Indiana Code Title 36. Local Government § 36-9-27-32

Sec. 32. (a) Whenever the board finds that it is necessary to advance the work of construction or of reconstruction, as determined from the long-range plan established under section 36 of this chapter, to a degree inconsistent with the work load of the county surveyor, the board shall publicly declare an emergency and shall authorize the employment of an engineer, firm of engineers, or professional surveyor as a contract deputy to perform the necessary work, including:

(b) A contract deputy shall be employed by contract.  Each contract must be for work on a specific drainage project, and may be on a per project fee basis or on a per diem basis of compensation.

(c) A contract deputy must have the same qualifications as an engineer or professional surveyor employed or appointed by the board under section 30 or 31 of this chapter.

(d) The original of all plans, specifications, and other documents made by a contract deputy in performing the work for which the contract deputy was employed, or facsimiles of them in reproducible form, shall be transmitted to the board and shall be permanently retained by the board or by the county surveyor in the manner in which similar documents prepared by the county surveyor or the board are retained.

(e) The compensation of a contract deputy shall be assessed against the drainage project for which the deputy was employed, and may be paid from the general drain improvement fund before the order for the construction or reconstruction.