Definitions

Wherever used or referred to in this chapter, unless a different meaning clearly appears from the context: 1. “Agency of this state” includes the government of this state and any subdivision, agency, or instrumentality, corporate or otherwise, of the government of this state. 2. “Book”, “list”, “record”, or “schedule” kept by a county auditor, assessor, treasurer, recorder, sheriff, or other county officer means the county system as defined in section 445.1. 3. “Commissioner” means one of the members of the governing body of a district, elected or appointed in accordance with the provisions of this chapter. 4. “Committee” means the state soil conservation and water quality committee established in section 161A.4A. 5. “Department” means the department of agriculture and land stewardship. 6. “District” or “soil and water conservation district” means a governmental subdivision of this state, and a public body corporate and politic, organized for the purposes, with the powers, and subject to the restrictions in this chapter set forth. 7. “Division” means the division of soil conservation and water quality created within the department pursuant to section 159.5. 8. “Due notice” means notice published at least twice, with an interval of at least six days between the two publication dates, in a newspaper or other publication of general circulation within the appropriate area; or, if no such publication of general circulation be available, by posting at a reasonable number of conspicuous places within the appropriate area, such posting to include, where possible, posting at public places where it may be customary to post notices concerning county or municipal affairs generally. At any hearing held pursuant to such notice, at the time and place designated in such notice, adjournment may be made from time to time without the necessity of renewing such notice for such adjourned dates. 9. “Government” or “governmental” includes the government of this state, the government of the United States, and any subdivision, agency or instrumentality, corporate or otherwise, or either of them. 10. “Landowner” includes any person, firm, or corporation or any federal agency, this state or any of its political subdivisions, who shall hold title to land lying within a proposed district or a district organized under the provisions of this chapter. 11. “Nominating petition” means a petition filed under the provisions of section 161A.5 to nominate candidates for the office of commissioner of a soil and water conservation district. 12. “Petition” means a petition filed under the provisions of section 161A.5, subsection 1, for the creation of a district. 13. “State” means the state of Iowa. 14. “United States” or “agencies of the United States” includes the United States of America, the United States department of agriculture natural resources conservation service, and any other agency or instrumentality, corporate or otherwise, of the United States.