03-07-2005 Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

Ditch Reconstruction Minutes-March 7, 2005 2 deemed illegal, the drain may be closed. Mr. Berndt said the county spent between $40,000 and $50,000 for culverts not to mention engineering costs provided by the county over the last several years. Mr. Volk said the project was driven by local residents and was not requested by either the water board or the county engineer. Dan Zimmerman, area resident, feels the project was done incorrectly by all parties involved and does not see $250,000 being divided among four land owners. He asked about the process of making this a legal drain. Mr. Pawluk gave a brief history on this issue and read a portion of minutes from a North Cass water meeting held in 1998. He feels the county and water board have worked with the land owners to attempt to move this project forward. The remedy continues to become more expensive the longer the project is delayed. Mr. Volk said North Cass Water Resource District does not have funds to create a legal drain. If this option is chosen by land owners, the water district would have to receive a bond to create an assessment district and to send out ballots for a vote. More than half of the residents would have to approve the vote. A petition would need to be submitted to the water board to begin the process. Mr. Berndt stressed that the process would need to be done in a timely matter, because if the vote fails, the issue remains the same as today. 3. MEETING RECESSED Mr. Carlson suggested a short break be taken for interested parties to discuss their options. The meeting was recessed at 10:20 AM. 4. MEETING RECONVENED/DECISION The meeting was reconvened at 10:50 AM. Mr. Johnson said land owners present at today's meeting want to talk with other area residents to discuss petitioning for this to be a legal drain. Mr. Volk said North Cass Water Resource District meets next Monday, March 14th and could discuss this item then. He said the estimated costs if this is made into a legal drain would be the same and the slope would still have to be repaired. The water board would like to meet with area land owners to discuss the drainage and benefit areas. The assumption would be the drain would involve all Sections 20 through 22 and the water board would require a $15,000 bond to cover costs associated with setting up an assessment district, ballot and election. Mr. Volk suggested residents be informed of what would happen if the vote fails. He also discussed possible reimbursement for some costs by the State Water Commission and would need to be pursued through an application to the State Water Board. The consensus was that hopefully some answers will be provided in the next month, and Mr. Berndt would be able to schedule this item for consideration by the County Commission at their second meeting in April. 5. ADJOURNMENT There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 11: 1 0 AM. Minutes prepared by Heather Worden, Administrative Secretary