§ 69-624. County engineer - Appointment - Compensation - Removal - Qualifications - Joint employment - Agreement for engineering services.

A.  The board of county commissioners of each county shall employ one or more full- or part-time county engineers, who shall perform the duties as provided by law.  The county engineer shall receive as compensation a salary to be fixed by the board of county commissioners for his services on road and bridge and other work appertaining thereto, and all necessary and actual expenses incident thereto.

B.  Any person employed as county engineer may be relieved of his duties by the board of county commissioners.

C.  The county engineer shall be registered as a professional engineer or certified as an engineer-in-training by the State Board of Registration for Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors pursuant to Sections 475.1 et seq. of Title 59 of the Oklahoma Statutes, and shall have a practical knowledge of civil engineering, be skilled in bridge, culvert and road building and in laying of drains and general road work and be active and diligent in the discharge of his duties.

D.  The boards of county commissioners may enter into an agreement to jointly employ a county engineer.  Such agreement shall be written and entered in the minutes of each participating board of county commissioners.  The engineer employed under such agreement shall be the designated county engineer for each of the respective counties.

E.  In the event a board of county commissioners determines that it cannot afford to employ a full-time county engineer, or if it cannot enter into an agreement with other counties to jointly employ a part-time county engineer, then said board shall enter into an agreement with the Department of Transportation for the provision of necessary county engineering services.  Any engineering services provided by the Department of Transportation shall be furnished without cost or expense to the county. However, nothing in this section shall be construed to relieve a board of county commissioners of the responsibilities or costs associated with the efficient and necessary construction and maintenance of roads, bridges, culverts and drainage projects within its jurisdiction, or as otherwise provided by law.  Road funds shall be withheld from any county failing to employ or utilize county engineering services as provided herein.

Added by Laws 1968, c. 415, § 624, operative July 1, 1968.  Amended by Laws 1982, c. 311, § 1; Laws 2006, c. 63, § 2, eff. Nov. 1, 2006.