14-1244. Joint bridge commission; organization; powers and duties.

(1) In case the city council of a city of the metropolitan class, having been authorized by the electors as required in section 14-1251, shall at any stage of the proceedings determine to cooperate with any such properly authorized political subdivision in this or an adjoining state in the joint acquisition and operation of any bridge, a joint bridge commission shall be created.

(2) Such joint bridge commission shall be created and the members selected by the action of each political unit cooperating, in the same manner provided for the creation of a local bridge commission by the statutes applicable to each political unit, and upon which representation may be proportioned to the respective contribution of funds by the political units cooperating for the purpose of such acquisition except that the total membership shall not exceed ten members. The joint bridge commission shall select a chairperson and a vice-chairperson to represent each political subdivision cooperating in the enterprise and shall maintain a single office at the place selected by the joint bridge commission but for legal purposes shall be domiciled within the jurisdiction of each political unit cooperating and shall have the power to sue and be sued. The joint bridge commission shall constitute a public body corporate and politic, shall select and adopt its own name, and shall be vested with such powers and subject to such conditions as may be conferred and imposed by the government of the United States and such powers and conditions in the State of Nebraska as are conferred and imposed in sections 14-1201 to 14-1252 upon a local bridge commission, and such powers and subject to such conditions in an adjoining state as may be conferred and imposed by the laws of such state.

(3) The plans and specifications, the location, size, type, and method of construction, the boundaries and approaches, and the estimates of the costs of construction, acquisition of property, and financing, shall be first submitted to the governing bodies of the political units cooperating and receive their approval by resolution before final adoption by the joint bridge commission, which shall not enter into contracts and shall have no power to proceed further unless and until such approval has been given.

(4) If such joint bridge commission is created after any work has been done, any funds provided, or any liabilities incurred by the city council or by a local bridge commission, such joint bridge commission shall take over, succeed to, assume and be liable for such work, funds, or liabilities.

Source:Laws 1929, c. 176, § 22, p. 628; C.S.1929, § 14-1222; R.S.1943, § 14-1244; Laws 2022, LB800, § 277.