CHAPTER 3. ST. JOSEPH RIVER BASIN COMMISSION
IC 14-30-3
Chapter 3. St. Joseph River Basin Commission
IC 14-30-3-1
"Basin" defined
Sec. 1. As used in this chapter, "basin" refers to the St. JosephRiver basin.
As added by P.L.1-1995, SEC.23.
IC 14-30-3-2
"Commission" defined
Sec. 2. As used in this chapter, "commission" refers to the St.Joseph River basin commission established by this chapter.
As added by P.L.1-1995, SEC.23.
IC 14-30-3-3
"Participating county" defined
Sec. 3. As used in this chapter, "participating county" refers to acounty that joins the commission under section 6 of this chapter.
As added by P.L.1-1995, SEC.23.
IC 14-30-3-4
"St. Joseph River basin" defined
Sec. 4. As used in this chapter, "St. Joseph River basin" means thearea in Elkhart County, Kosciusko County, LaGrange County, NobleCounty, St. Joseph County, and Steuben County that drains into theSt. Joseph River.
As added by P.L.1-1995, SEC.23.
IC 14-30-3-5
Separate municipal corporation
Sec. 5. The St. Joseph River basin commission is established asa separate municipal corporation.
As added by P.L.1-1995, SEC.23.
IC 14-30-3-6
Participating county; designation
Sec. 6. The executive of a county that includes territory in thebasin may do the following:
(1) Elect to participate in the commission by designating thecounty as a participating county.
(2) Revoke the designation.
As added by P.L.1-1995, SEC.23.
IC 14-30-3-7
Boundary certification
Sec. 7. After consultation with the surveyor of each county in thebasin, the director shall certify the boundaries of the basin.
As added by P.L.1-1995, SEC.23.
IC 14-30-3-8
Members
Sec. 8. The commission consists of the following individuals:
(1) From each participating county the following:
(A) The executive of each second class city or theexecutive's designee.
(B) If the county does not have a second class city, theexecutive of the municipality with the largest population orthe executive's designee.
(2) A member of the county executive or the county executive'sdesignee from each participating county.
(3) The county health officer or the health officer's designeefrom each participating county.
(4) An individual appointed by the governor who is a memberof the board of supervisors of a soil and water conservationdistrict that contains a part of the basin within all or part of thedistrict's boundaries.
(5) The director or the director's designee.
As added by P.L.1-1995, SEC.23.
IC 14-30-3-9
Term of office
Sec. 9. The term of office of an appointed member of thecommission is three (3) years and continues until a successor isappointed and certified.
As added by P.L.1-1995, SEC.23.
IC 14-30-3-10
Travel expenses
Sec. 10. The members of the commission serve withoutcompensation. However, each member is entitled to reimbursementfor travel, lodging, meals, and other expenses as provided in the statetravel policies and procedures established by the Indiana departmentof administration and approved by the budget agency.
As added by P.L.1-1995, SEC.23.
IC 14-30-3-11
Officers
Sec. 11. (a) The commission shall elect from among the membersthe following officers:
(1) A chairman.
(2) A vice chairman.
(3) A secretary.
(4) A treasurer.
(b) The:
(1) term of office for the officers elected under subsection (a)is one (1) year; and
(2) officers are eligible for reelection.
(c) The commission may establish and fill other offices that thecommission considers necessary.As added by P.L.1-1995, SEC.23.
IC 14-30-3-12
Executive board
Sec. 12. (a) The commission may establish an executive boardconsisting of the following:
(1) The chairman of the commission.
(2) One (1) member from each participating county that is notrepresented by the chairman, to be chosen in a mannerprescribed by the commission.
(b) The commission may delegate to the executive board thepower to do the following:
(1) Recommend agenda items and activities to the commission.
(2) Conduct hearings on proposed commission projects.
(3) Perform other administrative duties assigned by thecommission.
As added by P.L.1-1995, SEC.23.
IC 14-30-3-13
Advisory committee
Sec. 13. The commission may appoint an advisory committee toassist the commission. A member of an advisory committee is notentitled to compensation for serving on the advisory committee.
As added by P.L.1-1995, SEC.23.
IC 14-30-3-14
Duties
Sec. 14. (a) The commission shall do the following:
(1) Fix the times of the commission's regular meetings.
(2) Have at least one (1) meeting in each quarter of the year.
(b) A special meeting of the commission may be called in amanner that the commission shall establish.
(c) A member of the commission may waive notice of anymeeting by filing a written waiver with the secretary of thecommission.
As added by P.L.1-1995, SEC.23.
IC 14-30-3-15
Quorum; vote required to take action
Sec. 15. (a) A majority of all the members of the commissionconstitutes a quorum.
(b) An affirmative vote of a majority of the entire membership isrequired for the commission to take action.
As added by P.L.1-1995, SEC.23.
IC 14-30-3-16
Record
Sec. 16. (a) The commission shall keep a record of thecommission's resolutions, transactions, and findings. This record isa public record. (b) The commission may adopt rules for the transaction ofbusiness.
As added by P.L.1-1995, SEC.23.
IC 14-30-3-17
Capacity to sue or be sued
Sec. 17. The commission may sue and be sued.
As added by P.L.1-1995, SEC.23.
IC 14-30-3-18
Annual report
Sec. 18. The commission shall make an annual report of thecommission's activities to the executive of each participating county.The commission shall upon request make an annual report to thefollowing:
(1) The governor.
(2) Any member of the general assembly.
As added by P.L.1-1995, SEC.23.
IC 14-30-3-19
Powers
Sec. 19. The commission may do the following:
(1) Provide a forum for the discussion, study, and evaluation ofwater resource issues of common concern in the basin.
(2) Facilitate and foster cooperative planning and coordinatedmanagement of the basin's water and related land resources.
(3) Develop positions on major water resource issues and serveas an advocate of the basin's interests before Congress andfederal, state, and local governmental agencies.
(4) Develop plans to improve water quality in the basin.
(5) Publicize, advertise, and distribute reports on thecommission's purposes, objectives, studies, and findings.
(6) When requested, make recommendations in matters relatedto the commission's functions and objectives to politicalsubdivisions in the basin and to other public and privateagencies.
(7) When requested, act as a coordinating agency for programsand activities of other public and private agencies that arerelated to the commission's objectives.
As added by P.L.1-1995, SEC.23.
IC 14-30-3-20
Government officials attending meetings and advising
Sec. 20. The commission may invite the governor, governmentofficials, or other individuals from the St. Joseph River basin inMichigan to do the following:
(1) Attend the commission's meetings.
(2) Advise the commission upon the commission's request.
As added by P.L.1-1995, SEC.23.
IC 14-30-3-21
Interstate compact with Michigan
Sec. 21. The commission shall do the following:
(1) Explore the desirability of entering into an interstatecompact with Michigan to improve water quality in the basin.
(2) Make recommendations on the content of a compact.
As added by P.L.1-1995, SEC.23.
IC 14-30-3-22
Grants and appropriations
Sec. 22. (a) The commission may receive grants andappropriations from the following:
(1) Federal, state, and local governments.
(2) Individuals, foundations, and other organizations.
(b) The commission may enter into agreements or contractsregarding the acceptance or use of these grants and appropriations forthe purpose of carrying out the commission's activities under thischapter.
As added by P.L.1-1995, SEC.23.
IC 14-30-3-23
Budget
Sec. 23. The commission shall do the following:
(1) Prepare and adopt an annual budget.
(2) Submit the budget to the executive of each participatingcounty.
(3) Make the budget available to each agency appropriatingmoney to the commission.
As added by P.L.1-1995, SEC.23.
IC 14-30-3-24
Appropriations to carry out commission's responsibilities
Sec. 24. (a) The participating counties may budget, appropriate,and disburse money to carry out the purposes of the commissionunder this chapter.
(b) The appropriation from the participating counties that isneeded for all or part of the commission's budget shall beapportioned among the participating counties in direct relationshipto the amount of land area in each participating county certifiedunder section 7 of this chapter.
(c) The apportionment that is needed from each participatingcounty shall be presented to the county executive at the same timethat budgets are presented by county officers.
As added by P.L.1-1995, SEC.23.
IC 14-30-3-25
Expenditures; deposits
Sec. 25. (a) The commission shall make expenditures only asbudgeted. However, the commission may revise the budget at anytime to authorize unbudgeted expenditures. (b) Any appropriated amounts remaining unexpended orunencumbered at the end of the fiscal year become part of anonreverting cumulative fund to be held in the name of thecommission. The commission may authorize unbudgetedexpenditures from this fund.
(c) The commission is responsible for the safekeeping and depositof money the commission receives under this chapter. The stateboard of accounts shall:
(1) prescribe the methods and forms for keeping; and
(2) periodically audit;
the accounts, records, and books of the commission.
(d) The treasurer of the commission may receive, disburse, andhandle money belonging to the commission, subject to the following:
(1) Applicable statutes.
(2) Procedures established by the commission.
As added by P.L.1-1995, SEC.23.