(a) The county court may lease a public landing for a term not exceeding three (3) years and the lessee shall transact there only a general receiving and forwarding business.
(b) In case of a lease, the county court shall fix, with power to alter, the schedules of rates and charges for receiving and forwarding freight. The court shall require of the lessee a bond, payable to the county, in a penalty of not less than five hundred dollars ($500) as shall be proper, conditioned to observe the terms of the lease and to perform the duties imposed on the lessee by law.
(c)
(1) The lessee shall keep a schedule of rates conspicuously posted on the premises and shall allow all boats to land at the landing and to receive and discharge freight.
(2) Any failure on the part of the lessee to comply with his or her duties as public landing keeper, or any overcharge of rates, shall subject the lessee and his or her sureties to a penalty of twenty dollars ($20.00) in favor of the party injured, to be recovered in any court having jurisdiction.
(d) The lease provided in this section shall not abridge the right of any person to forward and receive his or her own freight at the public landing, free of charge.
(e) Any funds arising from lease of public landings shall be paid into the county treasury and constitute a part of the public road fund for the road district wherein the landing is located.