reglab/housing_qa huggingface dataset:
MS Code § 51-29-43 (2020)
2020 Mississippi Code|Title 51 - Waters, Water Resources, Water Districts, Drainage, and Flood Control|Chapter 29 - Drainage Districts with Local Commissioners|§ 51-29-43. Right of use during appeal

 Any landowner feeling aggrieved at the decree of the chancellor shall have the right to appeal in the manner provided in this chapter. No appeal shall interfere with the right of the district to enter upon and take possession of the property sought to be taken, or hinder the district in the doing of any act necessary and proper in the construction of the proposed system and the carrying out of the purposes of its organization, provided, however, that the district shall have first paid into the court the amount of the appraisement. Drainage districts organized under the provisions of this chapter shall have the power to acquire any and all lands, lying either within or without the limits of such districts, necessary to the carrying out of the successful drainage of the district, in the manner above provided. In addition to the method above prescribed for the acquisition of lands for the purpose of the district, drainage districts shall have and are hereby given and granted the right of eminent domain, and they may proceed to acquire rights of way by proceeding under the code before the court of eminent domain.
MS Code § 51-29-45 (2020)
2020 Mississippi Code|Title 51 - Waters, Water Resources, Water Districts, Drainage, and Flood Control|Chapter 29 - Drainage Districts with Local Commissioners|§ 51-29-45. Court to make order for assessments to cover cost of improvement

 The chancery court or chancellor in vacation shall, at the same time that the assessment of benefits is filed or at any subsequent time when called upon by the board of commissioners of the district so to do, enter upon the minutes of the chancery court an order which shall have all the force of a judgment, providing that there shall be assessed upon the real property of the district a special assessment or levy to pay the estimated cost of the improvement, with not less than ten per cent added for unforeseen contingencies. The amount to be assessed upon each tract of land included within the district shall be such part of the estimated cost of the improvement as the assessment of benefits against such tract bears to the assessment of benefits against all the real property in the district. Said assessments are to be paid in annual installments, not to exceed ten per cent in any one year, as provided in such order; but if any landowner elects, he may pay the whole amount of the assessment against his land before it becomes due or at any time thereafter, or all or any part of said assessment at any time he sees fit, provided such payment is made before any bonds are issued by the district.   The assessment or assessments so levied shall be a lien on all of the real property of the district from the time that the same is levied by the chancery court or chancellor in vacation in an amount not to exceed the total amount of estimated benefits on all the real property in the district, shall be entitled to preference to all demands, executions, encumbrances, or liens whatsoever, and shall continue until such assessment, with any penalty and costs that may accrue thereon, shall have been paid. The remedy against such assessment shall be by appeal to the supreme court, and such appeal must be taken within twenty days from the time that said assessment has been made by the chancery court, or chancellor in vacation. On such appeal the presumption shall be in favor of the legality of the assessment.
MS Code § 51-29-47 (2020)
2020 Mississippi Code|Title 51 - Waters, Water Resources, Water Districts, Drainage, and Flood Control|Chapter 29 - Drainage Districts with Local Commissioners|§ 51-29-47. Board of supervisors to make a tax levy

 It shall be the duty of the board of supervisors of each county to make an annual tax levy, at the same time when the county tax levy is made or at any succeeding regular meeting, in an amount not exceeding the installment of assessment levied for that year sufficient to meet the obligations of the district.
MS Code § 51-29-49 (2020)
2020 Mississippi Code|Title 51 - Waters, Water Resources, Water Districts, Drainage, and Flood Control|Chapter 29 - Drainage Districts with Local Commissioners|§ 51-29-49. Copy of levy to tax collector

 It shall thereupon be the duty of the clerk of the board of supervisors to extend the amount of the said levy on the original or copy of the assessment roll of the district on file in his office, and to certify a copy of the levy to the tax collector of his county, who shall extend the amount of the levy on the copy of said assessment in his office.   Any owner of real property within the district may, by mandamus, compel the compliance by the board of supervisors with the terms of Section 51-29-47.
MS Code § 51-29-51 (2020)
2020 Mississippi Code|Title 51 - Waters, Water Resources, Water Districts, Drainage, and Flood Control|Chapter 29 - Drainage Districts with Local Commissioners|§ 51-29-51. Collection of assessments

 After the assessment of benefits or betterments and damages and the levy of assessments to be paid shall have been made and become final in the manner hereinbefore provided, and for the purpose of facilitating the collection of the assessments so levied, it shall be the duty of the board of commissioners to prepare, or cause to be prepared, a copy or copies of the assessment roll in which they shall inscribe the names of the landowners, the description of the tracts of land assessed, the total betterment assessed against each tract, and the total damages assessed against each tract, and the amount of the levy for the current year, which shall be the amount of tax to be collected for that year by the tax collector. The commissioners may at any time also employ some competent person to calculate the amount of tax to be paid each year for each tract of land in the district, and extend the same on the rolls of the district. Such copy of the roll shall be certified to by the commissioner and be deposited with the clerk of the board of supervisors of the judicial district of the county in which the land lies, and if a drainage district embraces lands lying in more than one county or judicial district, a copy of said roll shall be filed with the clerk of the board of supervisors in each district or county. It shall be the duty of the clerk to transmit said roll or rolls to the said tax collector of such county or counties on or before the first day of October of the year in which the tax levy is to be collected, and said roll shall constitute the authority and be the guide for the collection of said drainage tax by the collector. If any collector shall wilfully neglect, fail, or refuse to collect any tax shown on said roll to have been levied in the manner herein provided, he shall be liable on his bond as county tax collector for any taxes lost to the drainage district, together with damages thereon at the rate of thirty per cent.   For any failure to pay over any tax so collected at the same time he is required by law to pay over state and county taxes, said tax collector shall be liable for damages at the rate of thirty per cent and interest at the rate of six per cent per annum on the principal and damages.
MS Code § 51-29-55 (2020)
2020 Mississippi Code|Title 51 - Waters, Water Resources, Water Districts, Drainage, and Flood Control|Chapter 29 - Drainage Districts with Local Commissioners|§ 51-29-55. Duties of tax collector

 In making a settlement with the treasurer, the tax collector of each county shall pay the amount due the drainage district over to a drainage depository in his county, if there be one in his county; otherwise he shall pay the same to the drainage treasurer. The tax collector in making deposits shall receive triplicate receipts for the same and mail the depository of the funds of the district and the treasurer of said drainage district each a copy thereof. The treasurer shall issue his official receipt for such deposit, if such depository shall have been legally qualified to receive such deposit.
MS Code § 51-29-57 (2020)
2020 Mississippi Code|Title 51 - Waters, Water Resources, Water Districts, Drainage, and Flood Control|Chapter 29 - Drainage Districts with Local Commissioners|§ 51-29-57. New tax levy in case of deficiency

 If the tax first levied shall prove insufficient to complete the improvement, the commissioners shall report the amount of the deficiency to the board of supervisors, and the board of supervisors shall thereupon make another levy on the property previously assessed for a sum sufficient to complete the improvement, which shall be collected in the same manner as the first levy. When any work has been begun under the provisions of this chapter, which shall not be completed and paid for out of the first or other levy, it shall be the duty of the board of supervisors to make such levy for its completion, and from year to year until it is completed, provided that the total levy shall in no case exceed the value of the benefits assessed on said property. The performance of such duty may be enforced by mandamus at the instance of any person or board interested.
MS Code § 51-29-59 (2020)
2020 Mississippi Code|Title 51 - Waters, Water Resources, Water Districts, Drainage, and Flood Control|Chapter 29 - Drainage Districts with Local Commissioners|§ 51-29-59. Construction contracts

  The board of commissioners herein mentioned shall have control of the construction of the improvements in their districts. They may make purchases and contracts in accordance with Section 31-7-13.   The chancery court or chancellor in vacation may remove any commissioner and appoint his successor, upon proof of incompetency or neglect of duty; but the charge shall be in writing, and such commissioner shall have the right to be heard in his defense and to appeal to the circuit court.
MS Code § 51-29-61 (2020)
2020 Mississippi Code|Title 51 - Waters, Water Resources, Water Districts, Drainage, and Flood Control|Chapter 29 - Drainage Districts with Local Commissioners|§ 51-29-61. Contractors to give bond

 All contractors shall be required to give a performance bond and a payment bond, which may be in one or in separate instruments, for the faithful performance of such contract as may be awarded them, with good and sufficient sureties in amounts to be fixed by the board of commissioners; and the board of commissioners shall not remit or excuse the penalty or forfeiture of said bond or bonds or the breaches thereof. The board of commissioners may appoint all necessary agents for carrying on the work and may fix their pay. They may buy all necessary material and implements as may be on hand and which may be necessary for the completion of the improvements under way, or which have been completed; and may in general, make all such contracts in the prosecution of the work as may best serve the public interest. It shall be the duty of the board of commissioners to have the amount of any work done by the contractor estimated from time to time, as may be desirable, by the engineer selected by the board of commissioners; and said board shall draw its warrants in favor of the contractor for not more than ninety per cent (90%) of the work so reported, reserving the remainder until it has been ascertained that the work has been completed according to contract, and is free from liens.
MS Code § 51-29-63 (2020)
2020 Mississippi Code|Title 51 - Waters, Water Resources, Water Districts, Drainage, and Flood Control|Chapter 29 - Drainage Districts with Local Commissioners|§ 51-29-63. Commissioners may borrow money

 For the purpose of constructing and maintaining the ditches and other improvements provided for under this chapter, for carrying out the purposes and provisions of this chapter, and for paying for the work incident thereto, the said board of commissioners shall have power to borrow money and to issue its negotiable evidence of indebtedness or serial bonds therefor, not exceeding in amount the total amount of benefits assessed against all the real property in the district. Such bonds shall be in such sums and denominations of not less than one hundred dollars ($100.00) each as the said board of commissioners may prescribe, shall each be signed by the members of the said board of commissioners and bear the seal of its drainage district, and shall be made payable, either within or without the limits of this state, to the person or persons to whom sold, or bearer, or bearer simply, at the discretion of said board. No bond issued under the terms of this chapter shall run for more than thirty (30) years; and said bonds may be made to mature serially in such numbers as the board may elect, so that a portion thereof may mature each year as the assessments are collected. Such bonds shall not bear a greater overall maximum interest rate to maturity than that allowed in Section 75-17-101, for which interest coupons may be attached, payable at such time and place as the board may contract, which interest coupons shall bear the facsimile signature of each member of the board of commissioners lithographed thereon. The said bonds may be sold or negotiated in any market in or out of the state at not less than their par value, provided, however, that the cost of lithographing or printing and the necessary expenses of selling said bonds may be incurred.   Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this section, bonds referred to hereinabove may be issued pursuant to the supplemental powers and authorizations conferred by the provisions of the registered bond act, being Sections 31-21-1 through 31-21-7.
MS Code § 51-29-65 (2020)
2020 Mississippi Code|Title 51 - Waters, Water Resources, Water Districts, Drainage, and Flood Control|Chapter 29 - Drainage Districts with Local Commissioners|§ 51-29-65. Bonds to be registered

 Said bonds when issued shall be registered by the clerk of the board of supervisors in a book kept for that purpose, which shall be a public record and shall be a faithful and correct register showing the date, number, amount, and date due of said bonds, the place of payment, and to whom issued or paid, of all bonds issued, sold, or used; and the said clerk shall enter on said register an account of all the bonds paid, received, or taken up by said board of commissioners. It shall be the duty of the said commissioners to promptly furnish to the said clerk necessary data for the keeping of said registers, to cancel and destroy all bonds and coupons which have been paid, and to report the facts to the said clerk to be entered on said register; and no bond or coupons paid, received, or taken up by said board of commissioners shall again be used or reissued. The minutes of the said board of commissioners are furthermore required to show fully the date, number, amount, place of payment, to whom issued and paid of each of said bonds, and shall further show the coupons and bonds paid, taken up, and destroyed, as a check on the register required to be kept by said clerk.   And for the prompt payment of said bonds and coupons the board of commissioners may irrevocably pledge the full faith, credit and resources of the district, and all assessments of said district, as provided in this chapter.
MS Code § 51-29-67 (2020)
2020 Mississippi Code|Title 51 - Waters, Water Resources, Water Districts, Drainage, and Flood Control|Chapter 29 - Drainage Districts with Local Commissioners|§ 51-29-67. Negotiable evidences of debt to contractor

 Said board of commissioners may also issue to the contractor or other persons who do the work, or any part thereof, negotiable evidences of debt of the district, bearing interest at a rate not to exceed six per cent per annum, secured in like manner as the bonds above provided for.
MS Code § 51-29-69 (2020)
2020 Mississippi Code|Title 51 - Waters, Water Resources, Water Districts, Drainage, and Flood Control|Chapter 29 - Drainage Districts with Local Commissioners|§ 51-29-69. Commissioners not liable for damages

 No member of any board of improvement shall be liable for any damages sustained by any one in the prosecution of the work under his charge, unless it shall be made to appear that he has acted with a corrupt and malicious intent.
MS Code § 51-29-71 (2020)
2020 Mississippi Code|Title 51 - Waters, Water Resources, Water Districts, Drainage, and Flood Control|Chapter 29 - Drainage Districts with Local Commissioners|§ 51-29-71. Procedure to alter plans

 The commissioners may at any time alter the plans of ditches and drains, but before constructing the ditches according to the changed plans, the changed plans with accompanying specifications, showing the width and depth of the ditches as changed, shall be filed with the clerk of the chancery court, or chancellor in vacation, and notice of such filing shall be given by publication for two insertions in some newspaper issued and having a bona fide circulation in each of the counties in which there are lands belonging to the district. If by reason of such change of plans any property owner deems that the assessment has become inequitable, he may petition the chancery court, or chancellor in vacation, which shall thereupon refer his petition to the board of commissioners of the district, who shall reassess his property, increasing or diminishing his assessment as they may find just. From such action of the commissioners the property owner shall have the same right of appeal to the board of supervisors that is herein provided for in cases of original assessment. However, in no case after the issuance of bonds, shall the assessment be lowered either by the board of commissioners or the chancery court, or chancellor in vacation, so as to endanger the security of said bonds. Any reduction in benefits may be allowed as damages, and the allowances for such damage shall be secondary and subordinate to the rights of holders of bonds or evidences of indebtedness issued theretofore. No change of plans as above authorized shall be made so as to lower the standard of efficiency of the proposed system of improvement, nor so as to jeopardize the rights of any holder or holders of bonds previously issued; and this question may be raised by any landholder before the chancery court, or chancellor in vacation, with rights of appeal as herein provided.
MS Code § 51-29-73 (2020)
2020 Mississippi Code|Title 51 - Waters, Water Resources, Water Districts, Drainage, and Flood Control|Chapter 29 - Drainage Districts with Local Commissioners|§ 51-29-73. Landowners may build ditches to connect with public ditch

 Any landowner within the district may build ditches to drain his lands into the public ditches, and if any intervening landholders shall refuse permission to cross his lands with such ditch, the board of commissioners may, by proceedings according to the provisions of the chapter on eminent domain, condemn a right of way for such ditch. In such proceedings the jury shall deduct from the damages the benefits that will accrue to such intervening landowner by the construction of such ditch, and said intervening landowner shall have the right to use such ditch for the drainage of his own lands.
MS Code § 51-29-75 (2020)
2020 Mississippi Code|Title 51 - Waters, Water Resources, Water Districts, Drainage, and Flood Control|Chapter 29 - Drainage Districts with Local Commissioners|§ 51-29-75. Compensation for connecting with district drainage system

 No corporation, individual, or other drainage district, outside the limits of any district organized or operating under the terms of this chapter, shall drain into any ditch belonging to any district formed or operating under the terms of this chapter, without first paying compensation, to be ascertained by a jury in the circuit court or chancery court, for the use of said ditch, unless an agreement is reached between the commissioners of the district and the corporation, individual, or other drainage district desiring to use such ditch, as to such compensation. This and Section 51-29-77 shall not operate to interfere with vested rights to natural drainage.
MS Code § 51-29-77 (2020)
2020 Mississippi Code|Title 51 - Waters, Water Resources, Water Districts, Drainage, and Flood Control|Chapter 29 - Drainage Districts with Local Commissioners|§ 51-29-77. Ditches outside of district

 In case it is necessary to do so in order to obtain a proper outlet for the drainage system, the commissioners may construct ditches or do other work beyond the border of their district so as to carry the water to some proper outlet or otherwise to secure the object of the improvement. In that event, they shall have the right to condemn a right of way for such drain or other construction, and the proceedings thereof shall be the same that are now provided by law. Such a ditch or drain beyond the limits of the district shall be the property of the district, and no person not assessed shall have the right to dig any lateral drain connecting therewith without the consent of the commissioners. If such property owner cannot agree with the commissioners as to the price to be paid for the privilege of connecting with such ditch, the board of supervisors of the county where such connection is sought to be made shall fix the amount of such compensation, and either shall have the right to appeal from its findings to the circuit court.
MS Code § 51-29-79 (2020)
2020 Mississippi Code|Title 51 - Waters, Water Resources, Water Districts, Drainage, and Flood Control|Chapter 29 - Drainage Districts with Local Commissioners|§ 51-29-79. Maintenance of system

 The drainage district shall not cease to exist upon the completion of its drainage system, but shall continue to exist as a body corporate for the purpose of preserving the system of drainage, keeping the ditch clear from obstruction, extending, widening, or deepening the ditches from time to time, and for doing such other things and acts in order to carry out the purposes of this chapter and of the drainage system so established, as may be found advantageous to the district. For those purposes, the board of commissioners may borrow money and issue its bonds in such sums and in the manner provided in this chapter, and may from time to time apply to the chancery court, or chancellor in vacation, for the levying of additional assessments upon the benefits for the payment of said work or said bonds. Upon the filing of such application or petition with the clerk of the chancery court, he shall give notice by publication by two insertions in a newspaper published in each of the counties in which the district embraces land. Any property owner seeking to resist such additional levy may appear at the next term of the chancery court, or the chancellor in vacation, not less than ten days after the last insertion of said notice and urge his objections to such levy. In case he fails to appear, such levy shall stand with the force of a final judgment, but either the property owners or the commissioners may appeal to the supreme court not later than twenty days after the date of such levy.
MS Code § 51-29-83 (2020)
2020 Mississippi Code|Title 51 - Waters, Water Resources, Water Districts, Drainage, and Flood Control|Chapter 29 - Drainage Districts with Local Commissioners|§ 51-29-83. Drainage taxes erroneously collected

 When lands have been erroneously taxed for purposes of a drainage district, whether such land so taxed lies within or without the limits of the district, and the commissioners of such drainage district allow the claim for the amount of the taxes so erroneously paid, or where the claimant secures a judgment against any drainage district for the amount of taxes erroneously paid, then, in the event the drainage district does not have sufficient funds with which to pay said claim or judgment, the claimant may at his election obtain from the commissioners of the drainage district a certificate for each year that taxes were erroneously collected, which certificate shall show the amount of taxes due to be refunded on account of such erroneous payment.