(A) Purpose. The County Weed Control Board is hereby created, pursuant to the authority set out in I.C. 15-16-7 in order to facilitate and aid the individual Trustees of the various townships of the county in the eradication of certain noxious weeds.
(B) Membership.
(1) Members of said County Weed Control Board, which will be appointed by the Board of Commissioners, shall be as follows:
(a) One Township Trustee of the county;
(b) One Soil and Water Conservation District Supervisor;
(c) A representative from the agricultural community of the county;
(d) A representative from the County Highway Department, or such other person as the Board of Commissioners might decide to appoint in place of a representative from the County Highway Department; and
(e) A Co-Operative Extension Service Agent from the county who serves in a non-voting advisory capacity.
(2) Each member of said County Weed Control Board shall be appointed for a term of four years. All vacancies in the membership of the Weed Control Board shall be filled for the unexpired term in the same manner as initial appointments. Once the Weed Control Board has been appointed and holds its first meeting, it shall elect a Chairperson and a secretary, which officers shall be elected annually thereafter at the first meeting of the Weed Control Board of each calendar year. The members of said Weed Control Board shall not be entitled to receive any compensation, but shall be entitled to such traveling and other expenses as may be necessary in the discharge of their duties. The Weed Control Board may, if it so desires, appoint an Executive Director and employ all necessary technical, professional, and other assistants, and said Weed Control Board shall fix the qualifications, duties, and salaries of these employees subject to the permission of the County Council. The County Highway Supervisor and the Soil and Water Conservation District Supervisor, or his or her employee, serving the county shall serve as inspectors for the Weed Control Board, and shall make periodic inspections and report their findings to the Weed Control Board and the Executive Director of the Weed Control Board, if any.
(C) Noxious weeds. The noxious weeds over which the County Weed Control Board has jurisdiction are:
(1) Canada thistle (Cirsium arvense);
(2) Johnson grass and sorghum alum (sorghum halapense);
(3) Bur cucumber (sicyos angulatus); and
(4) Shattercane (sorghum biculor).
(D) Powers and duties. The powers and duties of the Weed Control Board shall be those powers and duties as are set out in I.C. 15-16-7-7, and any amendments thereto.
(E) Property.
(1) The County Weed Control Board, in conjunction with the individual Township Trustees, may require persons owning real easements, rights-of-way, or other similar interests in the real estate located in the county to control and contain any noxious weeds growing on their said property.
(2) A five-day written notice to remove any noxious weeds shall be issued by the Weed Control Board and Trustees, and served by certified or registered mail addressed to the latest address of the person, or to his or her relevant agent. In the alternative, notice may be served by the County Sheriff.
(Ord. 2000-1, passed 1-4-2000)