04-19-1997 - Laserfiche WebLink

Commission Minutes--April 19, 1997 1609 SPECIAL MEETING OF CASS COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS APRIL 19, 1997 1. MEETING TO ORDER Chairman Alon Wieland called to order a special meeting of the Cass County Board of Commissioners at 3:10 PM Saturday, April 19, 1997. Four members were present at the time the meeting opened as follows: Donna Schneider, John Meyer, Roberta Quick and Alon Wieland. Paul Koenig arrived later. Others present included Fargo Mayor Bruce Furness; Dennis Walaker and Pat Zavoral, City of Fargo officials; Keith Berndt, County Engineer; Michael Montplaisir, County Auditor; Jeff Volk, Moore Engineering; Jim McLaughlin, Southeast Cass Water Resource District board member; and homeowners Vern Kepler, George Haugo, Mark Christianson, Clay Hestdalen and others. 2. FLOOD EMERGENCY, Request approved to cut through County Highway 81 south of Fargo Chairman Wieland said he called this emergency meeting at the request of City of Fargo officials who are asking permission to cut a 15' section out of Highway 81 to allow overland flood water west of Highway 81 to go into the Red River. Mr. Wieland said anyone wishing to speak on this issue will be given and opportunity to address the commission. Fargo Mayor Bruce Furness expressed his appreciation to the county for calling this meeting on short notice. Pat Zavoral explained the current situation with overland flooding after an aerial survey today by Fargo officials. The City of Fargo met with the engineer for the Southeast Cass Water Resource District, Jeff Volk, and with members of the Southeast Cass Water Board, looking for an opportunity to provide some relief at a point across Highway 81, obviously at a point where it would not have a significant negative impact on homes located in that area. Acknowledging the need to keep traffic moving on Highway 81, Mr. Zavoral said they have secured a temporary bridge from the Army Guard at Devils Lake, ND. Dennis Walaker said Highway 81 is acting like a dam and is breaching at many places right now. They would not cut through the entire road but would top it off. This location is the best place to make the cut, in his judgement. In answer to a question from the audience, he believes there is no danger of getting a back-flow of water. He believes cutting the road will have less than a 2" impact on the Red River, and it will benefit surrounding subdivisions, as well as the City of Fargo. He said the water is being metered by the section lines at this time. Questions and concerns were expressed by people living in Chrisan and Forest River Subdivisions and Commissioner Quick living in the City of Briarwood. Vern Kepler, representing the chairperson of the Forest River Homeowners Association, was opposed to making the highway cut at the location recommended and suggested a cut further north. Also, there was concern about additional flood waters inundating this area where people have already been fighting the flood for 10 days or more, as well as concern about the highway eroding. They also asked about the city providing assistance to individual homeowners. Keith Berndt, County Engineer, supports the suggestion to make the cut just south of the City of Briarwood. Jim McLaughlin concurs with this location also, and he agreed with Mr. Walaker that the rise of water on the Red River will not be more than 1 ½". A majority of this water will still go into Drain #53, according to Mr. McLaughlin. Mr. Walaker said erosion will not be a problem because there is no velocity to the water since the difference in height on each side of the road is very small.