§ 38:2869 — Powers of board

A. In order to accomplish the purposes for which the district is created, the board of commissioners may:
(1) Purchase, hold, sell, and convey land and personal property and execute such contracts as it may deem necessary or convenient to enable it properly to carry out the purposes for which it is created.
(2) Acquire servitudes, rights-of-way, and flowage rights, by purchase, by expropriation, and by assignment, in accordance with the constitution and laws of the state of Louisiana.
(3) Assist in conserving soil and water and in developing the water resources of the district. The board may cooperate with conservation districts, including soil and water conservation districts, lake districts, or other watershed districts in order to accomplish these objectives. However, nothing shall be done to interfere with districts previously organized under Louisiana law.
(4) Construct, maintain, and improve any works or improvements for the control, retention, diversion, or utilization of water and cooperate with the state Department of Transportation and Development and other state agencies in accomplishing such objectives.
(5) Acquire personal property by gift or purchase.
(6) Employ and hire a secretary and such other personnel as may be necessary in the operation of the business of the district and fix their compensation, and the board is further authorized to employ engineers, attorneys, and other professional personnel as necessary and fix their compensation.
(7) Levy taxes, issue bonds, and incur indebtedness within the limitations prescribed by the constitution and laws of the state of Louisiana and in the manner prescribed thereby.
(8) Cooperate and contract with persons, firms, associations, partnerships, private corporations, political subdivisions of this state, or other public corporations and with any other local, state, and governmental agencies for the sale or use of any waters impounded by the district.
(9) Select a domicile and home office for the district.
(10) Do and perform any and all things necessary or incident to the fulfillment of the purposes for which this district is created, including all acts necessary to construct, lease, acquire in any manner, maintain, and operate dikes, dams, reservoirs, storage basins, locks, levees, flumes, conduits, spillways, or other structures necessary, suitable, or convenient to the purposes of the district.
(11) Appropriate money and provide for the expenses of the district.
(12) Make all police regulations necessary for the preservation of good order and the peace of the district, and to prevent injury to, destruction of, or interference with public or private property.
(13) Secure the general health of the district. In order to secure the general health of the district, the board of commissioners may:
(a) Prevent, remove, and abate nuisances.
(b) Prohibit the construction of privy vaults and cesspools and regulate or suppress those already constructed.
(c) Compel and regulate the connection of all property with the sewers and drains.
(d) Establish health and sanitary regulations, not in conflict with the state's Sanitary Code, and enforce such regulations with regard to construction within the district.
(e) Compel and regulate the removal of garbage and filth within the limits of the district.
(14) Grant franchises to telephone, telegraph, cable, and electric power companies and grant franchises for the purposes of constructing gas, sewer, electricity, or other utility lines and facilities to supply the inhabitants or any person or corporation with gas, water, sewerage, and electricity, when such construction is within the district. The provisions of this Paragraph shall not impair the rights granted to public utilities pursuant to the provisions of R.S. 45:781.
(15) Appoint, hire, fix the compensation of, designate, and empower wardens, rangers, patrols, and such other personnel as may be deemed necessary by the board for the enforcement of such regulations as it may promulgate and adopt.
B. The Claiborne Parish Watershed District shall not be deemed to be an instrumentality of the state for purposes of Article X, Section 1(A) of the Constitution of Louisiana.
C. The board of commissioners of the district shall have the care, management, and control of the lake or reservoir formed by the damming of Bayou D'Arbonne and its property and finances.
D. The district may raise funds by taxes or otherwise to be expended by and under the direction of the board of commissioners.
E. The district, through the board of commissioners, is authorized to incur debt and issue negotiable bonds for the construction of works of public improvement and for such other public purposes as may be necessary and proper to effect the purpose of the district; and to that effect, the district, through the board, is authorized to call any special elections that are necessary to levy taxes, incur debt, or to issue and sell negotiable bonds, all in conformity with the constitution and laws of the state of Louisiana.
F. The board of commissioners shall have, with respect to the improvements and maintenance of the district, the advice of the Department of Transportation and Development. It may request from time to time the assistance of the department to make such surveys, inspections, and investigations; render such reports, estimates, and recommendations; and furnish such plans and specifications or other engineering services as it may request, and the department shall provide such assistance. The board may further cooperate with the department in the construction of any work or facility the board considers necessary to achieve the purposes of the district.
G. For the purpose of providing funds to carry out the objects and purposes of the district, the board may levy and collect an ad valorem tax on all taxable property in the district subject to applicable provisions of law. Such tax shall be levied by resolution of the board only after the question of its levy has been approved by a majority of the registered voters of the district voting at an election held for that purpose in accordance with the Louisiana Election Code. The proposition submitted to the voters shall state the amount and duration of the tax.

Legislative History

Added by Acts 1966, No. 299, §9; Acts 1993, No. 830, §2; Acts 2004, No. 390, §§1, 2; Acts 2005, No. 81, §1.