48-409. Powers of district

A. The district under the police powers of the state shall have the right of entry and egress as to any property within the district for the purpose of inspecting or treating any plant, article or thing for the presence of any of the pests enumerated in the proclaimed district, and may enter upon any property adjacent to the district which might be a breeding place for the pest sought to be controlled or eradicated.

B. The district may in a summary manner destroy any plant, article or thing within the district found to be infested with a pest enumerated in the proclaimed district, and shall recompense the owner of any such plant, article or thing in the amount of its market value, which value is to be established by an appraisal board of three disinterested persons prior to its destruction. The board of supervisors shall appoint such an appraisal board upon request of the district.

C. The district may fumigate, disinfect, spray or otherwise treat any plant, appliance, article or thing which might cause the introduction of any enumerated pest into the district. The expense of fumigation or treatment shall be paid from district funds when the article or thing is within the district. Otherwise the expense shall be paid by the person desiring to bring the article or thing into the district.

D. The district may levy an assessment of not more than twenty-five dollars per acre to carry out the purposes of this article, which assessment shall be collected by the county tax collector in the same manner and at the same time as other county taxes are collected, provided that the district has notified the county assessor by March 1 of each year of the amount of the assessment. Delinquent assessments shall become a lien on the property of the owner thereof ninety days after the due date and shall be collected in the same manner as other county tax liens.

E. All funds collected by the tax collector under this article shall be paid into the county treasury to the credit of the district.

F. All funds shall be withdrawn by warrant of the district, signed by the president and secretary of the board of directors of the district.