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. Joseph
River 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 a
county 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 the
area in Elkhart County, Kosciusko County, LaGrange County, Noble
County, St. Joseph County, and Steuben County that drains into the
St. 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 as
a 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 the
basin may do the following:
(1) Elect to participate in the commission by designating the
county 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 the
basin, 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 the
executive's designee.
(B) If the county does not have a second class city, the
executive of the municipality with the largest population or
the executive's designee.
(2) A member of the county executive or the county executive's
designee from each participating county.
(3) The county health officer or the health officer's designee
from each participating county.
(4) An individual appointed by the governor who is a member
of the board of supervisors of a soil and water conservation
district that contains a part of the basin within all or part of the
district'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 the
commission is three (3) years and continues until a successor is
appointed 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 without
compensation. However, each member is entitled to reimbursement
for travel, lodging, meals, and other expenses as provided in the state
travel policies and procedures established by the Indiana department
of 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 members
the 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 the
commission 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 board
consisting of the following:
(1) The chairman of the commission.
(2) One (1) member from each participating county that is not
represented by the chairman, to be chosen in a manner
prescribed by the commission.
(b) The commission may delegate to the executive board the
power 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 the
commission.
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 to
assist the commission. A member of an advisory committee is not
entitled 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 a
manner that the commission shall establish.
(c) A member of the commission may waive notice of any
meeting by filing a written waiver with the secretary of the
commission.
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 commission
constitutes a quorum.
(b) An affirmative vote of a majority of the entire membership is
required 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 the
commission's resolutions, transactions, and findings. This record is
a public record.
(b) The commission may adopt rules for the transaction of
business.
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 the
commission's activities to the executive of each participating county.
The commission shall upon request make an annual report to the
following:
(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 of
water resource issues of common concern in the basin.
(2) Facilitate and foster cooperative planning and coordinated
management of the basin's water and related land resources.
(3) Develop positions on major water resource issues and serve
as an advocate of the basin's interests before Congress and
federal, state, and local governmental agencies.
(4) Develop plans to improve water quality in the basin.
(5) Publicize, advertise, and distribute reports on the
commission's purposes, objectives, studies, and findings.
(6) When requested, make recommendations in matters related
to the commission's functions and objectives to political
subdivisions in the basin and to other public and private
agencies.
(7) When requested, act as a coordinating agency for programs
and activities of other public and private agencies that are
related 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, government
officials, or other individuals from the St. Joseph River basin in
Michigan 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 interstate
compact 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 and
appropriations from the following:
(1) Federal, state, and local governments.
(2) Individuals, foundations, and other organizations.
(b) The commission may enter into agreements or contracts
regarding the acceptance or use of these grants and appropriations for
the purpose of carrying out the commission's activities under this
chapter.
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 participating
county.
(3) Make the budget available to each agency appropriating
money 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 commission
under this chapter.
(b) The appropriation from the participating counties that is
needed for all or part of the commission's budget shall be
apportioned among the participating counties in direct relationship
to the amount of land area in each participating county certified
under section 7 of this chapter.
(c) The apportionment that is needed from each participating
county shall be presented to the county executive at the same time
that 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 as
budgeted. However, the commission may revise the budget at any
time to authorize unbudgeted expenditures.
(b) Any appropriated amounts remaining unexpended or
unencumbered at the end of the fiscal year become part of a
nonreverting cumulative fund to be held in the name of the
commission. The commission may authorize unbudgeted
expenditures from this fund.
(c) The commission is responsible for the safekeeping and deposit
of money the commission receives under this chapter. The state
board 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, and
handle 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.