The court in which the petition is filed has full power and authority to appoint the engineer, viewers to assess damages, commissioners to make assessments and apportion the same on the lands affected, and directors, just as if such district lay wholly in one (1) county, and as provided in parts 1-7 of this chapter, when such district lies entirely in one (1) county. The viewers and commissioners shall make their reports to the court where the petition was filed and only to that court. The county mayor of the county where such petition is filed shall be, ex officio, chair of such board of directors. The viewers and commissioners may be resident citizens of any one (1) or more of the counties having lands embraced in such district, but with all the other qualifications set out in parts 2 and 3 of this chapter.