Powers And Duties Of Abatement Districts

TITLE 39 HEALTH AND SAFETY CHAPTER 28 ABATEMENT DISTRICTS 39-2804. Powers and duties of abatement districts. The abatement district board of trustees is authorized: (1)  To appoint a director to direct the activities of the district, in accordance with training and experience necessary to fulfill the duties of the position. (2)  To appoint such other persons as necessary, determine their duties and compensation, and make rules and regulations respecting them. (3)  To take all necessary and proper steps for the control of mosquitoes and other vermin of public health and welfare importance in the district and for these purposes shall have the right to enter upon any and all lands. (4)  To sue and be sued. (5)  To contract to purchase, hold, dispose of, and acquire by gift real and personal property in the name of the district. To exercise the right of eminent domain and for these purposes to condemn any necessary land or rights-of-way in accordance with general law. (6)  To abate as nuisance breeding places of mosquitoes or other vermin of public health and welfare importance within the district or within migrating distance of the district by use of chemicals or permanent control measures and in this connection have the right to enter upon any and all lands. (7)  To work with the lateral ditch water users associations, irrigation, drainage and flood control districts and other cooperating organizations. The board of trustees of the abatement district may supplement funds of cooperating organizations for improvement, repair, maintenance and cleaning of ditches which will temporarily or permanently eliminate mosquito breeding or for other activities which will benefit the district. (8)  To file annually with the board of county commissioners for their approval an estimate of funds required for the next year, a plan of the work to be done, and methods to be employed. No procedure, work or contract for any year of operation shall be done or entered upon until plans and budget have been jointly approved by the board of county commissioners. (9)  To file, annually or by February 1 of the succeeding year, with the board of county commissioners a report setting forth the moneys expended during the previous year, methods employed, and work accomplishments. (10) To approve a written mosquito or other vermin management plan submitted by a landowner requesting that their property be excluded from treatment by the abatement district. Such plan must be specific to the landowner’s property, provide adequate control measures, and be implemented by the landowner. The abatement district shall refrain from treatment of property included in the approved plan, but shall maintain monitoring and surveillance activities. If the landowner fails to follow the plan or does not provide adequate control measures, the abatement district may abate the mosquitoes or other vermin. (11) To cooperate with other entities. At its discretion, a district may cooperate with and enter into annual agreements or contract with governmental agencies of this state, other states, agencies of the federal government, private associations, and private individuals in order to carry out the purposes and provisions of this chapter.