Effective 02 Jan 1979, see footnote

245.140. Plan of reclamation may be changed — procedure. — 1. The board of supervisors for and in behalf of any levee district organized under the provisions of sections 245.010 to 245.280, or the owners of land adjacent to such district, shall have the right to file a petition in the office of the clerk of the court organizing the district praying the court to amend its former decree incorporating the district, by correcting the names of landowners, by striking out any such names, by adding, striking out or correcting the descriptions of any lands within or alleged to be within the boundary lines of any such district, or in any other manner amend its decree; said petition may ask permission of the court for said board to amend or change the plan for reclamation, or to correct any errors, omissions or other mistakes that have been discovered in the plan for reclamation, or said petition may ask that the boundary lines of said district be extended so as to include lands not described by and included in the articles of association filed and the decree of the court incorporating the district. If such petition asks the court permission to change the plan for reclamation or that the boundary lines of such district be in any manner changed, it shall also ask the court to appoint three commissioners as provided for under the provisions of section 245.110 to appraise the land that shall be taken for rights-of-way or other works, or assess the benefits and damages to any or all lands, railroad and other property already in the district or that may be annexed to the district by the proposed amendments, and changes to the plan for reclamation or the proposed change in the boundary lines of said district.

2. After said petition shall have been filed, the court wherein said petition is filed, if in session, or the clerk thereof in vacation, shall fix the date, not less than forty-five nor exceeding sixty days from the date of filing of said petition, on or before which objections, if any, shall be filed to said petition, and the clerk shall give notice of the filing of said petition and of the date on or before which objections, if any, to said petition, and the clerk shall give notice of the filing of said petition and of the date on or before which objections, if any, to said petition shall be filed by causing publication to be made once a week for four consecutive weeks in some newspaper published in each county in which are situate the land and other property affected by the proposed changes, amendments and corrections mentioned in said petition, the first insertion to be made not more than fourteen days after the date on which the petition was filed. Said notice shall be substantially in the following form and it shall be deemed sufficient for all purposes of sections 245.010 to 245.280:

3. Where lands or other property in different counties will be affected by the proposed changes, amendments and corrections enumerated in the said petition, it shall not be necessary to include all the said lands or other property in the notice published in the different counties, but only such of said lands and other property as are situated in the respective counties. Any owner of land or other property that will be affected by the proposed changes, amendments and corrections mentioned in the petition, may on or before the date fixed and published as above provided, file objections in the court or if in vacation thereof, in the office of the clerk of such court wherein the said petition is filed, to the granting of the prayer of the said petition; provided, that the court may in vacation or term time extend the time upon terms. The court shall hear said petition and all objections that may have been filed against said petition in a summary manner without unnecessary delay, and enter its decree according to its findings.

4. The clerk of said court shall, within fifteen days after the granting of such decree, transmit a certified copy of said decree and a copy of the petition to the secretary of the board of supervisors, who shall transmit a copy of the same to each of the recorders of deeds of the counties having land in the district and to the secretary of state. Each such recorder shall file and preserve the same in his office, and for such filing and preserving he shall receive a fee of one dollar.

5. If said decree of the court provides that the plan for reclamation may be amended, changed or corrected or the boundary lines of the district extended, the court shall appoint three commissioners, possessing the same qualifications as the commissioners appointed under the provisions of section 245.110, to appraise property to be taken, assess benefits and damages and estimate the cost of improvements the same as is required of commissioners acting under the provisions of section 245.120. Said commissioners shall make their report in writing and file the same with the circuit clerk, after which the case shall be proceeded with in the same manner as is now provided for in sections 245.010 to 245.280 for the organization of levee districts; provided, that if the petition be dismissed the district shall pay the cost, but if the petition be sustained in whole or in part, the objectors shall pay the court costs. In case the benefits and damages have been assessed on the land and other property remaining in the district and the court finds the same will not be altered by either the change in the boundary line or change in the plan for reclamation, the court shall not appoint commissioners to make assessments.

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(RSMo 1939 § 12532, A.L. 1978 H.B. 1634)

Prior revisions: 1929 § 10942; 1919 § 4636

Effective 1-2-79