Subdivision 1. Authority. In St. Louis County, where the state of Minnesota holds title pursuant to tax forfeiture laws or other laws to at least 30 percent of all the land in any one district of a drainage system subject to chapter 103E, the county board may clean or make repairs on any drain or ditch in any one district in said system when said drain or ditch, due to lack of repairs or cleaning, has caused or is causing great damage to county roads, property, crops or lands. It may appropriate and expend from the general revenue fund of said county a sum annually for the cost of cleaning and repairing said drains or ditches. Said cleaning and repairing may be done by the county with its own equipment and employees, or by contract, but if done by contract and said estimated cost exceeds $500, then bids for same shall be called for and the contract shall be let to the lowest responsible bidder pursuant to law.

Subd. 1a. Contracts in excess of $500; best value alternative. As an alternative to the procurement method described in subdivision 1, the contract may be awarded to the vendor or contractor offering the best value under a request for proposals as described in section 16C.28, subdivision 1, paragraph (a), clause (2), and paragraph (c).

Subd. 2. Acceptance of aid. County boards are hereby authorized and empowered to accept gifts of money from the government of the United States and the state of Minnesota or any of its agencies, to carry out the provisions of this section, and said moneys shall be spent by said county boards only for such purpose.

Subd. 3. In addition to existing power. The authority granted in this section is in addition to all existing power and authority granted by law to county boards to repair or clean any drains and ditches in any county or judicial drainage system.

History: 1945 c 352 s 1-3; 1988 c 491 s 6; 1990 c 391 art 10 s 3; 2007 c 148 art 3 s 23