(605 ILCS 5/10-311) (from Ch. 121, par. 10-311)
Sec. 10-311.
The county board of each such county may in its discretion, by
ordinance, create a bridge commission for the purpose of exercising the
powers conferred by this Division of this Article if such county board
deems it expedient and necessary. The chairman of the county board, subject
to the approval of the county board, shall appoint 4 persons, all of whom,
in counties under township organization, shall be members of the county
board of such county, who with such chairman, ex officio, shall constitute
a bridge commission to be designated the ".... County Bridge Commission."
All members appointed to such commission shall be legal voters of said
county, and shall have resided in said county for at least 2 years prior to
the date of their appointment to such commission. Any person holding an
elective or appointive public office shall not be eligible for appointment
to the commission, and any person who has held an elective or appointive
public office shall not be eligible for one year after the expiration of
his term of office; provided, however, such restrictions as to eligibility
for appointment shall not be applicable to members of the county board of
the county who shall be eligible for appointment nevertheless.
One of such appointees shall be appointed for a term of one year, one
for a term of 2 years, one for a term of 3 years, and one for a term of 4
years, and annually thereafter appointments to fill the expired terms shall
be made in like manner except that the term of each such appointee shall be
for a term of 4 years. Vacancies shall be filled for any unexpired term in
the same manner as the original appointment. Such bridge commission shall
elect a chairman and vice-chairman from its membership and a secretary who
need not be a member of such commission. The members of the commission
shall receive no compensation for their service and shall give such bond as
may be required from time to time by the county board of the county. The
commission shall fix the compensation of the secretary subject to the
approval thereof by the governing body of the county. The commission shall
have power to establish by-laws, rules and regulations for its own
government and shall have general supervision over the construction,
operation, and management of each such bridge proposed or constructed by
each county under the provisions of this Division of this Article; may
employ engineering, structural and construction experts, inspectors and
attorneys and such other employees as may be necessary in its opinion, fix
their compensation and prescribe their duties. All salaries and
compensation shall be obligations of the county, payable solely from the
revenues derived from the operation of the bridge as provided under this
Division of this Article. The office records, books and accounts of the
bridge commission shall be maintained in the office of the county clerk of
the county.
Each such bridge commission may be authorized and directed by the county
board to prepare all necessary plans and specifications for the
construction of such bridge or bridges, select the location for the same,
determine the size, type, method of construction, make all necessary
estimates of the probable cost of the construction and the acquisition of
land and rights necessary and incidental to the construction of the bridge
and its approaches and enter into all contracts to build and construct such
bridge and its approaches subject to the limitations provided in this
Division of this Article. No plans and specifications or estimate of cost
for the construction of any such bridge and its approaches shall be adopted
by the bridge commission until it has first been submitted to the county
board of the county and approved by such county board, and such bridge
commission shall not enter into any contract or incur any liabilities in
connection with the construction of any such bridge or its approaches
unless and until such contracts or liabilities have been approved by the
county board of such county.
Such bridge commission shall operate, manage and control any such bridge
constructed or acquired under the provisions of this Division of this
Article, fix the rates of toll, or charges for the use thereof, establish
rules and regulations for the use and operation of such bridge, and if and
when authorized by the county board of any such county shall have power to
reconstruct, extend and enlarge any such bridge or bridges.
(Source: Laws 1959, p. 196.)
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