The county legislative authority of each county shall employ a county road engineer on either a full-time or part-time basis, or may contract with another county for the engineering services of a county road engineer from such other county.

Purpose—Captions not law—1991 c 363: See notes following RCW 2.32.180.

The county road engineer shall keep an office at the county seat. The records under the authority of the county road engineer shall be public records, shall be subject to the control of the county road engineer, and shall at all proper times be open to the inspection and examination of the public.

Intent—2016 c 19: See note following RCW 36.87.120.

He or she shall be a registered and licensed professional civil engineer under the laws of this state, duly qualified and experienced in highway and road engineering and construction. He or she shall serve at the pleasure of the board.

Before entering upon his or her employment, every county road engineer shall give an official bond to the county in such amount as the board shall determine, conditioned upon the fact that he or she will faithfully perform all the duties of his or her employment and account for all property of the county entrusted to his or her care.

The county road engineer shall certify to the board and has authority over all estimates and all bills for labor, materials, provisions, and supplies with respect to county roads, prepare standards of construction of roads and bridges, and perform such other duties as may be required by order of the board.

He or she shall have supervision, under the direction of the board, of establishing, laying out, constructing, altering, improving, repairing, and maintaining all county roads of the county.

Intent—2016 c 19: See note following RCW 36.87.120.

The office of county engineer shall be an office of record. The county road engineer shall: Record and has authority over all matters concerning the public roads, highways, bridges, ditches, or other surveys of the county, with the original papers, documents, petitions, surveys, repairs, and other papers, in order to have the complete history of any such road, highway, bridge, ditch, or other survey; and number each construction or improvement project. Records related to roads or rights-of-way annexed or transferred to other jurisdictions may be transferred to those jurisdictions. Records related to transitory or maintenance activities shall be kept according to record retention schedules. The county engineer is not required to retain and file financial documents retained and filed in other departments in the county.

Intent—2016 c 19: See note following RCW 36.87.120.

He or she shall ensure that a highway plat record is kept and is publicly accessible, in which he or she shall have accurately platted all public roads and highways established by the board.

Intent—2016 c 19: See note following RCW 36.87.120.

The county road engineer shall maintain and has authority over complete and accurate records of all expenditures for (1) administration, (2) bond and warrant retirement, (3) maintenance, (4) construction, (5) purchase and operation of road equipment, and (6) purchase or manufacture of materials and supplies, and shall maintain a true and complete inventory of all road equipment. Records may be physically archived with other county records that are available to the public. The state auditor, with the advice and assistance of the county road administration board, shall prescribe forms and types of records to be maintained by the county road engineers.

Intent—2016 c 19: See note following RCW 36.87.120.

All road construction work, except minor construction work, which by its nature does not require plans and specifications, whether performed pursuant to contract or by day labor, shall be in accordance with plans and specifications prepared therefor by or under direct supervision of the county road engineer.

The state auditor shall annually make a cost-audit examination of the books and records of the county road engineer and make a written report thereon to the county legislative authority. The expense of the examination shall be paid from the county road fund.

Effective date—1985 c 120 s 3: "Section 3 of this act shall take effect July 1, 1987." [ 1985 c 120 s 4.]