242.380. 1. For the purpose of preserving any ditch, drain,dike, levee or other work constructed or erected under theprovisions of sections 242.010 to 242.690, the board ofsupervisors shall have power to appoint an overseer or overseersof the district, who shall hold their positions at the will ofthe board.
2. It shall be the duty of such overseer or overseers tokeep the ditches, drains, levees, dikes and other works of thedistrict in good repair, and remove all obstructions fromditches, drains or watercourses within or without said districtthat may affect the works of the district. It shall be thefurther duty of said appointees to report at such times as theboard may require the condition of the levees, drains and otherworks of the district assigned to each by the board; to make suchexaminations of all levees during high water periods as he may bedirected by the board of supervisors; and upon any emergency ordanger to levees or other works of the district, of which theoverseer has charge, he may call out all able-bodied men oversixteen years of age and under fifty years within the district,and compel such persons to perform such work as said overseer maydeem necessary to be made in order to protect the levees, gradesor other works of the district.
3. Any person who shall refuse to perform such work assignedto him by said overseer shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanorand upon affidavit made before any associate circuit judge of thecounty by the overseer or any other person, that the offender hasdefaulted in obeying such call or summons of said overseer, saidassociate circuit judge shall issue a warrant for the arrest ofsuch offender, and upon conviction before said associate circuitjudge, upon information or any other modes provided by law fortrials of cases of misdemeanor, he shall be fined in any sum notless than twenty nor more than one hundred dollars, orimprisonment in the county jail not less than fifteen nor morethan sixty days, or both such fine and imprisonment, at thediscretion of the associate circuit judge. For each day's workany person shall perform under such requisition, he shall be paidthe sum of one dollar and fifty cents out of the funds of thedistrict.
(RSMo 1939 § 12368)Prior revisions: 1929 § 10787; 1919 § 4417