District personnel

1. A district board may employ persons as necessary for the efficient discharge of its duties. A district board shall have all the duties and powers in employing such persons as a county board of supervisors is granted pursuant to section 331.324, with the exception of the authority to provide for support of the civil service commission for deputy sheriffs as specified in section 331.324, subsection 1, paragraph “k”. A district board may employ persons who were employed at the time of the formation of the district board by the counties represented by the district board, or may employ persons who were not employed by such counties. The county boards involved shall specify in the request submitted pursuant to section 137.106 whether the individual counties or the district board will be responsible for payment of unemployment compensation for any county employees employed by the county board at the time of formation of the district board but not employed by the district board following formation. 2. If the district board employs persons who were employed by the counties represented by the district board at the time of formation of the district board, the district board shall recognize the term of service of the former county employees for purposes of all employee benefits offered by the district board to such employees and such employees shall not forfeit accrued vacation, accrued sick leave, or longevity by becoming district board employees. 3. Persons who were covered by county employee life insurance, accident insurance, and health insurance plans prior to becoming district board employees pursuant to this chapter shall be permitted to apply prior to becoming district board employees for life, accident, and health insurance plans that are available to district board employees so that those persons do not suffer a lapse of insurance coverage as a result of becoming district board employees. 4. The district board may employ or contract with legal counsel to enforce this chapter and district board rules, represent and defend the district board and its officers and employees, provide legal advice to the district board, and perform any other legal duties required by law or assigned by the district board. The district board may employ or contract with the county attorney of a county within its jurisdiction.