Authorizing county boards of supervisors to employ firms of professional engineers as the county engineer

Under current law, the board of supervisors of a county (board) is required to employ one or more licensed civil engineers as the county engineer. County engineers must directly supervise all construction and maintenance work to ensure the work is carried out efficiently and properly. County engineers may be hired for terms of up to three years, though the employment may be terminated at any time. The board is required to determine the level of compensation for a county engineer, and county engineers are required to provide a bond between $2,000 and $5,000. Multiple counties can collaborate to hire a county engineer and share costs for support, with an agreement specifying cost allocation and reimbursement, in accordance with Code chapter 28E (joint exercise of governmental powers). A county engineer is required to submit detailed accounts for any expenses incurred related to the engineer’s duties as county engineer. This bill authorizes boards to employ a professional engineering entity as the county engineer, with one or more licensed civil engineers employed by the entity responsible for performing the duties required of the county engineer, pursuant to an agreement between the entity and the board. A board must approve a bond given by a professional engineering entity, which covers the entity’s licensed civil engineers, as if the entity was one licensed civil engineer.