HOUSE BILL No. 6402

 

 

September 27, 2018, Introduced by Rep. Hughes and referred to the Committee on Local Government.

 

     A bill to amend 1956 PA 40, entitled

 

"The drain code of 1956,"

 

by amending sections 30, 72, 155, 156, 157, 158, 159, 160, 246,

 

261, 381, 382, and 424 (MCL 280.30, 280.72, 280.155, 280.156,

 

280.157, 280.158, 280.159, 280.160, 280.246, 280.261, 280.381,

 

280.382, and 280.424), section 72 as amended by 1987 PA 60.

 

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:

 

     Sec. 30. It shall be the duty of each A commissioner to shall

 

make and keep a full financial statement of each drainage district.

 

The commissioner shall also make and keep in his or her office, in

 

a book, to be provided for that purpose a complete record of each

 

drainage district. , which The record shall include a copy of the

 

application for laying out and designating such the district, of

 


the petition for the drain, of the minutes of the survey, of the

 

releases of the right of way, where the same have been released, of

 

condemnation proceedings if instituted to obtain a property

 

interest necessary for the drain, of the orders of determination of

 

the necessity for and of the establishment of the drain, and of the

 

apportionment and assessment of benefits therefor. Where special

 

commissioners have been called, it shall also contain a copy of the

 

application to the probate court, of the return of the special

 

commissioners and of all other papers in his office necessary to

 

show a complete history of each drainage district, all of which

 

said original papers shall then be enrolled and filed in the office

 

of the county drain commissioner. No drain tax for the drain. A

 

drain assessment shall not be spread until all the records required

 

have been deposited and filed in the office of the county drain

 

commissioner.

 

     Sec. 72. (1) As soon as practicable after the filing of a

 

petition under section 71, the commissioner authorized to act on

 

the petition , if not disqualified under section 381 to make the

 

apportionment of benefits, may appoint a board of determination

 

composed of 3 disinterested property owners. If However, if the

 

commissioner is disqualified or chooses not to appoint the board of

 

determination, the commissioner shall immediately file a copy of

 

the petition with the chairperson of the county board of

 

commissioners, together with a statement signed by the commissioner

 

, showing that he or she is disqualified or chooses not to act in

 

appointing a board of determination. Upon As soon as practicable

 

after receiving a copy of the petition and certificate, the


chairperson of the county board of commissioners , if not privately

 

interested, as soon as practicable, shall appoint a board of

 

determination composed of 3 disinterested property owners and shall

 

immediately notify the drain commissioner of the names and

 

addresses of those appointed. If However, if the chairperson of the

 

board of commissioners has a private interest in the proceedings,

 

the drain committee of the county board of commissioners shall

 

appoint the board of determination. Members of boards of

 

determination shall be residents of the county but not of a

 

township, city, or village affected by the drain, and may shall not

 

be members of the county board of commissioners of the county.

 

     (2) A meeting of the board of determination shall be called

 

within the drainage district at a convenient place to be designated

 

by the drain commissioner. The board of determination meeting also

 

may be held at a public building within the city, village, or

 

township in which the drain is located. If 1 of those an individual

 

appointed to the board of determination fails or refuses to serve,

 

the drain commissioner shall appoint a successor.

 

     (3) The per diem compensation, mileage, and expenses of a

 

member of the board of determination shall be the same as the

 

county board of commissioners of the county. In counties where

 

commissioners are not paid on a per diem basis, the compensation,

 

mileage, and expenses shall be fixed by the drain commissioner. The

 

members of the board of determination shall not receive more than 1

 

per diem for a day no matter how many separate matters are

 

considered on that day.

 

     (4) Upon request, the county drain commissioner shall inform


in writing the requesting state legislator who represents that

 

portion of the area in which the proposed drain improvement is to

 

be constructed of the names and addresses of the persons appointed

 

to a board of determination.

 

     (5) (2) The drain commissioner shall give public notice of the

 

time, date, and place of the meeting of the board of determination

 

in the manner required by the open meetings act, Act No. 267 of the

 

Public Acts of 1976, as amended, being sections 1976 PA 267, MCL

 

15.261 to 15.275, of the Michigan Compiled Laws, and by publication

 

in a newspaper of general circulation in the county at least 10

 

days before the meeting. Notice also shall be served on the county

 

clerk and on the clerk of each township, city, and village in the

 

district, personally or by registered mail, at least 10 days before

 

the meeting. The drain commissioner also shall send notice, by

 

first class mail, of the time, date, and place of the meeting, to

 

each person whose name appears on the last city, village, or

 

township tax assessment roll as owning land within the special

 

assessment district, at the address shown on the roll. If an

 

address does not appear on the roll, a notice need not be mailed to

 

the person. The drain commissioner shall make an affidavit of the

 

mailing and shall recite in the affidavit that the persons to whom

 

the notice was mailed constitute all of the persons whose names and

 

addresses appear upon the tax rolls as owning land within the

 

particular special assessment district. The affidavit shall be is

 

conclusive proof that notice was mailed to each person to whom

 

notice is required to be mailed pursuant to this section. The

 

failure of a person to receive a notice by mail shall not


constitute is not a jurisdictional defect invalidating a drain

 

proceeding or tax, or both, if notice has been sent to that person

 

by first class mail as provided in this section. Expenses of

 

notification shall be paid by the drainage district when created.

 

     (6) (3) At the time and place fixed specified in the notice,

 

the board of determination shall meet, elect a chairperson and

 

secretary, and proceed to determine the necessity of the proposed

 

drain and whether the drain is conducive to public health,

 

convenience, or welfare. The board of determination, if it

 

considers it necessary, shall require the county drain commissioner

 

to obtain from the county treasurer a statement showing the amount

 

of taxes and special assessments levied against the land in the

 

proposed drainage district on the tax rolls for the immediately

 

preceding 3 years and the amount of the taxes and assessments

 

remaining unpaid. If it appears from the statement that 25% or more

 

of the taxes are unpaid on the lands, further action on the

 

petition shall not be taken.

 

     (7) After hearing the evidence offered, the board of

 

determination, shall make its determination on by majority vote of

 

its members, shall determine the necessity of the drain and whether

 

the drain is conducive to public health, convenience, or welfare.

 

If the board of determination finds , by a majority vote of the

 

members, that the drain is not necessary and conducive to public

 

health, convenience, or welfare, the board of determination shall

 

file with the commissioner an order dismissing the petition, and a

 

further petition for the drain shall not be entertained within 1

 

year after the determination. If the board of determination, by a


majority vote, finds that the drain proposed to be drain is

 

necessary and conducive to the public health, convenience, or

 

welfare, the board of determination shall make an order to that

 

effect and file the order with the commissioner. If the board of

 

determination finds that a portion of the construction of the

 

proposed drain is necessary for the protection of the public health

 

in 1 or more cities, villages, and or townships, the order shall

 

set forth the determination giving the names of and identify the

 

municipalities receiving benefit for health. If the board of

 

determination determines that the whole cost, except that to be

 

levied against state or county highways for highway benefits, is

 

necessary for the public health, the cost shall be levied against

 

the townships, villages, and cities at large, and it shall is not

 

be necessary, in a subsequent order or notice to describe or refer

 

to land included in or comprising the drainage district. Upon

 

filing of the order of determination by

 

     (8) Within 10 days after the board of determination files the

 

order of determination under subsection (7), the drain commissioner

 

, within 10 days of filing, shall notify each liable municipality

 

that it is liable to pay a percent of the cost of construction of

 

the drain by reason of benefits at large for public health. The

 

governing body of the township, city, or village, within 20 days

 

after receipt of the notification by registered mail from the drain

 

commissioner, may appeal the order of the board of determination to

 

the probate circuit court having jurisdiction in the county in

 

which the township, city, or village is located. Upon receipt of

 

the order of the board of determination, and if If an appeal has


not been timely taken by a municipality to the probate circuit

 

court, the commissioner , after 20 days, shall make his or her

 

first order of determination in writing, giving the name or number

 

of the drainage district. The commissioner shall establish the

 

commencement, route, terminus, and type of construction of the

 

drain, a copy of which order he or she shall file, and, within 15

 

days, file a copy of the order in his or her office. If an appeal

 

is taken to the probate circuit court by a municipality, the

 

commissioner shall file his or her first order of determination

 

after the appeal procedures are terminated.

 

     Sec. 155. The owner of any land in the drainage district or

 

any city, township, village, district or county having control of

 

any highway which may feel aggrieved by the apportionment of

 

benefits so made by the commissioner, may, within 10 20 days after

 

the day of review of such apportionments, the apportionment under

 

section 154, appeal therefrom and for such purpose make an

 

application to the probate court of the proper county for the

 

appointment of a board of review, the apportionment by filing with

 

said probate the circuit court a notice of appeal and at the same

 

time filing with said court a bond in such sum as the judge of

 

probate may require, a bond in a sum required by the circuit court,

 

with 1 or more sureties to be approved by the judge of probate

 

circuit court, conditioned upon the payment of all costs in case

 

the apportionment made by the commissioner shall be is sustained.

 

Such an appeal may be taken by the board of county or district road

 

commissioners in behalf of the county , or by the mayor of any city

 

in behalf of the city, by the supervisor in behalf of any township,


or by the president of any village in behalf of the village when

 

authorized by the village or city council, township board or road

 

commission, respectively. Only 1 board shall be appointed by such

 

probate court.respective legislative body.

 

     Sec. 156. (1) The probate circuit court, immediately upon

 

receipt of any such application as hereinbefore provided for shall

 

forthwith a notice of appeal and bond under section 155, shall

 

notify the commissioner in writing of such the appeal, and shall

 

thereupon then make an order appointing 3 disinterested and

 

competent freeholders of such the county, who are not residents of

 

the a township or townships affected by said the drain, as members

 

of a board of review. The persons so appointed shall constitute the

 

board of review. The circuit court shall appoint only 1 board of

 

review for all appeals of the apportionment of benefits for a

 

single drain. The court shall thereupon, then, with the concurrence

 

of the commissioner, immediately fix the time and place when and

 

where said for a meeting of the board of review shall meet to

 

review said apportionments, which time the apportionment. The

 

meeting shall be held not be less than 10 nor more than 15 days

 

from the date of filing such the appeal.

 

     (2) The commissioner shall thereupon then give notice to the

 

persons so appointed of their appointment and of the time and place

 

of meeting , and shall give notice of such the meeting by posting

 

notices in at least 5 public places in each township forming a part

 

of the drainage district, and shall serve a like similar notice

 

upon the appellant if he be the appellant is a resident of any

 

township affected. Such The notice to the appellant shall be made


given by personal service not less than 5 days before the day of

 

the hearing. and shall be made by personal service. Proof of

 

service of the notice of appeal shall be made by the person serving

 

said the notice and be filed in the office of the judge of

 

probate.circuit court.

 

     (3) At such hearing the board of review shall have the right,

 

and it shall be their duty, to review all apportionments for

 

benefits made by the commissioner on such drain. The persons so

 

appointed shall be sworn by the commissioner to faithfully

 

discharge the duties of such the board of review.

 

     Sec. 157. (1) The board of review shall proceed at the time ,

 

date, and place specified in the notice under section 156(2) to

 

hear the proofs and allegations of the parties in respect to an the

 

appeal, shall proceed to view the lands benefited by the drain and

 

shall review the apportionments apportionment of benefits made by

 

the commissioner on the drain. If in their the board of review's

 

judgment there is a manifest error or inequality in the

 

apportionments they apportionment, the board shall order and make

 

the changes in the apportionment as they may consider that it

 

considers just and equitable.

 

     (2) If the board of review upon personal examination finds

 

that a land liable to be assessed for the construction of the drain

 

is not included in the drainage district made by the commissioner,

 

they the board shall add the land to the drainage district of the

 

drain and shall adjourn the review to another time or another place

 

and time, as they consider proper, but not in all more than 20 days

 

from and cumulatively after the time of review first advertised.


The notice of the adjournment shall contain a description of lands

 

added to the drainage district. The notice shall be given at least

 

10 days before the adjourned day of review. Should If the owners of

 

land liable to an assessment be are nonresidents of the county,

 

personal notice shall be served on the owners, or a notice shall be

 

published at least twice in a weekly newspaper published in the

 

county, of at least 2 insertions, giving the description of the

 

land added to the assessment district and giving the time, date,

 

and place where the board shall will meet.

 

     (3) The action and decision of the board shall be are final.

 

The action and decision shall be reduced to in writing, and signed

 

by a majority of the board making the decision, and shall be

 

delivered to the commissioner together with other papers relating

 

to the decision.

 

     Sec. 158. In case If the apportionment of the commissioner

 

shall be is sustained by such the board of review under section

 

157, the appellant shall pay the whole costs and expenses of such

 

the appeal. Such The costs and expenses shall be ascertained and

 

determined by the judge of probate, circuit court, and if not paid

 

the appellant shall be is liable on his the bond under section 155

 

for the full amount of such the costs in an action at law, to be

 

brought by the commissioner on the bond before any court having

 

competent jurisdiction.

 

     Sec. 159. Should any or all of the persons so If any person

 

appointed under section 156 as a member of a board of review

 

neglect or refuse neglects, refuses, or is unable to serve, or be

 

unable to act, the commissioner shall adjourn the hearing for a


sufficient length of time, not exceeding in all 10 days

 

cumulatively, to enable him the commissioner to apply to the

 

probate circuit court , for the appointment of other persons to act

 

on such board of review a replacement and shall make a public

 

announcement of the time and place of such the adjournment. The

 

review shall thereupon be deemed a continuous proceeding and In

 

that case, no further notice shall be is required. The probate

 

circuit court shall, upon the showing being made , either that any

 

or all the persons person appointed as aforesaid have neglected,

 

refused, or were was unable to act as the case may be and of the

 

adjourned day of meeting, at once immediately by order appoint such

 

other another person or persons duly qualified to fill such the

 

vacancy. And the The commissioner shall notify the each person or

 

persons so appointed to fill such a vacancy of his or her

 

appointment and of the adjourned day of meeting. The person so

 

appointed shall have the same power and perform the same duties as

 

are herein provided for the board of review in the first instance.

 

     Sec. 160. In case the apportionment made by the commissioner

 

is sustained, the individual, county, township, city or village

 

appealing shall be severally liable for all costs incurred by such

 

appeal and the same proceedings shall be had throughout in all

 

respects in said appeal as to the benefits and liabilities in case

 

of an appeal from an individual apportionment: Provided, That only

 

1 board of review shall be appointed by such probate court for any

 

one drain. The board of review herein provided for may adjourn any

 

hearing before them from time to time as justice may require, not

 

exceeding in all 20 days cumulatively from the date of their its


first meeting.

 

     Sec. 246. Newspaper publishers shall receive legal rates for

 

advertising. The judge of probate circuit court shall receive 10

 

cents per folio for making exemplified copies of any proceedings

 

had in the probate circuit court. and $2.00 for the appointment of

 

special commissioners, including certified copy of the order of the

 

appointment. Special commissioners may be appointed to determine

 

the necessity of drains and the necessity of taking property for

 

the use of such improvement and appraise damages therefor. Members

 

of boards of review, boards of determination, surveyors and

 

attorneys employed, shall present their account for services

 

rendered and expenses under oath to the board of county auditors in

 

a county having a board of auditors or to the judge of probate

 

circuit court in other counties. , and it shall be the duty of said

 

board or judge to The board of county auditors or circuit court

 

shall audit and allow the said accounts and direct the same to be

 

paid their payment from the revolving drain fund of the county. :

 

Provided, That in case However, if the board of determination or

 

special commissioners determine said determines that the proposed

 

drain is not necessary, payment for all such service shall be made

 

from the general fund of the county.

 

     Sec. 261. (1) Within 10 days after the letting of contracts,

 

or in case of an appeal, then forthwith after such appeal shall

 

have been immediately after the appeal is decided, the commissioner

 

shall make a computation of compute the entire cost of such the

 

drain, which shall include (1) all the including all of the

 

following:


     (a) The expense of laying out and designating the drainage

 

district, which item of expense shall include the entire including

 

the cost of the survey. ; (2) the

 

     (b) The expense of locating, establishing, and constructing

 

the drain. ; (3) the

 

     (c) The fees and expenses of special commissioners; (4) the

 

condemnation proceedings.

 

     (d) The compensation to be paid the board of review. ; (5) the

 

     (e) The cost of construction of bridges and culverts. ; (6)

 

the

 

     (f) The contracts for the construction of the drain, or other

 

work to be done on the drain. said drain; (7) the

 

     (g) The estimated cost of an appeal in case the apportionment

 

made by the commissioner is not sustained. shall not be sustained;

 

(8) the

 

     (h) The estimated cost of inspection. ; (9) the

 

     (i) The cost of publishing all notices required. ; (10) all

 

fees of the probate judge; (11) attorney

 

     (j) Circuit court fees.

 

     (k) Fees for legal services in connection with the drain. ;

 

and (12) interest

 

     (l) Interest on bonds for the first year, if bonds are to be

 

issued. , and he

 

     (2) The drain commissioner shall add the whole into a gross

 

sum and add thereto to the amount computed under subsection (1) not

 

less than 10% nor more than 15%, at the discretion of the drain

 

commissioner, of said gross sum that amount to cover contingent


expenses. , and the The entire sum so ascertained shall be deemed

 

to be the is considered the cost of construction of such the drain.

 

     Sec. 381. Whenever the commissioner of any county shall

 

receive If a drain commissioner receives a petition asking for the

 

laying out, construction, cleaning out, deepening, or widening of

 

any drain, or a petition asking a drain or for proceedings by

 

virtue of which any an assessment upon lands for benefits received

 

would result, wherein such commissioner shall be interested by

 

reason of himself, wife or child, owning and the commissioner is

 

interested because the commissioner, the commissioner's spouse, or

 

the commissioner's child owns lands that would be liable to an

 

assessment for benefits upon for the work or proceeding proposed to

 

be done or had, and in cases where such or the commissioner may be

 

is otherwise disqualified to act in the making of apportionment of

 

benefits, such the commissioner shall file a copy of such the

 

petition with the judge of probate of the county, circuit court,

 

together with a statement signed by him, the commissioner, showing

 

that he or she is disqualified to act in making such make the

 

apportionment of benefits.

 

     Sec. 382. Upon Within 15 days after receiving such a petition

 

and certificate aforesaid, the judge of probate statement under

 

section 381, the circuit court shall , within not less than 15

 

days, appoint a disinterested commissioner of an adjoining or

 

nearby county to make the apportionment of benefits on said the

 

drain. It shall be the duty of said disinterested commissioner, so

 

appointed, to make and complete within a period of Within 30 days

 

after his or her appointment, or within such reasonable time


thereafter as may be necessary, the appointed commissioner shall

 

make an apportionment of the benefits of said the drain and file

 

the same apportionment with the said disqualified commissioner. ,

 

and said The apportionment shall be adopted for said the drain,

 

subject to the same rights of appeal as provided in this act. Said

 

The disqualified commissioner shall furnish the commissioner so

 

appointed with a copy of his or her final order of determination on

 

said the drain.

 

     Sec. 424. (1) Whenever a If an existing disposal plant,

 

filtration plant, or other mechanical device to purify the flow of

 

such a drain or sewer has been heretofore constructed, but is

 

inoperative or improperly operated and, in the opinion of the state

 

commissioner of director of the department of health and human

 

services, the public health is consequently endangered, by reason

 

thereof, said state commissioner of the director of the department

 

of health and human services may file with the judge of probate

 

circuit court of the county in which said the facilities are

 

located , a petition reciting setting forth his or her findings and

 

recommendations as to how the menace endangerment to health may be

 

corrected or the nuisance may best be abated and how the improperly

 

operated or inoperative disposal plant, filtration plant, or other

 

mechanical device to purify the flow of a drain or sewer should be

 

repaired, maintained, and operated. Upon satisfying himself as to

 

the reasonableness of said recommendations, it shall be the duty of

 

the judge of probate of said county to If the circuit court finds

 

that the recommendations are reasonable, the circuit court shall

 

direct the drain commissioner of said the county to prepare a plan


for and estimate the annual cost of executing the recommendations

 

of the state commissioner of director of the department of health

 

and human services, and/or of rehabilitation, ordinary maintenance

 

and operation of said improperly operated or inoperative

 

facilities, to prepare a map showing the extent of the area

 

contributing to said the condition, and to make a determination of

 

determine the annual expense thereof apportioned according to

 

benefits to the state highways, cities, villages, and townships

 

benefited. by the same. Upon receipt of the map, tentative

 

assessment district, and other information from the county drain

 

commissioner, the judge of probate circuit court shall give notice

 

of said the facts and of the date of receiving appeals. Notice

 

shall be given by publication in at least 2 insertions in some

 

twice in a newspaper published and of general circulation in the

 

county, if there be is one, the first publication to be at least 10

 

days before the date set for receiving appeals. and said notice

 

Notice shall also be posted at least 10 days before the date for

 

receiving appeals in 5 or more conspicuous places in each city,

 

village, and township , where any part of the district may be is

 

located and within the limits of such the district.

 

     (2) The state highway commissioner director of the state

 

transportation department or any city, township, or village, which

 

may feel aggrieved by the apportionment of benefits so made by the

 

drain commissioner may make an application to said probate court

 

for review of the apportionment by a board of review appeal the

 

apportionment by filing with said probate the circuit court a

 

notice of appeal. Only 1 board of review shall be appointed by said


court. Upon receipt of any such notices of appeal, as hereinbefore

 

provided, the probate court shall forthwith a notice of appeal, the

 

circuit court shall immediately notify the drain commissioner, in

 

writing, of such the appeal and thereupon shall make an order

 

appointing 3 disinterested freeholders of such the county, who are

 

not residents of said the district, to constitute such as a board

 

of review for all the appeals. The court shall thereupon, then,

 

with the concurrence of the drain commissioner, immediately fix

 

establish the time and place when and where said for a meeting of

 

the board of review shall meet to review said apportionments, which

 

said time the apportionment. The meeting shall be held not less

 

than 10 nor or more than 15 days from after the date of filing such

 

the appeal.

 

     (3) The drain commissioner shall thereupon give notice to the

 

persons so appointed under subsection (2) notice of their

 

appointment and of the time and place of the meeting, and shall

 

give notice of such the meeting by posting notices in at least 5

 

public places in each city, village, and township forming a part of

 

the drainage district, and shall serve a like similar notice upon

 

the director of the state highway commissioner transportation

 

department and each of said those cities, villages, and townships.

 

Such The service shall be made not less than 5 days before the

 

hearing. Return shall be made by the person serving said the notice

 

and shall be filed in the office of the judge of probate. At such

 

hearing the board of review shall have the right and it shall be

 

their duty to review all apportionments made by the drain

 

commissioner. circuit court. Persons appointed on said to the board


of review shall be sworn by the drain commissioner to faithfully

 

discharge their duties as members of said the board.

 

     (4) The board of review shall proceed at the time and place

 

specified in the notice to hear the proofs and allegations of all

 

parties in respect to the matter of appeal . A and to review of

 

apportionments shall be made by the board of review and if, the

 

entire apportionment. If in their the board of review's judgment,

 

there shall be is manifest error or inequality in such

 

apportionments, they the apportionment, the board shall order and

 

make such changes therein as they shall deem in the apportionment

 

that it considers just and equitable. Determination The

 

determination of the drain commissioner, if not appealed from, or

 

of said the board, in case of an appeal, shall be is final and

 

there shall be is no right of appeal from such the determination,

 

except by writ of certiorari to the proper court. The determination

 

shall be reduced to in writing, and signed by the drain

 

commissioner, or in case of appeal, by a majority of the board

 

making the same, determination, and shall be delivered to the judge

 

of probate circuit court together with all other papers relating

 

thereto. Upon the apportionments becoming final, as hereinbefore

 

set forth, the judge of probate to the apportionment. When the

 

apportionment becomes final, the circuit court shall deliver said

 

the approved roll of apportionments the apportionment of benefits

 

and expense to the drain commissioner. , who The drain commissioner

 

shall assess the amounts therein set forth in the roll to the

 

respective cities, villages, and townships involved. , and said The

 

cities, villages, and townships shall thereafter make payment


thereof as collected pay the amounts in quarterly installments to

 

the county treasurer to be deposited in a separate fund for the

 

rehabilitation, ordinary maintenance, and operation of said the

 

facilities. , which said The fund shall be paid out only on the

 

order of the drain commissioner of the county in which said the

 

facilities are located.

 

     (5) Payment Costs for services and providing for substitute

 

membership necessary on the board of review shall be in accordance

 

with paid as provided in sections 158 and 159. of this act. Such

 

necessary Necessary costs of the proceeding shall be determined by

 

the judge of probate, said cost to be circuit court, paid from the

 

revolving fund of the county, and same to be returned to the county

 

out of the first assessment against said the district. Immediately

 

upon receipt of sufficient funds, so to do, the drain commissioner

 

of the county shall proceed with the rehabilitation, ordinary

 

maintenance, and operation of said the facilities , and shall

 

continue the same as long as funds are available. The costs and

 

charges hereinbefore set forth provided for in this section shall

 

be an annual charge and shall be assessed against the state

 

highways and the several cities, villages, and townships by said

 

the drain commissioner each year as long as said the facility

 

continues to be operated. , unless in the opinion of the drain

 

commissioner, the state highway commissioner or of any of said

 

cities, villages or townships, said apportionment should be

 

changed, in which event either said drain commissioner, However,

 

the director of the state highway commissioner, transportation

 

department or any of said the cities, villages, or townships may


petition the judge of probate circuit court of the county in which

 

said the proceedings were had for the appointment of a board of

 

review to reapportion said the expense. , and on filing said

 

petition said judge of probate shall proceed to The circuit court

 

shall appoint a board of review on notice and in the manner

 

hereinbefore set forth, which said provided for in this section.

 

The board of review shall review such the assessments and make a

 

new apportionment. : Provided, however, That no However, a

 

reapportionment shall not be made oftener more often than once in

 

each calendar year.

 

     (6) The several cities, villages, and townships against whom

 

which an assessment is made, as hereinbefore provided for in this

 

section, shall collect for such expense so assessed to them under

 

this act the amount assessed by charges for the use of said the

 

facilities, to be added to and collected with the water rates of

 

said the cities, villages, and townships, in the same manner as

 

other water rates of said the cities, villages, and townships are

 

collected, or in such other manner as the several governing bodies

 

of said the respective cities, villages, and townships may

 

determine.

 

     Enacting section 1. This amendatory act takes effect 90 days

 

after the date it is enacted into law.