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The Legislative Service Commission staff updates the Revised Code on an ongoing basis, as it completes its act review of enacted legislation. Updates may be slower during some times of the year, depending on the volume of enacted legislation.

Chapter 6135 | Interstate County Ditches

 
 
 
Section
Section 6135.01 | Procedure where more than one county or state affected by improvement.
 

Where the board of county commissioners has been notified that a petition for the improvement of a ditch or drain has been regularly filed with the clerk of the board of county commissioners thereof, then said board shall proceed as in single county ditches, if lands affected by said improvement lie wholly in one county, and shall proceed as in joint county ditches if two or more counties are affected, and shall order the county engineers, or disinterested engineers, of such counties, in addition to the preliminary survey as provided for in other cases, to consult with the proper officials of the counties of an adjoining state through which the route of the improvement would pass.

Section 6135.02 | Notice of organizational meeting.
 

Upon the filing of the engineer's report with the clerks of the boards of county commissioners of the counties affected in this state, the clerk of the county in which the petition was filed shall notify in writing the proper officials of the counties of the adjoining state of the filing of said report. A copy of the petition and bond shall be attached thereto. The notice shall state the time and place of meeting for the purpose of organizing.

Section 6135.03 | Organizational meeting.
 

After receiving notice by the clerk of the board of county commissioners of the time and place of the meeting as provided in section 6135.02 of the Revised Code, the boards of county commissioners shall proceed at such time and place to form themselves into a joint board for the purpose before them by electing one of their number as president and another as clerk. The president and clerk shall not both be selected from the board representing the same state, and a majority of each proper board must be present to constitute a quorum.

Section 6135.04 | Voting of Ohio members.
 

Without regard to the number of each board of county commissioners present at the meeting referred to in section 6135.03 of the Revised Code, the members from this state shall have the casting of one half of all votes on all questions, which vote shall be represented equally by the different members present of the boards from this state.

Section 6135.05 | Adjournment.
 

If the boards of county commissioners of the different counties of the state, or a quorum of the board of each county affected fails to meet as provided in section 6135.03 of the Revised Code, they shall adjourn until such time as they shall again receive like notice as provided by section 6135.02 of the Revised Code for their first meeting.

Section 6135.06 | Joint board hearing and view of premises.
 

After the boards of county commissioners resolve themselves into a joint board of county commissioners, as provided in section 6135.03 of the Revised Code, and after finding that a petition and bond conditioned as required by law have been filed, the joint board shall view the route petitioned for. If the joint board finds the improvement so prayed for is necessary and will be conducive to public health, welfare, or convenience, and that such route is the best one to accomplish the desired relief, it shall locate the ditch, or order the widening or deepening of the ditch, drain, or watercourse in substantial conformity with the prayer of the petition. If the route described is not the best in its opinion, it shall locate the improvement on the route best adapted to secure the relief desired, with the best contingent results, and may locate all the necessary branch ditches. If it finds against the location, deepening, or widening of the improvement, no further proceedings shall be had under this petition after said report, and the costs shall be collected of the petitioners and their bondsmen.

Last updated October 21, 2022 at 4:20 PM

Section 6135.07 | Locating main ditch.
 

The joint board of county commissioners may locate in this state that part of the main ditch, or any of its tributaries, which will lie partially in both states or which will drain lands of both states.

Section 6135.08 | Engineer - adjournment - capacity of Improvement,.
 

If the joint board of county commissioners finds it necessary, it may employ an engineer to determine the proper route on which a ditch or its branches shall be located. No engineer shall be employed by such joint board until it has determined that the improvement is necessary for the public welfare, health, or convenience.

In their view of such route and in their deliberations over it, the members of the joint board of county commissioners from this state may adjourn from time to time, not exceeding in the aggregate sixty days.

The joint board of county commissioners may determine upon the necessary capacity of the part of such improvement located in this state.

Section 6135.09 | Full report of proceedings and findings.
 

The clerk of the joint board of county commissioners shall make a full report of its proceedings and findings, signed by himself and the president of the joint board, which shall be read before the joint board. A copy thereof shall be sent to the clerk of the board of county commissioners of each county affected in Ohio, and to the proper officer of each county affected in the other state.

Section 6135.10 | Engineers from other states affected.
 

After the adjournment of the joint board of county commissioners, if its report, as provided in section 6135.09 of the Revised Code, is in favor of the location, the members thereof from this state shall select a competent engineer to meet one to be appointed by the proper authorities of the other state joining with them in the proceedings.

Section 6135.11 | Bond of engineers.
 

The engineer appointed in accordance with section 6135.10 of the Revised Code shall file a bond with the county auditor of each county in this state affected by the improvement, in the sum of one thousand dollars, with two approved sureties, conditioned for the faithful performance of his duties.

Section 6135.12 | Engineer duties.
 

The engineer appointed in accordance with section 6135.10 of the Revised Code, with the engineer from the adjoining state joining in the matter, shall perform all duties as prescribed for the county engineer in sections 6131.14 and 6131.15 of the Revised Code.

Section 6135.14 | Notice of receipt of reports, plans, and schedules.
 

On the receipt of the reports, plans, and schedules required by section 6135.12 of the Revised Code, the clerk of the board of county commissioners of the county in which the petition was filed shall notify the joint board of county commissioners of the receipt thereof as in the case of the filing of a petition and bond as provided in section 6135.02 of the Revised Code. The clerk shall send a copy of the report to all of the appropriate officials of each state. He shall proceed in a like manner to fix a time and place for the meeting of the joint board, after which he shall notify it of the receipt of the report and the time and place of the meeting.

Section 6135.15 | Rules of joint board.
 

The joint board of county commissioners, on assembling for the meeting set by the clerk of the board of county commissioners under section 6135.14 of the Revised Code, shall be governed by like rules as provided by law for the first meeting thereof. They may call to their assistance the engineers who surveyed and planned the proposed improvement.

Section 6135.16 | Approval or amendment of engineer's report.
 

The joint board of county commissioners shall approve or amend the report filed by the engineers, as required by section 6135.12 of the Revised Code. The report so approved shall be a final division of the estimated costs of construction and the entire costs of location between the states. They shall send a copy of their report, certified by the president and clerk of the joint board, to the proper official of each county affected in the other state and to the county auditor of each county affected in this state. Their adjournment shall be subject to a call of a majority of the members of either state, notice of which shall be given as provided in section 6135.14 of the Revised Code.

Section 6135.17 | Right of entry.
 

The proper authorities in the adjoining state, joining with the counties in this state in an interstate county ditch project, may enter upon lands in this state, along any portion of said located ditch or its tributaries, to perform work which is assigned them to do by the joint board of county commissioners when in session.

Section 6135.19 | Assessment of land not mentioned in first report.
 

The further proceedings of the joint board of county commissioners shall be in conformity with the laws for the location of county or joint county ditches taken at this stage of the proceedings. The boards of county commissioners, at their hearing on the apportionment made, may assess any other owners and lands not mentioned in the first report of the engineers, which they deem to be benefited thereby. The owners shall have due notice thereof.

Section 6135.20 | Work outside state.
 

The board of county commissioners of any county in this state, in which are located owners and lands affected and charged for the improvement or construction of a ditch, drain, or watercourse, as provided by law, may cause to be performed any work which is assigned to them outside of the limits of this state in a like manner as under the laws for similar duties, if the necessary privilege to do so has been granted by the legislature of the state where said lands are located through which such work is to be constructed.

Section 6135.21 | Fees.
 

The fees of all officials and assistants in the improvement and construction of ditches, as provided in sections 6135.01 to 6135.20, inclusive, of the Revised Code, shall be as for like services in county ditch work.

Section 6135.22 | Filing claims for compensation and damages.
 

Claims for compensation and damages shall be filed with the clerk of the joint board on or before the day of hearing on the apportionment. Such claims as are allowed, with costs of location actually incurred, shall be paid out of the county fund.

Section 6135.23 | Construction or improvement of outlet outside state.
 

When the board of county commissioners finds on file with the clerk of the board of county commissioners a petition praying for the location or improvement of a ditch, drain, or watercourse in such county, the waters from which flow into or through an adjoining county in another state, and it is of the opinion that the outlet for such proposed improvement is insufficient, it may enter into an agreement with the proper officials of such adjoining county for the construction or improvement of the outlet for such ditch, drain, or watercourse by such lower county and for the payment by such upper county to the lower county of a sum of money agreed upon, between said board and the proper officials of the lower county, for the construction or improvement of such outlet. Such sum shall be payable into the treasury of such lower county upon the completion of the improvement of the outlet as agreed upon.

The board of the upper county shall assess upon the lots and lands, public corporations, the state of Ohio, and public or corporate roads or railroads in such county, benefited by the improvement, the costs of the location and construction thereof in the county, with the sum of money agreed to be paid to the lower county for the improvement of the outlet therefor.

Section 6135.24 | Bonds issued to pay costs of improvements.
 

When the board of county commissioners of the upper county deems it expedient to do so, it may issue bonds of the county to raise the money necessary to pay the costs, including the amount agreed to be paid to the lower county, as provided by section 6135.26 of the Revised Code, in the manner provided by law in the case of a single county ditch.

Section 6135.25 | Construction or improvement of outlet within state.
 

When the proper officials of a county in another state, adjoining a county in this state, desire to have the outlet for water flowing in a ditch, drain, or watercourse from such upper adjoining county into or through a lower county in this state enlarged or improved, the board of county commissioners of such lower county may enter into an agreement with the proper officials of such upper adjoining county for the improvement of such outlet by the lower county and for the payment to the lower county for the benefit of such improvement by such upper county of such sum of money as is agreed upon between said board and the proper officials of the upper county. In making its assessments upon the lots and lands, public corporations, the state of Ohio, and public or corporate roads or railroads in the lower county benefited thereby, the board shall take into account the amount to be paid for the benefit of such improvement by the upper county.

Section 6135.26 | Journalizing agreement for improvement.
 

When the board of county commissioners enters into an agreement with the proper officials of an adjoining county in another state, under sections 6135.23 to 6135.25, inclusive, of the Revised Code, it shall make an entry upon its journal setting forth fully and particularly the terms of such agreement, as to the extent and nature of the outlet to be constructed or improved, the time within which it is to be completed, the amount to be paid by such upper county to such lower county for the improvement of such outlet, and the time and manner of payment therefor.

Section 6135.27 | Matters not expressly covered.
 

In all matters pertaining to the location and construction of an improvement, not expressly provided for in sections 6135.23 to 6135.26, inclusive, of the Revised Code, the board of county commissioners shall be governed by laws providing for the location and construction of county ditches.