If any officer charged by the statutes with any duty in relation to assessment and taxation, or who under the statutes may be required by other officers to perform certain duties, shall willfully fail or neglect to perform any of such duties when required to do so by the statute in terms or by any person thereunto authorized by the statute, and shall continue to so fail or neglect to perform such duties after having been notified of the default by the authority or authorities thereunto authorized, such officer so continuing in default shall forfeit a sum not less than fifty dollars ($50) nor more than five hundred dollars ($500), to be recovered in an action brought in the name of the state by the county attorney, or by the attorney general upon request of the director of property valuation, in the district court of the county of such officer, and may be removed from office at the discretion of the court. All moneys recovered under the provisions of this act shall be paid to the county treasurer.