(1) Upon receipt of a petition for the establishment of an irrigation district, the county drain commissioner shall call the first meeting of the irrigation board. A copy of the petition and duplicates of all maps and other papers filed with the petition shall be filed with the department at least 4 weeks before the date set for the public hearing on the petition. The department shall examine the petition, maps, and other papers and, if it considers it necessary, examine the proposed district, the irrigation works proposed to be constructed, or the location of the irrigation works to be constructed, and prepare a report covering those features of the proposed irrigation project that relate to section 34101 and other matters as the department considers advisable. The department shall submit the report to the irrigation board at the meeting set for the hearing of the petition. All reasonable and necessary expenses incurred by the department in making the report shall be paid for by the persons signing the petition.

  (2) Any additional compensation for services rendered on behalf of an irrigation district by members of the irrigation board in addition to official duties of the members shall be provided by the respective governmental agencies from which the original compensation for other various duties and services rendered are received.