Chapter 5545 | Highway Improvement Commissions

Section 5545.01 | Commission when fund contributed to assist in highway improvement.

• Effective: October 1, 1953
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 1 - 100th General Assembly

When the board of county commissioners of any county has determined to improve one or more highways within such county, and any person, firm, partnership, corporation, or association desires to contribute a fund for the purpose of assisting in the improvement of such highway, the fund to be not less than ten per cent of the total cost of such improvement, the person, firm, partnership, corporation, or association may apply to a judge of the court of common pleas of the county, who may appoint four suitable and competent freeholders of the county who shall, with the board, constitute a commission for the purpose of the improvement of such road. Such commission shall serve until the completion of the road.

Such commissioners shall receive a reasonable compensation for the time actually employed, to be fixed by such court, and, on its approval, paid from the fund providing for such improvement. Their compensation, in the aggregate, shall not exceed one per cent of the amount received by the county from taxes raised, or for the sale of bonds for the purpose of making such improvement.

Before entering upon the discharge of their duties, each such commissioner shall take an oath of office and give bond for the faithful and honest discharge of his duties, in such amount as required by the court, with sureties approved by it. Such bond shall be delivered to the county treasurer and kept in his office.

The necessary expenses for stationery, postage, correspondence, and other incidental expenses required in the discharge of the duties of the commission, shall be paid from the county treasury on the order of the board and the warrant of the county auditor.

In case of the death, resignation, or removal of any member of the commission so appointed, the vacancy shall be filled by appointment by the judge of the court of common pleas, as provided in this section.

Section 5545.02 | Surveyor - estimate.

• Effective: October 1, 1953
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 1 - 100th General Assembly

The commission provided for in section 5545.01 of the Revised Code shall employ a competent surveyor who shall go upon the line of the road proposed to be improved and make such surveys as are necessary, and shall also make an estimate of the cost and expense of such improvement and transmit such estimate to the commission, together with a copy of the plat, profile, cross section, plans, and specifications.

Section 5545.03 | Awarding contracts.

• Effective: October 1, 1953
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 1 - 100th General Assembly

After adopting plans, specifications, and estimates for a proposed road improvement the commission provided for in section 5545.01 of the Revised Code shall invite bids for construction and award the contracts therefor. Until the construction and improvement is completed and accepted by it, the commission may determine all questions connected therewith and shall be governed by the laws relating to the construction and improvement of public highways, with the same power to appropriate land and road material, establish grades of roads, and other rights, given to boards of county commissioners, relating to the repair and improvement of public highways.

Section 5545.04 | Employees.

• Effective: October 1, 1953
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 1 - 100th General Assembly

The commission provided for in section 5545.01 of the Revised Code may employ engineers, superintendents, and other necessary employees during construction and improvement and fix their compensation and bond.

Section 5545.05 | Plans and specifications - where filed - alterations.

• Effective: October 1, 1953
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 1 - 100th General Assembly

When approved by the commission provided for in section 5545.01 of the Revised Code, plans, drawings, profiles, bills of material, specifications of work, and estimates of cost thereof, shall be filed by the county auditor in his office, and shall not be altered, unless such alteration is first drawn, specified, and estimated as required for the original plans and approved by the commission. No such change shall be made until the price to be paid therefor has been agreed upon, in writing, between the commission and the contractor.

Section 5545.06 | Adoption and recording of resolutions.

• Effective: October 1, 1953
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 1 - 100th General Assembly

Resolutions for the adoption or alteration of plans or specifications, awards of contracts, hiring of engineers, superintendents, or other employees and the fixing of their compensation, the approval of bonds, and the allowance of estimates shall be in writing and require for their adoption the votes of five members of the commission provided for in section 5545.01 of the Revised Code taken by yeas and nays and recorded on the journal of the board of county commissioners.

When signed by five members of the commission, the county auditor shall draw his warrant on the county treasurer for the payment of all bills and estimates of such commission.

Section 5545.07 | Record of proceedings.

• Effective: October 1, 1953
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 1 - 100th General Assembly

Full and accurate records of all proceedings of the commission provided for in section 5545.01 of the Revised Code shall be kept by the county auditor upon the journal of the board of county commissioners. He shall carefully preserve in his office all plans, drawings, profiles, bills of materials, specifications of work, and estimates of costs, in detail and in the aggregate, pertaining to such improvement or construction.

Section 5545.08 | When improvement may be made without petition or competitive bidding.

• Effective: October 1, 1953
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 1 - 100th General Assembly

Whenever, in any county in the state, there is a bona fide, voluntary association, incorporated or unincorporated, not for profit, of not less than one thousand citizens of any county, one of the purposes of which is the improvement, maintenance, and repair of the public highways of such county, the commission, as provided for in section 5545.01 of the Revised Code, having the right to expend money in grading, draining, curbing, and improving county roads and state highways by the use of gravel, macadam, stone, brick, slag, or other material, or for improving, maintaining, and repairing such highways from the public funds under its charge and control, applicable for the construction, maintenance, or repair of public highways, may, without the necessity of petition being presented by property owners or of advertising for competitive bids, make contracts with the association, or its proper representatives, to do such work within and for the betterment generally of the highways of the county, and make payments therefor out of any road or bridge funds, in the treasury, or levied for the purpose of constructing, maintaining, and improving the public highways in such county, under the control of the commission or board of county commissioners.