Fla. Stat. 157.21
Enlargement of drains; appointment of committee; report to commissioners; letting contract; contractor’s bond; payments; assessment

Whenever the board of county commissioners shall have determined upon a petition, filed as provided in s. 157.16, to enlarge or deepen any drain, they shall appoint a committee of the three competent and disinterested persons who are citizens of the county, who shall cause an accurate survey to be made of the proposed work, and shall establish the depth or width to which the same shall be deepened and shall make and present to the county commissioners at their next regular meeting, an estimate of the cost of said work, and upon the report of said committee to them, said county commissioners shall advertise not less than 2 weeks in a newspaper published in the county, for bids on said work, to be given to the lowest responsible bidder, with the privilege of rejecting all bids that may be offered, should the same be considered unreasonable; and in case the said bids are rejected, they may again advertise for further bids. The said board of county commissioners shall require of the person whose bid is accepted for said work a good and sufficient bond for the faithful performance of said contract, which said work shall be done under the supervision of the committee appointed as aforesaid. When the work shall be completed the committee shall certify the same to the board of county commissioners who shall also inspect such work before final payment is made to the contractor, and such confirmation with the report of the committee that the work has been done according to contract, shall be made a matter of record; provided, that nothing in this chapter shall prevent the county commissioners from making payments in installments during the progress of the work, if deemed expedient. Before letting such contract, the committee appointed by the commissioners shall view the lands to be benefited by the enlargement or deepening of said drain or auxiliary and assess each parcel according and in proportion as each shall be benefited, both those lands lying immediately along such ditch, drain or canal, and those adjacent thereto, for all the expenses that may be incurred in the enlarging or deepening of said drain and keeping the same in repair from year to year, and shall file a report of the same with the board of county commissioners, which said report shall show the several tracts of lands assessed and the names of the owners thereof, and the amounts assessed against each tract; provided, however, that if the owners of any tract cannot be ascertained by diligent inquiry, said tract shall be assessed as unknown.

Source: Section 157.21 — Enlargement of drains; appointment of committee; report to commissioners; letting contract; contractor’s bond; payments; assessment, https://www.­flsenate.­gov/Laws/Statutes/2024/0157.­21 (accessed Aug. 7, 2025).

157.01
Public ditch, drain or canal 157.02
Action on petition by county commissioners 157.03
Commissioners to appoint committee 157.04
Bond required before letting contract 157.05
Work done under supervision of committee 157.06
Committee to view land before letting contract 157.07
Where cost of construction exceeds estimated cost commissioners to assess difference 157.08
Assessments 157.09
Compensation of committee 157.10
Application to lateral ditches 157.11
Lateral drains may be established 157.12
Duty of bond trustees to borrow money to pay interest on bonds until collection of first assessment 157.13
Use of surplus of bond proceeds 157.14
Owner may pay whole tax in one sum 157.15
County commissioners may issue bonds to pay scrip 157.16
Enlarging drains and assessing cost 157.17
Assessment to maintain drains 157.18
Awarding contract for enlarging or repairing drains 157.19
Where actual cost exceeds estimated cost 157.20
Appointment of committee to view work and make assessments 157.21
Enlargement of drains 157.22
Repairing drains 157.23
Objections to report of committee fixing assessments 157.24
Commissioners may issue interest-bearing scrip against land to borrow money or pay for work 157.25
Compensation of committee 157.26
Repair and maintenance of drains under supervision of county commissioners 157.27
Proceedings for making repair to drains, etc 157.28
Awarding contracts for repair 157.29
Levy of tax for maintaining and repairing drains 157.30
Reassessment of lands where attempt to establish ditch or canal irregular 157.31
Notice of reassessment for drainage 157.32
Reviewing complaints and making assessment against property benefited 157.33
Issuance of scrip to take up former scrip or bonds 157.34
Reassessments to have effect as original assessment 157.35
Assessments conclusive after lapse of 6 months 157.36
Adjustment of drainage tax liens

Current through Fall 2025

§ 157.21. Enlargement of drains; appointment of committee; report to commissioners; letting contract; contractor’s bond; payments; assessment's source at flsenate​.gov