House File 479 - Introduced HOUSE FILE 479 BY SITZMANN A BILL FOR An Act authorizing county boards of supervisors to employ firms 1 of professional engineers as the county engineer. 2 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 3 TLSB 2428HH (4) 91 th/ns
H.F. 479 Section 1. Section 309.17, Code 2025, is amended to read as 1 follows: 2 309.17 Engineer term. 3 The board of supervisors shall employ one or more licensed 4 civil engineers as county engineers. However, the board 5 may employ a professional engineering entity as the county 6 engineer, with one or more licensed civil engineers employed by 7 the entity responsible for performing the duties required of 8 the county engineer, pursuant to an agreement between the board 9 and the entity. The board shall fix the term of employment for 10 county engineers, which shall not exceed three years, but the 11 tenure of office may be terminated at any time by the board. 12 Sec. 2. Section 309.18, subsection 2, Code 2025, is amended 13 to read as follows: 14 2. The county engineers shall, in the performance of their 15 duties, work under the directions of the board and shall give 16 bonds for the faithful performance of their duties in a sum not 17 less than two thousand nor more than five thousand dollars, to 18 be approved by the board. The board shall approve a bond given 19 by a professional engineering entity employed as the county 20 engineer, which covers the entitys licensed civil engineers, 21 as if the entity was one licensed civil engineer. 22 EXPLANATION 23 The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with 24 the explanations substance by the members of the general assembly. 25 Under current law, the board of supervisors of a county 26 (board) is required to employ one or more licensed civil 27 engineers as the county engineer. County engineers must 28 directly supervise all construction and maintenance work to 29 ensure the work is carried out efficiently and properly. 30 County engineers may be hired for terms of up to three years, 31 though the employment may be terminated at any time. The board 32 is required to determine the level of compensation for a county 33 engineer, and county engineers are required to provide a bond 34 between $2,000 and $5,000. Multiple counties can collaborate 35 -1- LSB 2428HH (4) 91 th/ns 1/ 2
H.F. 479 to hire a county engineer and share costs for support, with 1 an agreement specifying cost allocation and reimbursement, 2 in accordance with Code chapter 28E (joint exercise of 3 governmental powers). A county engineer is required to submit 4 detailed accounts for any expenses incurred related to the 5 engineers duties as county engineer. 6 This bill authorizes boards to employ a professional 7 engineering entity as the county engineer, with one or more 8 licensed civil engineers employed by the entity responsible for 9 performing the duties required of the county engineer, pursuant 10 to an agreement between the entity and the board. A board must 11 approve a bond given by a professional engineering entity, 12 which covers the entitys licensed civil engineers, as if the 13 entity was one licensed civil engineer. 14 -2- LSB 2428HH (4) 91 th/ns 2/ 2