2007 Minnesota Statutes

103E.241 ENGINEER.
    Subdivision 1. Appointment. Within 30 days after receiving a petition and bond from the
county attorney, the drainage authority shall, by order, appoint an engineer to make a preliminary
survey within a prescribed time. The engineer must be the county highway engineer of a county
where the affected property is located or a professional engineer registered under state law. The
engineer is the engineer for the drainage project throughout the proceeding and construction
unless otherwise ordered. Each appointed engineer must file an oath and bond. The engineer may
be removed by the drainage authority at any time. If the engineer position is vacant, the drainage
authority shall appoint another engineer as soon as possible.
    Subd. 2. Oath; bond. An appointed engineer must subscribe to an oath to faithfully perform
the assigned duties in the best manner possible and file a bond with the auditor. Within ten days
after being appointed, the drainage authority shall set an amount of at least $5,000 for the bond.
The bond must have adequate surety and be payable to the county where the petition is filed, or
for a proposed joint county drainage project to all counties in the petition. The bond must be
conditioned to pay any person or the drainage authority for damages and injuries resulting from
negligence of the engineer while the engineer is acting in the proceedings or construction and
provide that the engineer will diligently and honestly perform the engineer's duties. The bond
is subject to approval by the auditor. The aggregate liability of the surety for all damages may
not exceed the amount of the bond.
    Subd. 3. Assistants; compensation. The engineer may appoint assistant engineers and hire
help necessary to complete the engineer's duties. The engineer is responsible for the assistant
engineers and may remove them. The compensation of the engineer, assistant engineers, and other
employees is provided by section 103E.645.
    Subd. 4. Engineer's reports. The engineer shall make an expense report every two weeks
after the beginning of the engineer's work until the construction contract is awarded. The report
must show costs incurred by the engineer and expenses incurred under the engineer's direction
relating to the proceeding, and include the names of the engineer, engineer assistants, and
employees and the time each was employed, and every item of expense incurred by the engineer.
The engineer must file this report with the auditor as soon as possible and may not incur expenses
for the proceeding greater than the petitioners' bond.
    Subd. 5. Consulting engineer. After the engineer is appointed and before construction of
the drainage project is finished, the drainage authority may employ an engineer as a consulting
engineer for the proceeding and construction. A consulting engineer shall advise the engineer and
drainage authority on engineering matters and problems that may arise related to the proceeding
and construction of the drainage project. The drainage authority shall determine the compensation
for the consulting engineer.
History: 1990 c 391 art 5 s 36