Chapter 10. Duties Of District Officers of California Streets And Highways Code >> Division 16. >> Part 3. >> Chapter 10.

The president shall sign all contracts on behalf of the district, and perform such other duties as may be imposed by the board.

The secretary shall countersign all contracts on behalf of the district and perform such other duties as may be imposed by the board. The secretary shall devote his full time during office hours to the affairs of the district.

The auditor under the direction of the board of directors shall install and maintain a system of auditing and accounting which shall completely show the financial condition of the district at all times. He shall draw warrants to pay those claims made against the district which have been approved by the general manager.

The engineer, under the direction of the general manager, shall have full charge of the constructions and of the works of the district. No person shall serve or act as engineer unless he is a licensed civil engineer under the laws of this State.

The attorney shall have full charge of the legal matters pertaining to the district, and shall be the legal adviser to the board, the general manager, and all of the officers of the district.

The board shall designate a bank or a savings and loan association of good standing, or both, as a depositary for district funds. The board may also designate other banks or savings and loan associations as branch depositaries. Any depositary and each branch depositary shall give security sufficient to secure the district against possible loss, and in the case of active deposits shall pay the warrants drawn by the auditor for demands against the district under such rules as the board may prescribe. The board may also deposit all or part of the funds of the district in the State Treasury, and the State Treasurer shall receive any district funds sent to him for deposit and pay out said funds upon warrants of the district, under such rules as the board may prescribe. Boards and district officials conforming to the provisions of this section are not required to conform to the provisions of Chapters 4 (commencing with Section 16500) or 4.5 (commencing with Section 16600) of Part 2, Division 4, Title 2, of the Government Code.

The general manager, secretary, auditor, engineer, and attorney, and any other officers or employees of the district who may be required to do so by the board, shall give such bonds to the district, conditioned upon the faithful performance of their duties, as the board may prescribe. When deemed expedient by the board a master official bond may be used which shall provide coverage on more than one officer or employee who is required by the board to give bond. Such bond shall be in the form and for the term which is approved by the board and shall inure to the benefit of the district by whom such officer or employee is employed as well as the officer under whom the employee serves.

After the organization of the district the board, the general manager, and all of the other officers of the district shall prepare plans, both engineering and financial, for the purpose of putting into operation the project for which the district has been organized, and secure the necessary data, contracts, agreements, plans and specifications for the prosecution of such work as will enable them to put the matter before the voters at an election held for the purpose of authorizing the issuance of bonds by the district.

The board of directors shall, for the protection of a bridge and highway district, insure any bridge or other facility constructed or acquired under the provisions of this act against all risks to such extent as it deems necessary. In case of damage or destruction, the proceeds of such insurance shall be applied to the restoration of such bridge or facility. Any such bridge or facility may be insured, irrespective of the retirement of all indebtedness incurred for its construction or acquisition, and the cost of such insurance shall be paid from any funds available to the district.

In cases of great emergency, including but not limited to states of emergency as defined in subdivision (b) of Section 8558 of the Government Code, the board of directors of a bridge and highway district may proceed at once to replace or repair any and all structures, roadway, or property of the district that may be rendered unusable or unsafe without adopting the plans, specifications, strain sheets or working details or giving notice for bids to let contracts. The work may be done by day labor under the direction of the board, by contract, or by a combination of the two. If the work is done wholly or in part by contract, the contractor shall be paid the actual cost of the use of machinery and tools and of material and labor expended by him in doing the work, plus not more than 15 percent to cover all profits, supervision, and other expenses. No more than the lowest current market prices shall be paid for materials. Not less than the general prevailing rate of per diem wages for work of a similar character in the locality in which the work is performed, fixed as provided in Chapter 1 (commencing with Section 1720) of Part 7 of Division 2 of the Labor Code, shall be paid to all workmen employed on such works.