4-08 County Agent

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CHAPTER 4-08COUNTY AGENT4-08-01. Extension work - Petition - Submitting to vote. Upon the filing with thecounty auditor of a petition containing the names of twenty percent of the qualified electors of the county as determined by the votes cast for governor in the county at the last preceding election, the board of county commissioners shall submit to the qualified electors at the next general election the question of providing a tax levy for extension work.4-08-02.Form of petition.The petition provided for in section 4-08-01 must be insubstantially the following form:PETITION PROVIDING FOR LEVY FOR EXTENSION WORKWe, the undersigned, qualified electors of __________ County, North Dakota,petition the board of county commissioners that it levy a tax sufficient but not to exceed two mills to employ an extension agent for the purpose of carrying on extension work in cooperation with the North Dakota state university extension service.4-08-03. Form of ballot. The question to be voted upon as provided in section 4-08-01must be submitted on a separate ballot and must be worded as follows:For extension work ________________________Against extension work _____________________4-08-04. Election held - Candidates presented to county commissioners - Fundsavailable for extension work. When a majority of the votes are cast for extension work, the North Dakota state university extension service on the first day of July following the election shall present a candidate or candidates for extension agent to the board of county commissioners for its selection and final approval. A sum of not less than two thousand dollars must be made available for this purpose from county funds, but in no case may such levy exceed two mills.4-08-05. Petition for discontinuance of extension work - Form of petition - Election.The question of the discontinuance of extension work may be submitted to the qualified electors in the manner provided in section 4-08-01. A separate ballot worded as is provided in section 4-08-03 must be used at the election. The petition for discontinuing the levy must be in the following form:We, the undersigned qualified electors of __________ County, North Dakota, petition theboard of county commissioners that it place on the ballot at the next general election the question of discontinuing extension work.4-08-06. Filing date of petitions for election. No board of county commissioners mayplace the question of extension work on a ballot without having received a notification from the county auditor that the petitions, as provided for in this chapter, have been filed at least sixty days before the date of election.4-08-07. Discontinuance of extension agent - Distribution of funds accumulated. Ifa majority of the votes cast at an election held under section 4-08-05 are against continuing the levy for extension work, the tax levy and the services of the extension agent must be discontinued on the thirty-first day of December following the date of election. If the majority of the votes cast are for the support of extension work, the county commissioners shall continue the tax levy as provided in this chapter. Upon the discontinuance of extension work, accumulated funds remaining in the treasury may be distributed to any other fund or funds deemed expedient by the board of county commissioners.4-08-08. Expending funds. All funds raised in accordance with the provisions of thischapter must be expended by and under the direction and control of the board of countyPage No. 1commissioners in such manner as it may deem best adapted to accomplish the purposes set forth in this chapter.4-08-09. Budgeting for extension agent. When the board of county commissioners isauthorized to make a levy for the employment of an extension agent, it shall provide a budget that stipulates the salary of the agent, field and office expenses, and allowance for clerical hire. After mutually agreeing upon a budget and after deducting the amount of funds contributed from federal and state funds, the board shall proceed to make a levy or appropriate funds out of the county general fund or both as it may deem necessary to cover the county's share of the budget. Until the office of extension agent is discontinued, the board shall agree upon a similar budget and annually shall make the levy and appropriation.4-08-10.Extension agent to submit monthly account of expenditures.Theextension agent shall submit monthly an accurate itemized account of all expenditures incurred by the agent in the regular conduct of duties to the North Dakota state university extension service for examination and audit. When charges are made by an extension agent for money expended in the performance of official duties, all items of one dollar or more expended and charged for must be covered by a subvoucher or receipt that must be signed by the person to whom the money was paid. The subvoucher or receipt must show at what place, on what date, and for what the money expended was paid. The extension agent shall forward the subvouchers or receipts with the bill, claim, account, or demand against the county. When charges are made for transportation expenses, they may not exceed the amounts provided by section 11-10-15, and must be in itemized form showing the mileage traveled, the days when and how traveled, and the purpose thereof, verified by affidavit.The account must be transmitted andrecommended for payment by the North Dakota state university extension service which shall audit the same and which may approve or disallow any expense item therein. The state board of agricultural research and education and the president of North Dakota state university shall control and administer the North Dakota state university extension service subject to the supervision of the state board of higher education. Funds appropriated to the North Dakota state university extension service may not be commingled with funds appropriated to North Dakota state university. An appropriation request to defray expenses of the North Dakota state university extension service must be separate from an appropriation request to defray expenses of North Dakota state university.4-08-10.1. Achievement days - Premiums - Report of extension agent. In July ofeach year the office of management and budget shall pay out of any moneys appropriated for boys' and girls' clubwork a sum not to exceed five hundred dollars to each extension agent of each organized county within the state conducting boys' and girls' achievement days, to be used exclusively for the payment of premiums at the boys' and girls' achievement days. Within thirty days following the boys' and girls' achievement days, the extension agent shall refund to the office of management and budget any balance not expended, which must be remitted to the state treasurer and placed to the credit of the general fund.4-08-11. Report to county auditor. An extension agent shall file with the county auditoreither monthly, or within a mutually agreed upon timeframe not to exceed one year, a statement of the agent's work, which, in turn, must be presented by the auditor to the board of county commissioners.4-08-12.Direction and supervision of extension agent.The active direction andsupervision of the work of the extension agent must be carried on by the North Dakota state university extension service. The board of county commissioners has general administrative authority and must be consulted frequently with reference to the general policy and the work of the agent. The suggestions and directions of the board must be followed when not in conflict with state and federal laws or regulations governing appropriations for extension work.4-08-13. Vacancies - How to be filled. In case a vacancy occurs in the position ofextension agent, the procedure for the selection of a successor must be similar to that provided for in the selection of an agent when the work is instituted in the county.Page No. 24-08-14. Dissatisfaction with extension agent - Meeting to be arranged. If the NorthDakota state university extension service or the board of county commissioners becomes dissatisfied with an extension agent, a joint meeting must be arranged at which detailed information as to the misconduct, negligence, or inefficiency of the agent must be presented and such joint action taken as is justified by the evidence.4-08-15. Tax levy - Appropriation from county general fund - Both authorized. Theboard of county commissioners of any county of this state in which a levy for extension work has been voted on and approved by the people as provided for in sections 4-08-01 and 4-08-03 may levy not to exceed an amount necessary for such purpose, as provided in section 4-08-09, not exceeding the limitation in subsection 4 of section 57-15-06.7. The statutory mill levy limitation in effect during any biennium, and not the limitation in effect at the time of a county's vote for extension work or the number of mills that may have been stated in the ballot for such a vote, is the applicable limitation.If it determines that the amount derived from the levy will not besufficient for such purpose, the board may appropriate additional funds out of the county general fund to cover the deficiency.4-08-15.1. Extension work - Additional tax levy. The board of county commissionersof any county, upon passage of a resolution, may submit, at the next regularly scheduled or special election in the county, the question of providing for an additional annual levy not exceeding the limitation in subsection 5 of section 57-15-06.7 for extension work. If the question submitted is approved by a majority of the electors voting thereon, the board shall proceed to make the levy. The number of mills approved by the electors as an additional annual levy may not be increased by the board without voter approval of such increased levy as set out in this section, even if there is a subsequent increase in the mill levy limitation in subsection 5 of section 57-15-06.7. Upon approval of the levy for the extension work, the board may expend the funds in the manner it deems best adapted to accomplish the purposes set forth by law. The levy may be discontinued upon the passage of a resolution by the board of county commissioners.Page No. 3Document Outlinechapter 4-08 county agent

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4-08 County Agent