(A) (1) As soon as a system of waterworks or mains or portion or extension of any system of waterworks or water supply has been established by the village, the Chairperson shall nominate and by and with the advice and consent of the Board of Trustees shall appoint any competent person who shall be known as the Water Commissioner of the village and whose term of office shall be for one fiscal year or until his or her successor is appointed and qualified. Annually at the first regular meeting of the Board of Trustees in December, the Water Commissioner shall be appointed as provided in this section.
(2) The Water Commissioner may at any time, for sufficient cause, be removed by a two- thirds’ vote of the Board of Trustees. Any vacancy occurring in the office of Water Commissioner by death, resignation, removal from office or removal from the village may be filled in the manner provided in this section for the appointment of the Commissioner.
(3) The Water Commissioner shall, before he or she enters upon the discharge of his or her duties, execute a bond or provide evidence of equivalent insurance to the village in a sum to be fixed by the Board of Trustees, but not less than $5,000, conditioned upon the faithful discharge of his or her duties and such bond shall be signed by two or more good and sufficient sureties, to be approved by the Board of Trustees or executed by a corporate surety.
(4) The Water Commissioner, subject to the supervision of the Board of Trustees, shall have the general management and control of the system of waterworks or mains or portion or extension of any system of waterworks or water supply in the village.
(5) In a village where no Board of Public Works exists and the village has other public utilities than its waterworks system, the Board of Trustees shall by ordinance designate Water Commissioner as Public Works Commissioner with authority to manage not only the system of waterworks but also other public utilities and all of the provisions of this division (A) applying to the Water Commissioner shall apply to the Public Works Commissioner.
(Neb. RS 17-541)
(B) (1) The Water Commissioner shall collect all money received by the village on account of its system of waterworks and shall faithfully account for and pay over the same to the Village Treasurer, taking his or her receipt therefor in duplicate, filing one of the same with the Village Clerk.
(2) He or she shall make a detailed report to the Board of Trustees, at least once every six months, of the condition of the water system, of all mains, pipes, hydrants, reservoirs and machinery and such improvements, repairs and extension thereof as he or she may think proper. The report shall show the amount of receipts and expenditures on account thereof for the preceding six months. No money shall be expended for improvements, repairs or extension of the waterworks system, except upon recommendation of the Water Commissioner.
(3) The Water Commissioner shall perform such other duties as may be prescribed by ordinance.
(4) The Water Commissioner shall be paid such salary as the Board of Trustees may by ordinance provide and upon his or her written recommendation, the Board shall employ such laborers and clerks as may to them seem necessary.
(5) If the village owns public utilities other than the waterworks system and the Water Commissioner has been designated by ordinance as the Public Works Commissioner under the authority of division (A) above, then all provisions of this division (B) in reference to a Water Commissioner shall apply to the Public Works Commissioner.
(Neb. RS 17-543)