be taxed as expenses under the petition.

3. They shall also ascertain and report what land or other property, if any, adjacent to the proposed drainage district will be benefitted by the proposed improvement and shall prepare and submit as a part of their report a description of such lands or other property with the names of the owners thereof when the same can be ascertained by reasonable diligence and shall also set forth the boundary line of such proposed drainage district so as to include the additional land or other property. They shall report their findings in writing with such maps, profiles and drawings as are necessary to advise the county commission in the premises and shall promptly file the same with the county clerk.

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(RSMo 1939 § 12401, A.L. 1990 H.B. 1070)

Prior revisions: 1929 § 10812; 1919 § 4480; 1909 § 5580