[00:00:01] >> [Call Board of Commissioners Meeting to Order: Chair Dranttel] GENTLE REMINDER TO SILENCE YOUR CELL PHONES. WE CAN ROLL FORWARD. FIRST ON THE AGENDA IS THE APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA. >> SECOND. >> ASSUMING THERE ARE NO ADDITIONS OR CORRECTIONS. THANK YOU. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR. >> AYE. [OVERLAPPING] >> NEXT IS THE CONSENT AGENDA. ANY ADDITIONS OR REMOVAL FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA? [Consent Agenda] >> I'LL MOVE APPROVAL OF THE CONSENT AGENDA. >> SECOND. >> THANK YOU. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR. >> AYE. [OVERLAPPING] >> NEXT IS PUBLIC APPEARANCES. DO WE HAVE ANY PUBLIC APPEARANCES THIS MORNING? SEEING NONE, WE'LL MOVE ON TO PROPERTY SERVICES. GOOD MORNING. [Property Services] >> MORNING. I DON'T THINK I'VE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO MEET ALL OF YOU. MY NAME IS SPENCER CRAWFORD DEPUTY ZONING ADMINISTRATOR FOR NICOLLET COUNTY. TODAY WE HAVE A CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT REQUESTS FROM NOVEL ANIKA SOLAR LLC TO ESTABLISH A LARGE SOLAR ENERGY SYSTEM. CONSISTS OF 2,070 SOLAR PANELS ON ABOUT FIVE ACRES OF LAND. LOCATED ALONG 475TH AVENUE, OWNED BY JOELLE ENTER. THE POWER GENERATED IS GOING TO BE SENT DIRECTLY TO THE ELECTRICAL GRID FOR DISTRIBUTION. THE PROPERTY IS CURRENTLY BEING USED FOR AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION. THAT'S A FARM FIELD RIGHT NOW. THERE'S AN EXISTING ONE MEGAWATT SOLAR FACILITY ALSO ON THE PROPERTY LOCATED TO THE NORTH OF IT. THEN A ANOTHER SOLAR FACILITY LOCATED ACROSS THE ROAD AS WELL. THERE'S A LOT OF SOLAR LOCATED IN THIS AREA. IT'S OWNED AGRICULTURAL AND THEN ALSO SHORELINE. THEY'RE NOT PROPOSING TO PUT ANY OF THE ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT OR THESE SOLAR PANELS, AND THE SHORELINE SECTION OF THE PROPERTY. BUT THEY ARE PROPOSING TO PUT A WATER RETENTION POND IN A FENCE IN THE SHORELINE SECTION, BECAUSE THAT'S AN ACCESSORY USE TO THE WHAT WOULD BE PERMITTED CONDITIONAL USE. IT'S ALLOWABLE TO HAVE THAT RETENTION POND AND EVENTS IN THE SHORELAND DISTRICT. THEY'RE PROPOSING A SIX FOOT HIGH CHAIN LINK FENCE AND THE INTENT TO PLANT NATIVE POLLINATOR FRIENDLY GRASSES OR SOMETHING SIMILAR TO ILLUMINANCE TURF MIX, AND THEY HAVE SUBMITTED A MAINTENANCE PLAN FOR KEEPING THE PROPERTY MAINTAINED. THAT INCLUDES MOWING THE GRASS, MAKING SURE THERE'S NO DAMAGE TO THE PANELS, MAKING SURE THAT THE FENCE IS STILL WORKING AND THE GATE IS STILL OPERATING. STORM WATER RUNOFF IS GOING TO THE RETENTION POND. IS JUST GOING TO NATURALLY FLOW TO IT. THEY'RE NOT USING ANY PIPING OR TILING. APPLICANTS REQUIRED BY THE STATE TO GET A STORM WATER POLLUTION PREVENTION PLAN AND A NATIONAL POLLUTANT DISCHARGE ELIMINATION SYSTEM PERMIT. THE PLANNING AND ZONING ADVISORY COMMISSION RECOMMENDED APPROVAL. THE CONDITIONS WERE TYPICAL. THEY DID REQUIRE A BOND. THAT BOND AMOUNT BEING THE AMOUNT OF DECOMMISSIONING PLUS AN INFLATION PERCENTAGE PER YEAR. NO PUBLIC COMMENT WAS RECEIVED. >> THANK YOU. DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE? >> I MOVE TO APPROVE. >> SECOND. >> A DISCUSSION. >> QUESTION. MADAM CHAIR. THIS HAS NOTHING TO DO SPECIFICALLY WITH THIS. I WOULD SUPPORT IT. BUT LONG-TERM, WHAT HAPPENS TO THE SOLAR PANELS WHEN THEY STOP WORKING OR BECOME UNUSABLE, THERE HAS BEEN SOME FLUTTERING TALK OUT THERE IN THE CRAZY LAND, I GUESS IS THE BEST WAY THE PUT IT, THAT THEY WOULD DAMAGE THE ENVIRONMENT. WHAT CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT THAT, SPENCER? >> I CAN MOSTLY JUST TALK ABOUT WHAT I'VE SPOKEN WITH THE APPLICANT, AND WHAT THEY'VE SUBMITTED. AS PART OF THEIR DECOMMISSIONING PLAN, THEY'VE INDICATED THEY INTENT TO RECYCLE THE SOLAR PANELS. THEY'RE SAYING THE COST OF RECYCLING WILL EQUAL THE AMOUNT OF SALVAGE THEY'LL GET FROM RECYCLING THE PANELS. AS FAR AS ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS, I'D HAVE TO DO SOME RESEARCH ON THAT. I COULDN'T SPEAK AUTHORITATIVELY WITHOUT DOING A LITTLE BIT MORE RESEARCH. >> WOULD IT BE POSSIBLE THAT SOMEWHERE DOWN THE ROAD WE COULD GET A REPORT AS TO WHAT THAT IS? >> ABSOLUTELY. >> IF THERE'S ANY TRUTH TO WHAT'S BEING RUMORED. >> WE CAN LOOK INTO THAT. >> THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS, COMMISSIONER MARLOWE? >> THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. I JUST WANT TO [NOISE] MAKE SURE TO FOLLOW. [00:05:02] YOU JUST SAID ABOUT THE SALVAGE [NOISE] AND THE COST OF DECOMMISSIONING, AND YET THERE IS A BOND AS WELL. CORRECT? >> THERE IS A BOND. THAT BOND COVERS 3.5 PERCENT INFLATION PER YEAR IS WHAT THE PLANNING COMMISSION SAID. BUT THEY ARE ANTICIPATING THE COST OF RECOVERY TO EQUAL THE SALVAGE COST, BUT THE COUNTY WILL REQUIRE A BOND TO BE IN PLACE WITH THAT CONDITION IF THAT'S NOT THE CASE OR SOMETHING ELSE HAPPENS. >> MADAM CHAIR. >> YES. >> MR. [INAUDIBLE] HAS A DIFFERENT SOLAR FARM AS HIS BEHAVIORS THE RIGHT WORD BUT MAINTENANCE OF THAT BEING ACCEPTABLE. GOOD. PETE WAS NODDING. [LAUGHTER] >> PETE COULD TELL YOU ABOUT THAT BETTER THAN I CAN. >> THAT'S FINE. >> THANK YOU. ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS? HEARING NONE. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR. >> AYE. >> THANK YOU. NEXT ITEM. >> THE SECOND ITEM WE HAVE IS A REGISTERED LAND SURVEY NUMBER 78. IT'S A REQUEST FROM JEFFREY LEONARD AND HE'S REQUESTING APPROVAL THAT REGISTERED LAND SURVEY. THIS ONE IS VERY SIMPLE. IT DOESN'T CREATE A SPLIT, IT DOESN'T CHANGE THE PROPERTY LINES. STAFF'S UNDERSTANDING THAT DEED WAS RECORDED A WHILE AGO AND THAT CREATED THE CURRENT CONFIGURATION OF LOTS, AND IT'S A TORRENS PROPERTY. THIS REGISTERED LAND SURVEY IS BEING RECORDED TO CORRECT THAT PREVIOUS ERROR. >> DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE? >> I'LL MOVE TO APPROVE. >> I'LL SECOND. >> ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? HEARING NONE. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR. >> AYE. [OVERLAPPING] >> THANK YOU. >> THAT'S ALL I HAVE. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. >> YOU COULD CHANGE THE SEAT. >> GOOD MORNING, MADAM CHAIR, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD. >> GOOD MORNING. >> THE OTHER ITEM THAT PROPERTY SERVICES HAS TO BRING FORWARD IS A RESOLUTION TO ADOPT AND IMPLEMENT THE HAWK CREEK, ONE WATERSHED ONE PLAN, COMPREHENSIVE WATER MANAGEMENT PLAN. THE PLAN WE DISCUSSED AT THE PREVIOUS BOARD WORKSHOP, NICOLLET COUNTY HAS LESS THAN FIVE PERCENT OF THE WATERSHED AREA FOR THE HAWK CREEK WATERSHED. OUR INCLUSION IS REQUIRED. WE'RE PART OF THE WATERSHED AND WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO MAKE COMMENTS ALONG THE WAY FOR THE OVERALL PLAN. WOULD YOU LIKE ME TO READ THE RESOLUTION INTO THE RECORD? >> PLEASE. >> [NOISE] THE RESOLUTION OF NICOLLET COUNTY, RESOLUTION TO ADOPT AND IMPLEMENT THE HAWK CREEK MIDDLE MINNESOTA COMPREHENSIVE WATERSHED MANAGEMENT PLAN, ONE WATERSHED ONE PLAN. [NOISE] WHEREAS NICOLLET COUNTY HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED BY THE BOARD OF WATER AND SOIL RESOURCES THAT THE HAWK CREEK MIDDLE MINNESOTA COMPREHENSIVE WATER MANAGEMENT PLAN, ONE WATERSHED ONE PLAN, WAS APPROVED AT ITS REGULAR MEETING HELD IN JANUARY 26TH, 2022, AND WHEREAS PARTNERS MUST ADOPT AND BEGIN IMPLEMENTING THE PLAN WITHIN 120 DAYS OF THE DATE OF THE ORDER IN ACCORDANCE WITH MINNESOTA STATUTE 103B, 101 SUBDIVISION 14, AND 103B81 AND THE ONE WATERSHED ONE PLANT OPERATING PROCEDURES. NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT NICOLLET COUNTY HEREBY ADOPTS AND WILL BEGIN IMPLEMENTATION OF THE APPROVED HAWK CREEK MIDDLE MINNESOTA COMPREHENSIVE WATERSHED MANAGEMENT PLAN, [NOISE] ONE WATERSHED ONE PLAN FOR THE AREA OF THE COUNTY IDENTIFIED WITHIN THE PLAN. >> THANK YOU. DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO ADOPT THE RESOLUTION? >> I MOVE. >> SECOND. >> QUESTIONS FROM THE BOARD. >> IT'S SUCH A SMALL PERCENTAGE, AND WHEN I DID GO TO THE INITIAL MEETING, THEY REALLY DIDN'T WANT ME THERE. >> THAT'S TOO BAD. [LAUGHTER] >> THERE WAS UPSTREAM OF A BENEFIT US IN THE WORLD. >> YES. >>YES. >> ABSOLUTELY. >> SARAH, WOULD YOU PLEASE CALL THE ROLL? >> COMMISSIONER LUEPKE? >> YES. >> COMMISSIONER KOLARS? >> YES. >> COMMISSIONER DRANTELL? >> YES. >> COMMISSIONER MORROW? >> YES. >> THANK YOU. >> THANKS PETE. >> THANK YOU. >> THANKS SPENCER. >> NEXT IN OUR AGENDA IS HUMAN RESOURCES. GOOD MORNING, KRISTI? [Human Resources] >> GOOD MORNING, MADAM CHAIR, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD. THE ITEM I HAVE FOR YOU TODAY IS IN REGARDS TO NICOLLET COUNTY'S CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT EFFORTS. AFTER REVIEW OF THE 2021 CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT SUBMISSIONS, THE FACILITIES MAINTENANCE AND PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENTS WERE SELECTED AS HAVING THE MOST IMPACTFUL IMPROVEMENT. THE PUBLIC WORKS AND FACILITIES MAINTENANCE DEPARTMENTS BEGAN HAVING PUBLIC WORKS MECHANIC HELP WITH PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE OF FACILITIES, [00:10:02] MAINTENANCE TRUCKS, PLOWS, AND SKID LOADERS. THIS SAVES MONEY ON OUTSIDE LABOR AND COST OF PARTS AND LEADS TO LONGER-LASTING EQUIPMENT. IT WAS A FANTASTIC IDEA AND IMPLEMENTING IT DEFINITELY IMPROVED EFFICIENCY AND PROVIDED FOR COST SAVINGS. THE COLLABORATIVE WORK THAT THEY DID ON THE SPLUNK CLEARLY REFLECTS COUNTY VALUES, ESPECIALLY LEADERSHIP, EFFICIENCY, AND ACCOUNTABILITY. IT ALSO DEMONSTRATES THAT THEY ARE DEDICATED TO OUR MISSION TO PROVIDE EFFICIENT SERVICES WITH INNOVATION AND ACCOUNTABILITY. TODAY, I ASK THE BOARD TO JOIN ME IN CONGRATULATING ALL COUNTY STAFF ON THEIR 2021 CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT EFFORTS, AND ESPECIALLY THE PUBLIC WORKS OF FACILITIES MAINTENANCE DEPARTMENTS ON THEIR ACHIEVEMENT. >> VERY COOL. THANK YOU. CONGRATULATIONS. COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD. [APPLAUSE] >> WE'RE GOING TO DOCUMENT THIS WITH A PHOTOGRAPH I SEE. >> THERE WILL BE A PHOTOGRAPHER AFTER THE MEETING. >> COOL. >> GREAT. >> [NOISE] QUESTIONS FROM THE BOARD? COMMENTS? >> APPRECIATE THE EFFORT. >> ABSOLUTELY. >> ABSOLUTELY. >> NOTHING LIKE CROSS DEPARTMENT. >> YEAH. >> COOL. NEXT ON OUR AGENDA IS ADMIN. [Administration] >> GOOD MORNING, MADAM CHAIR, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD. IF I MAY TAKE A FEW MINUTES JUST TO EXPAND ON MS. LARSON STATEMENTS WITH IT, WE HIGHLIGHTED A PRETTY SIGNIFICANT PROJECT BY FACILITIES MAINTENANCE AND PUBLIC WORKS, BUT WE KNOW THAT ALL OF OUR DEPARTMENTS WORKED VERY HARD AND ALSO HAVE SOME ACTIVITIES THAT WE JUST WANT TO BRIEFLY HIGHLIGHT AND A GOOD REMINDER OF WHAT CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT IS SMALL CHANGE WITH IT. WE'VE BEEN IMPLEMENTING CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT AT THE COUNTY FOR 78 YEARS. AS YOU MAY RECALL THOSE PROJECTS WHEN WE FIRST STARTED A PRETTY SIGNIFICANT SIZE. WE WERE REALLY RE-EVALUATE A LOT OF OUR PROCESSES AND HOW WE WENT ABOUT WORKING WITH OUR DEPARTMENTS AND WITH OTHER CLIENTS AND MAKING THOSE CHANGES. NOW WHAT WE'RE SEEING ARE THE PROJECTS ARE MUCH SMALLER, BUT THEY STILL HAVE SIGNIFICANCE WITH IT. THAT'S WHAT I'M JUST GOING TO BRIEFLY HIGHLIGHT FROM THE OTHER DEPARTMENTS. AGAIN, SMALL CHANGE IS SIGNIFICANT WITH THIS. YOU MAY SEE AND HEAR ME SAY THESE PROJECTS AND NOT THINK THAT THEY'RE BIG, BUT IN REALITY, THEY TAKE MINUTES OFF OF A PROCESS. THAT MEANS OUR CLIENTS AND CONSUMERS GET THAT PROCESS OR SERVICE THAT MUCH FASTER OR SOMETHING HAS PUT IN PLACE, SUCH AS A SKID LOADER WHERE SNOW CAN BE REMOVED FROM THE PARKING LOT WITH IT. I JUST WANT TO TAKE A FEW MINUTES JUST TO HIGHLIGHT THESE PROJECTS BY A COUPLE OF OTHER DEPARTMENTS. [NOISE] BROWN NICOLLET ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH. YOU'LL NOTICE THAT THIS THEME IS REALLY RELATED TO WHAT WE'VE BEEN DEALING WITH WITH THE LAST TWO YEARS WITH THE PANDEMIC AND HOW WE WORK WITH OUR CONSUMERS AND CLIENTS, AND THE IMPORTANCE OF TECHNOLOGY IN OUR DAY-TO-DAY SERVICES. WITH BROWN NICOLLET, AND THIS IS JUST IN THE LAST COUPLE OF MONTHS, FOUR MONTHS SPECIFICALLY, THEY'VE BEEN ABLE TO TAKE TWO YEARS WORTH OF DOCUMENTATION AND GO FROM PAPER TO ELECTRONIC. THAT MEANS NOW RATHER THAN HAVING A FILE CABINET STORAGE, THEY HAD THAT ACCESSIBLE WHEREVER THEY ARE. IF THERE IS A SITUATION THAT THEY EVER HAD TO WORK REMOTELY, THEY COULD ACCESS THAT PAPERWORK. AGAIN, THAT'S AN IMPROVEMENT BOTH WITH SERVICE AND EFFICIENCY FOR STAFF. THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT, THEY'VE LOOKED AT A LOT OF THEIR PROCESSING OF DOCUMENTS INTERNALLY AND HOW THEY OBTAIN SIGNATURES. THEY'VE BEEN ABLE TO REDUCE THAT TIME DOWN BY DAYS OF WORKING WITH JUST A SMALL CHANGE IN THEIR OVERALL PROCESS AND HOW THEY WORK WITH THE CHIEF DEPUTY AND THE SHERIFF AND OBTAINING SIGNATURES. HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, THEY LOOKED AT ONE OF THEIR PROJECTS WHEN IT CAME TO [NOISE] OBTAINING INSURANCE OR MAINTAINING INSURANCE WHEN WITH CHILD SUPPORT CASES. THEY NOW HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY ENSURE THAT THAT CHILD HAS ACCESS TO THE INSURANCE WHEN THEY NEED MEDICAL CARE, THAT THEY CAN GET THAT INSURANCE CARD AND CURRENT INSURANCE INFORMATION THAT MUCH FASTER THAN THEY PREVIOUSLY. IT WOULD TAKE A TIMES WEEKS TO GATHER IT BECAUSE OF THE EXCHANGE WITH MAIL. NOW THEY'VE BEEN ABLE TO GET IT DOWN TO EMAIL WITH IT, AND SO THAT CHILD RECEIVES SERVICES AGAIN THAT MUCH FASTER. THE ATTORNEY'S OFFICE AND THE TECHNOLOGIES DEPARTMENT, THEY WORKED TOGETHER TO PUT THE ADULT CRIMINAL COMPLAINT VIEWER LINK ON THE ATTORNEYS OFFICE WEBSITE. NOW RATHER THAN HAVING SOMEONE TO COME IN THE OFFICE DURING OUR WORK HOURS, THEY CAN GO AHEAD AND OBTAIN THAT INFORMATION AT ANYTIME AND PUT IN A REQUEST WITH IT. AGAIN, WE'RE SAVING TIME FOR THE CONSUMER CLIENTS, BUT THEN ALSO THAT STAFF TIME THAT'S BEING SAVED WITH IT IN ACCESSING 24 HOURS A DAY IS SOMETHING WE KNOW FROM THE PUBLIC THAT'S IMPORTANT. I JUST HAVE TWO MORE, I JUST WANT TO HIGHLIGHT WITH FINANCE THEY CONTINUE TO WORK ON THE UKG UPGRADES, THOSE ENHANCEMENTS FOR ESSENTIALLY [NOISE] HAVING THE STAFF PERSON GO IN AND ACCESS WHAT THEY NEED. PRIME EXAMPLE IS THE W2, AND SO THEY ARE CONTINUING TO ENHANCE UKG WORKING WITH HR WITH THAT. THAT'S A PRETTY SIGNIFICANCE WHEN SOMEONE GO IN AND GET THEIR OWN INFORMATION OR CHANGE THEIR MAILING ADDRESS RATHER THAN [00:15:02] HAVING US NOTIFYING HR WHO THEN HAS TO NOTIFY PAYROLL AND WE HAVE THIS TRICKLE-DOWN EFFECTS. THE STAFF PERSON CAN GO AHEAD AND DO IT THEMSELVES AND SAVE THE TIME. LASTLY, I JUST WANT TO HIGHLIGHT COMMUNITY CORRECTIONS. PREVIOUSLY THEY HAD THE OCULAR DEVICE, THEY'VE NOW TRANSITIONED INTO A TESTING LINE, AND SO WHAT THAT MEANS IS IT'S MORE SIMILAR TO THE JURY CALLING LINE THE WAY THAT IT'S BEEN EXPLAINED TO ME. RATHER THAN THE PROBATION OFFICER CALLING IN, ARRANGING WITH AN INDIVIDUAL TO COME IN AND DO THE TESTING, THEY HAVE IT ALL SET UP AND IT'S BASED ON A COLOR CODE SYSTEM WITH IT. [NOISE] IT'S GOING TO SAVE IN TIME OF OUR PROBATION OFFICERS AND ALLOWING THEM TO DO THE HANDS-ON WORK AND HAVING THE SYSTEM SET UP WHERE THEY HAVE THE INDIVIDUALS CALLING, IDENTIFY WHEN THEY NEED TO COME IN AND TEST, AND IT'S SET UP FROM THAT WAY WITH IT. AGAIN, THESE ARE SMALL CHANGES, BUT THEY DO HAVE SIGNIFICANCE OVERALL IN THE PROCESS AND VERY EXCITED THAT WE ARE CONTINUING WITH OUR CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT AT THE COUNTY LEVEL. >> COOL. >> IT'S EXCITING THAT IT DOESN'T SEEM LIKE THESE ARE PRETTY LARGE PROJECTS, BUT THEY REALLY ARE WHEN WE START LOOKING AT THE STAFF TIME SAVED AND THE IMPACT TO THE RESIDENT WITH IT. >> MADAM CHAIR, I THINK IT'S AN INDICATION TO EVERYONE WHO LIVES IN NICOLLET COUNTY, THE FOLKS WHO WORK HERE ARE CONTINUOUSLY TRYING TO IMPROVE THE METHODS THAT THEY DELIVER THEIR SERVICES, SO WE'RE GRATEFUL. THANK YOU. >> AS MS. LARSON STATED, THIS IS A REPRESENTATION OF OUR COUNTY EMPLOYEES OF THE DEDICATION AND LEADERSHIP, THE EFFICIENCY, THE INNOVATION THAT THEY LOOK AT AND HOW THEY APPROACH THEIR JOB. BUT THAT BEING SAID, I TOO WOULD LIKE TO GO BACK TO THE AGENDA THEN AND JUST HAVE WITHIN YOUR PACKET A LETTER OF SUPPORT REQUESTED BY THE CITY OF LAFAYETTE. THEY CURRENTLY HAVE A SITUATION WITH THEIR WATER TREATMENT PLANT AND THEY ARE LOOKING AT UPGRADING IT SPECIFICALLY TO ADDRESS AND REVERSE OSMOSIS SYSTEM TO IMPLEMENT THAT. BUT THEN ALSO SOME OTHER UPGRADES WITH IT AND WITH A SMALL TOWN ANY TYPE OF WATER TREATMENT PLANT UPGRADE IS SIGNIFICANT. AND SO THEY ARE ASKING THE COUNTY TO SIGN A LETTER OF SUPPORT ON BEHALF OF THE CHAIR TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE APPLYING FOR THE CONGRESSIONAL DIRECTED SPENDING REQUEST THAT DYNAMIC DO HAVE A COPY OF THAT LETTER WITHIN YOUR PACKET IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS. >> I'LL HAPPILY MOVE THAT. SECOND. >> THANK YOU. ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? >> THAT'S THE SALT IN THE WASTEWATER IS THAT THE? >> THEY DIDN'T GO DOWN TO THAT LEVEL OF DETAIL BUT I KNOW THERE'S BEEN OVER THE YEARS, THERE'S BEEN MANY ISSUES WITH OUR TREATMENT PLANT AND IT'S A VERY SMALL CITY. AND SO ANY OPPORTUNITY WHERE THEY CAN LOOK AT FUNDING, THEY DO GO FORWARD WITH IT. >> I'VE CERTAINLY HELD A COUPLE OF MEETINGS ALREADY. IF THEY COULD GET ALL THE SALT WATER OUT OF TOWN. >> YES. THAT'S IT. YEAH. >> I WOULD PROBABLY TAKE CARE OF IT, BUT PEOPLE WANT GOOD WATER, SO THEY GOT A, YEAH, GOOD WATER. >> ADDITIONAL COMMENTS? >> IT'S GOOD. >> HEARING NONE ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? >> I'M OKAY. >> THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. >> ANYTHING ELSE, MANDY? >> NO. I DO NOT HAVE ANYTHING ELSE. >> THANK YOU. >> NEXT ON OUR AGENDA IS COUNTY ATTORNEY. [Attorney] >> MAY I STAY HERE? >> YEAH. >> MADAM CHAIR TODAY, I BRING BEFORE THE BOARD A REQUEST THAT THE BOARD DESIGNATE APRIL 24TH THROUGH 30TH AS CRIME VICTIMS RIGHTS WEEK. I HAVE A PROCLAMATION THAT I WOULD BE PREPARED TO READ FOR THE BOARD AND THEN JUST SOME GENERAL MEMBERS TO SHARE WITH THE BOARD IF THAT IS ACCEPTABLE TO THE CHAIR. >> PLEASE. >> THANK YOU. PROCLAMATION. WHEREAS THE TERM VICTIM IS MORE THAN JUST A LABEL AND HAS LEGAL STANDING AND PROTECTIONS THAT GO ALONG WITH IT WHEREAS STATE AND FEDERAL CRIME VICTIMS RIGHTS ACTS GUARANTEE VICTIMS THE RIGHT TO MEANINGFULLY PARTICIPATE IN THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE PROCESS. WHEREAS VICTIM SERVICE PROVIDERS, ADVOCATES, LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS, ATTORNEYS, AND OTHER ALLIED PROFESSIONALS CAN HELP SURVIVORS FIND THEIR JUSTICE BY ENFORCING THESE RIGHTS. WHEREAS VICTIM SERVICE PROVIDERS AND ALLIED PROFESSIONALS CAN REACH MORE VICTIMS THROUGH INNOVATIVE TRAUMA-INFORMED PROGRAMS, SUCH AS TELEHEALTH SERVICES AND MULTIDISCIPLINARY TEAMS. WHEREAS VICTIM SERVICE PROVIDERS AND ALLIED PROFESSIONALS CAN INCREASE ACCESS TO VICTIMS SERVICES AND COMPENSATION IN AREAS THAT HAVE BEEN HISTORICALLY UNDERSERVED, MARGINALIZED, AND ADVERSELY AFFECTED BY INEQUALITY BY IMPLEMENTING CULTURALLY RESPONSIVE SERVICES. WHEREAS EQUITY AND INCLUSION ARE FUNDAMENTAL PREREQUISITES TO SURVIVOR CARE AND SURVIVOR LED SERVICES THAT PROVIDE VICTIMS WITH OPPORTUNITIES TO SHARE THEIR EXPERIENCES ARE ESSENTIAL BLUEPRINTS FOR SUPPORT. WHEREAS NATIONAL CRIME VICTIMS' RIGHTS WEEK PROVIDES AN OPPORTUNITY TO RECOMMIT TO ENSURING THAT ACCESSIBLE, APPROPRIATE, AND TRAUMA-INFORMED SERVICES ARE OFFERED TO ALL VICTIMS OF CRIME. AND WHEREAS NICOLLET COUNTY IS HEREBY DEDICATED TO HELPING [00:20:02] CRIME VICTIMS SURVIVORS FIND THEIR JUSTICE BY ENFORCING VICTIMS RIGHTS, EXPANDING ACCESS TO SERVICE AND ENSURING EQUITY AND INCLUSION FOR ALL. NOW, THEREFORE, I AS CHAIRPERSON OF THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS OF NICOLLET COUNTY, DO HEREBY PROCLAIM THE WEEK OF APRIL 24TH THROUGH 30TH, 2022 AS CRIME VICTIMS' RIGHTS WEEK, AND AFFIRM THIS COUNTY'S COMMITMENT TO CREATING A VICTIM SERVICE AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE RESPONSE THAT ASSISTS ALL VICTIMS OF CRIME, DURING CRIME VICTIMS' RIGHTS WEEK AND THROUGHOUT THE YEAR AND EXPRESSING OUR SINCERE GRATITUDE AND APPRECIATION FOR THOSE COMMUNITY MEMBERS, VICTIM SERVICE PROVIDERS AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE PROFESSIONALS WHO ARE COMMITTED TO IMPROVING OUR RESPONSE TO ALL VICTIMS OF CRIME SO THEY MAY FIND RELEVANT ASSISTANCE, SUPPORT JUSTICE AND PEACE. SIGNED BY [INAUDIBLE] RONALD CHAIR, NICOLLET COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS. >> THANK YOU. DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO ACCEPT THE PROCLAMATION? >> SO MOVED? [NOISE] >> COMMENTS? >> I'M JUST GLAD THAT WE ARE ALL LOOKING OUT FROM CRIME VICTIMS. SOMETIMES THEY GET LOST IN THE COURTS. >> THEY DO THAT. THE SYSTEM IS REALLY GEARED TOWARD THE PROCESS FROM A DEFENDANT'S PERSPECTIVE, AND ENSURING THAT VICTIMS ARE HEARD THROUGHOUT THE PROCESS AS EQUALLY IMPORTANT. >> THANK YOU. >> ADDITIONAL COMMENTS? MICHELLE. >> DO YOU WANT TO VOTE AND THEN I CAN PROVIDE SOME ADDITIONAL NUMBERS? >> SURE. PLEASE CALL THE ROLL SARAH. >> COMMISSIONER MORROW? >> YES. >> COMMISSIONER LUNA? >> YES. >> COMMISSIONER [INAUDIBLE]? >> YES. >> COMMISSIONER ADRENAL? >> YES. >> FACTS AND FIGURES. THANK YOU. [Informational Items] >> MADAM CHAIR. AS THE BOARD IS AWARE, BONNIE PETERSON IS OUR VICTIM SERVICES COORDINATOR AND SHE WOULD BE HERE TODAY, BUT SHE HAS COURTS TODAY THAT SHE ATTENDS. HER POSITION IS FUNDED BY A GRANT AND ONE OF THE POSITIVES AND NEGATIVES OF HAVING GRANT FUNDING IS THAT WE HAVE ALL TESTS, STATISTICS, AND NUMBERS THAT WE CAN GATHER FOR THAT ROLE. MS. PETERSON, WHEN I WAS TALKING ABOUT APPEARING TODAY AND READING THE PROCLAMATION, SHE NOTED THAT PREVIOUSLY SHE WOULD HAVE CONTACT WITH 200 VICTIMS PER QUARTER, NEW VICTIMS AND EXISTING VICTIMS FROM PRIOR QUARTERS. SHE'S NOW NOTING THAT SHE'S REACHING 230. AND I'M ASKING WHAT'S THE REASONING FOR THE INCREASE. WE'RE SEEING MORE CASES WITH IDENTIFIABLE VICTIMS AND OUR OUTREACH EFFORTS AS WE CONTINUE TO IMPROVE AND REFINE HOW WE'RE REACHING OUT TO VICTIMS AND WHETHER THEY WE'RE DOING THAT BY MAIL AND EMAIL HAS PROMOTED AN INCREASED PARTICIPATION OF INDIVIDUALS IN THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE PROCESS THAT ARE IDENTIFIED AS VICTIMS. SO THEY'RE REACHING OUT MORE FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE PROCESS. SO THE TOTAL NUMBER OF NEW VICTIMS SERVED BY MS. PETERSON IN 2021 WAS 424. OVER THE COURSE OF 2021, THERE WERE 2050 DIFFERENT NOTIFICATIONS PROVIDED TO VICTIMS, DIFFERENT HEARINGS, DIFFERENT RIGHTS, ETC. SHE'S SENT OUT AFFIDAVITS OF RESTITUTION THAT ALLOWED VICTIMS TO HOPEFULLY GET SOME TYPE OF FINANCIAL COMPENSATION FOR THEIR OUT-OF-POCKET EXPENSES TO 309 DIFFERENT VICTIMS. SIGNIFICANTLY AS WELL, SHE PROVIDED REFERRALS TO OTHER SERVICES AND RESOURCES FOR VICTIMS IN 175 DIFFERENT INSTANCES. SO WE'RE REALLY SEE AN IMPACT FOR THOSE THAT MS. PETERSON IS REACHING OUT THROUGHOUT THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE PROCESS TO THOSE IDENTIFIED AS VICTIMS AND SURVIVORS OF CRIME. IN ADDITION, WE'RE ALSO TRYING TO GET BACK INTO DOING SIGNIFICANT COMMUNITY OUTREACH WITH OUR FRAUD PREVENTION AND AWARENESS COMMUNITY SERVICE. WE ARE HOLDING A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT EVENTS I BELIEVE IT'S IN APRIL OR MAY, WE'RE GOING TO BE AT THE SENIOR EXPO WITH FRAUD PREVENTION MATERIALS. I'LL HAVE THE LINES EYEGLASS RECLAMATION THERE AS WELL. THE SHERIFF WILL BE THERE WITH A DRUG TAKE BACK AS WELL. FINALLY, DURING CRIME VICTIMS' RIGHTS WEEK. MS. PETERSON WILL A TABLE SETUP ON THAT LOCATION TO PROVIDE INFORMATION ABOUT VICTIMS RIGHTS. SO I'M VERY PROUD OF THE WORK THAT MS. PETERSON HAS BEEN DOING SINCE SHE'S TAKEN ON THIS ROLE AND EXPANDED THAT ROLE, AND EXPANDED HER KNOWLEDGE AND BASE OF INFORMATION TO PROVIDE SERVICES TO VICTIMS. AND I'LL HAVE ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE. >> MADAM CHAIR. >> YES. >> THANK YOU FOR THE REPORT. CAN YOU HEAR THE SPECIFICS OF HOW PEOPLE WE ARE REACHING OUT TO ARE REACTING TO THAT OUTREACH AND WHAT THEY'RE SAYING IN TERMS OF THE EFFORTS BEING MADE TO HELP THEM? [00:25:02] >> THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER. I DON'T HAVE THE COMMENTS RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME. WE DO DO SURVEYS AFTER THE CASE IS COMPLETED, ASKING INDIVIDUALS THAT HAVE PARTICIPATED THROUGH THAT PROCESS TO PROVIDE FEEDBACK. I THINK THE TWO COMMENTS THAT FREQUENTLY COME BACK ON THOSE SURVEYS ARE THAT MS. PETERSON IS VERY COMPASSIONATE IN PROVIDING INFORMATION, VERY CALM AND UNDERSTANDING AND SUPPORTIVE. THE OTHER PIECE IS THAT BUT FOR THE COMMUNICATION AND OUTREACH OF MS. PETERSON, INDIVIDUALS WANT TO UNDERSTAND WHAT WAS HAPPENING IN THE PROCESS AND ARE VERY GRATEFUL FOR THAT REACH OUT AND JUST BEING AWARE. OFTENTIMES INDIVIDUALS CHOOSE NOT TO COME TO THE COURT PROCEEDINGS THERE. SOMETIMES THEY CAN HAPPEN MANY TIMES AND THEY CAN BE VERY SHORT HEARINGS. MS. PETERSON ATTENDS THOSE HEARINGS AND THEN PROVIDES THAT FEEDBACK TO THOSE INDIVIDUALS. SO IT KEEPS THEM INFORMED WITH RECOGNIZING THE DEMANDS ON EVERYONE'S TIME BECAUSE THEY DON'T ASK TO BECOME INVOLVED AND HAVE ANOTHER DEMAND ON THEIR TIME TO KNOW WHAT'S HAPPENING ON THE CRIMINAL CASE, AND MS. PETERSON PROVIDES THEM WITH THAT INFORMATION. >> SO I'M I'M HEARING THAT THE OUTREACH BY THE COUNTY IS GENERALLY ACCEPTED BY THOSE FOLKS WHO ARE VICTIMS. >> CORRECT. WE GIVE THEM THAT POWER TO DECIDE HOW MUCH DO THEY WANT TO BE INVOLVED. SOME INDIVIDUALS NEVER RESPOND TO OUR OUTREACH. THEY DON'T, FOR WHATEVER REASON THEY CHOOSE NOT TO BE INVOLVED. OTHERS MIGHT ONLY BE WANTING THAT WRITTEN COMMUNICATION AND OTHERS MAY WANT PHONE CALLS. AND SO WE GAVE THEM THAT POWER WHERE THEY DIDN'T AGAIN CHOOSE TO COME INTO THE SYSTEM. WE GAVE THEM THAT POWER TO CHOOSE ON HOW THEY WANT TO BE INVOLVED. >> THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. >> I'M SORRY. I DIDN'T WANT TO CUT YOU OFF. I'M SORRY. I JUST WANTED TO FOLLOW UP ON COMMISSIONER KOHLER'S IF I MIGHT THINK ON HERE EVEN IF I'M A LICENSED ATTORNEY, BUT OUR FAMILIES EXPERIENCE WITH YOUR OFFICE AND THE VICTIMS, THAT WAS VERY IMPORTANT. SO THE FACT THAT SOMEONE MAY NOT UNDERSTAND THE PROCESS TO ME IS NOT AT ALL SURPRISING IF YOU'RE NOT INTIMATELY FAMILIAR WITH IT. I DID HAVE A FOLLOW-UP QUESTION IF I MIGHT. I WAS TALKING WITH SOMEONE FROM ONE OF OUR CITIES ABOUT LANGUAGE ISSUES THEY FIND IN TRYING TO SUPPORT VICTIMS. COULD YOU JUST TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOW, YOU'VE TALKED ABOUT COMMUNICATING WITH VICTIMS AND I IMAGINE THERE ARE AT TIMES LANGUAGE BARRIERS. >> THERE ARE. WE UTILIZE THE LANGUAGE LINE AS MUCH AS WE CAN. IF WE KNOW THAT THERE'S GOING TO BE A BARRIER, WE TRY TO ENSURE THAT WE HAVE THAT IN PLACE IF THERE'S A COLD CALL, FOR EXAMPLE, WE HAVE THOSE SERVICES AVAILABLE. MS. PETERSON IS CONSTANTLY TRYING TO REACH OUT AND FIND TRANSLATED DOCUMENTS. WE'VE UTILIZED GUSTAVUS TO HELP TRANSLATE SOME OF OUR DOCUMENTS SO THAT WE HAVE THEM AVAILABLE TO PROVIDE THEM AN ALTERNATE LANGUAGE SOURCES. I KNOW WE'RE GOING TO REACH OUT FOR THE TELEPHONE, I DON'T REMEMBER WHAT IT'S CALLED TO HAVE THAT AVAILABLE IN OUR OFFICE SO THAT WE HAVE THAT EASY TRANSLATION AVAILABLE AS WELL. IT'S A CHALLENGE, BUT MS. PETERSON IS CERTAINLY IDENTIFYING WAYS TO ADDRESS THAT CHALLENGE. >> THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. NEXT ON OUR AGENDA IS THE COUNTY ATTORNEY UPDATE. [LAUGHTER]. >> I THINK I PROVIDED THE MOST IMPORTANT UPDATE SO FAR. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. NEXT ON THE AGENDA, CHAIRS REPORTED NOTHING AT THIS TIME. COMMISSIONER COMMITTEE REPORTS. COMMISSIONER LUEPKE. >> [NOISE] WELL, I WENT TO THAT HIGHWAY 14 MEETING IN CORTLAND. I THINK THAT WAS ABOVE THE DATE OF OUR LAST REGULAR MEETING. WENT TO RURAL MINNESOTA ENERGY BOARD AND SLAYTON. WENT TO THE BROWN COUNTY AREA MEETING AS A CUSTOMER, WENT TO THE BACKHAUL ELECTRIC MEETING AS A COMMISSIONER WENT TO A DITCH MEETING GAILLARD. WE HAD A HEART AND STROKE MEETING WITH THE MINNESOTA HISTORICAL SOCIETY AND BROWN AND NICOLLET COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY IS THE NEW WORLD CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, WENT TO THE REGIONAL SOIL AND WATER MEETING LAST WEEK, WHICH IS A NEWHAM WHICH IS VERY HANDY, AND A DITCH MEETING IN OLIVIA WHICH WAS NOT ALL THAT HANDY. >> THANK YOU. COMMISSIONER MORROW. >> SARAH, I HAVE THIS ALL WRITTEN DOWN. [LAUGHTER] I'LL JUST HAND YOU A PIECE OF PAPER, RECYCLING, [NOISE] THE BROWN-NICOLLET HEALTH EXECUTIVE BOARD, WE HAD AN INSURANCE MEETING, ATTENDED THE OPEN HOUSE FOR REDISTRICTING GEAR, A BROAD BAND MEETING, ATTENDED A MEETING REGARDING DITCH 86A MANAGER AND I CAN TAKE JUST ONE MOMENT IF I MIGHT JUST SAY THAT THIS SITUATION AT 86A HAS FOR SOME TIME NOW BEEN, REMARKABLY FRUSTRATING AND CERTAINLY FOR THE LANDOWNERS AND THE I JUST HOPE LAND OWNERS KNOW THAT WE'RE DOING EVERYTHING WE CAN. SOMETIMES WE CAN'T ALWAYS SAY WHAT WE'RE DOING BECAUSE OF RESTRICTIONS, [00:30:04] BUT I JUST WANT TO SHOW FOLKS THAT THEY ARE BEING HEARD AND WE ARE TRYING EVERYTHING WE CAN TO GET THIS SITUATION RESOLVED. I WANT TO THANK NATE HENRY FOR ALL HE'S TRYING TO DO AS WELL TO GET THIS DITCH SITUATION DONE. ATTENDED YESTERDAY, A MEETING CONCERNING COMPASSIONATE COMMUNITIES. THEN FINALLY, THE 16999 INTERCHANGE MEETING LAST NIGHT BY MENDA, WHICH WAS VERY INFORMATIVE. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. COMMISSIONER KOHLER. >> THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. WE HAD UNION NEGOTIATIONS IN LATE MARCH, I TOO WAS HERE WITH THE COMMISSIONER MORROW AND COMMISSIONER BRATTON IN THE REDISTRICTING MEETING COUNTY COMPENSATION STUDY YESTERDAY THAT CHRISTY AND MANDELIAN HAD AND JUST WANTED TO SAY THANKS TO SARAH FOR THE NEWSLETTER. SEVERAL FOLKS HAVE COME UP TO US AS COUNTY COMMISSIONERS TO SAY THAT THIS IS A TREMENDOUS DOCUMENT THAT IS VERY HELPFUL. IT COMES OUT TWICE A YEAR, CORRECT? >> YES. >> AND I RECEIVED A NOTE OR CALL FROM JOE LAWRENCE FROM MILES LAUREN'S CONSTRUCTION WHO LIVES BETWEEN ARCADE ON ST. PETER, WHO SAID THAT HE KNOWS WHAT HIGHWAYS LOOKED LIKE WHEN THEY'RE DONE WELL AND GIVE PRAISE TO HIGHWAY 13 OR COUNTY ROAD 13 AND THE WORK THAT SOUTH'S OFFICE DID. ALSO FORMER REPRESENTATIVE CLARK JOHNSON SAW HIM OVER THE WEEKEND AND THIS CLUB HOUSE DEAL, HE SAID WAS TERRIFIC FOR THE COUNTY AND PRAISED THE COUNTY BOARD FOR THE WORK THAT THEY'RE BRINGING FORWARD IN THAT AREA. SO THANK YOU, SARAH CONTINUE WITH GOOD PUBLISHING. >> IT'S FANTASTIC, SARAH. >> IT'S REALLY IT'S VERY, VERY GOOD. >> THANK YOU. >> MARIE CAN I HAVE A COMMENT? >> SURE. >> WHEN I DROVE TO OLIVIA, I TOOK COUNTY ROUTE 21 ASKED FOR ORIGINALLY AND IT'S A NICE ROAD. OUR STAFF KEEPS IT REALLY GOOD. I GOT TO RANDALL COUNTY AND [NOISE] I DON'T KNOW IT WAS BAD. [LAUGHTER] IT WAS ALL POTHOLES AND CHUNKS AND PIECES OF TARRAGON. AND I DID CHAT THE RANDALL COUNTY COMMISSIONERS ABOUT THAT A LITTLE BIT AND THEY SAID, "YOU WENT ON THAT ROAD. WE DON'T EVEN DRIVE ON THAT ROAD." >> CRAZY. >> THANK YOU FOR THE STAFF FOR KEEPING IT IN GOOD SHAPE. >> OKAY. THANK YOU ALL. NEXT CENTER AGENDA IS APPROVED PROGRAMS AND EXPENSES. >> MOVE IT, 2ND. >> ALL THOSE IN FAVOR. >> AYE. >> AYE. >> AYE. >> I TOTALLY SKIPPED OVER COMMISSIONER MEETINGS AND CONFERENCES. DO WE HAVE ANY? >> I DON'T THINK SO. >>NOTHING AT THIS TIME. >> OKAY. GREAT. WE CAN ADJOURN THE REGULAR BOARD MEETING AND COME BACK FOR THE JOURNEY TO AUTHORITY AT 9:55. >> MOVE TO ADJOURN. >> SECOND. >> ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? >> AYE. >> AYE. >> AYE. >> AYE. >> WE CAN CALL THE APRIL 12/2022 AT 8:30 MEETING TO ORDER WE START WITH THE AGENDA. [Call Drainage Authority Meeting to Order] ARE THERE ANY CHANGES OR ADDITIONS TO THE AGENDA? HEARING NONE. CAN WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE AGENDA? >> SO MOVED. >> SECOND. >> OKAY. THANK YOU. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? >> AYE. >> AYE. >> AYE. >> AYE. >> FIRST ON THE AGENDA IS THE CONSENT AGENDA. >> SECOND. >> THANK YOU. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR. >> AYE. >> AYE. >> AYE. >> NEXT IS THE CONTINUED PUBLIC HEARING FOR COUNTY DITCH 48A REPAIR PROJECT. JACKIE? >> YES. GOOD MORNING. MADAM CHAIR, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD. SO TODAY IS A CONTINUATION OF THE PUBLIC HEARING THAT WAS ON MARCH 22ND. AT THAT MEETING WELL, LET ME BACK UP A BIT. THIS IS A PUBLIC HEARING FOR COUNTY DITCH 48A. AND I'LL GIVE YOU A LITTLE HISTORY AND BACKGROUND ON THIS. SO ON JULY 13TH, 2020, THE NICOLLET COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS ORDERED THE RE-ESTABLISHMENT OF THE PUBLIC DRAINAGE SYSTEM, THE RECORDS TO INDICATE FOR COUNTY DITCH 48A TO BRING THEM UP TO DATE. DURING THE PROCESS OF THE RE-ESTABLISHMENT A FIELD SURVEY AND INSPECTION OF THE CHANNEL DEMONSTRATED THAT THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE OUTLET FOR AGRICULTURAL DRAINAGE HAD DIMINISHED FROM IT AS CONSTRUCTION AND SUBSEQUENTLY IMPROVED CONDITION AND IT NEEDS MAINTENANCE WORK. PORTIONS OF THE OPEN DITCH ARE PARTIALLY FILLED WITH SEDIMENT AND DOWNSTREAM CULVERT IS HEAVIED IN LIKELY RESTRICTING FLOW. AND THE WATER ELEVATIONS IN THE DITCH ARE ABOVE THE DOWNSTREAM OUTLET ELEVATION. SO AS THE NICOLLET COUNTY DRAINAGE AUTHORITY, IN YOUR ROLE, THEY HAVE CONTRACTED WITH HOUSTON ENGINEERING TO PREPARE A REPAIR REPORT ON [00:35:02] POSSIBILITIES OF HOW TO BRING THIS BACK TO THE ORIGINALLY CONSTRUCTED WAY HERE. WE DID HAVE A MEETING, THE PUBLIC HEARING ON MARCH 22ND. THERE WAS SOME ADDITIONAL INFORMATION THE BOARD WOULD HAVE LIKED TO HERD AND MORE LANDOWNER INPUTS. SO IT WAS RECESSED UNTIL TODAY TO GET SOME MORE LANDOWNER INPUT ON THIS REPAIR. WE ALSO HAVE CHRIS OTTERNESS HERE FROM HOUSTON ENGINEERING, WHICH I WILL HAVE HIM DO HIS REPAIR REPORT AGAIN TO REFRESH THE MEMORY OF WHAT HAPPENED AT THE LAST MEETING AND FOR THE ADDITIONAL LANDOWNERS THAT ARE HERE TODAY. AND THEN AFTER HIS REPORT, WE CAN OPEN IT UP FOR PUBLIC COMMENT AND THEN THE DRAINAGE AUTHORITY WILL BE ASKED TO TO ACT ON THIS, ON HOW THE LANDOWNERS WOULD LIKE TO PROCEED WITH THIS. SO WE WILL GO ON FROM THERE AT THE END, BUT RIGHT NOW WE'LL HAVE CHRIS OTTERNESS GO THROUGH HIS DETAILED REPORT ON THE REPAIR. >> AGAIN, I AM CHRIS OTTERNESS WITH HOUSTON ENGINEERING. AND FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO WERE HERE LAST TIME ROUND, LOT OF THIS WILL BE A REPEAT, BUT I'LL TRY IT MOVES THROUGH THIS FAIRLY QUICKLY HERE. YOU'RE HIRED TO COMPLETE A REPAIR PORT FOLLOWING THE RE-ESTABLISHMENT OF RECORD ON THE DRAINAGE SYSTEM. AND BASICALLY, WE LOOK AT A FEW DIFFERENT THINGS WITH THAT REPAIR PART, WE IDENTIFY WHAT PORTIONS OF THE DRAINAGE SYSTEM ARE IN NEED OF REPAIR, LOOK AT POTENTIAL SOLUTIONS TO GETTING THE REPAIR COMPLETED. AND IN THIS CASE, THERE'S ACTUALLY A COUPLE OF UNIQUE SOLUTIONS TO THAT CAN BE POTENTIALLY PROCEEDED FORWARD WITH. WE'VE LOOKED AT THE CONSTRUCTION COST FOR THIS AND WE SAY THE TERM PROBABLE CONSTRUCTION COST BECAUSE AGAIN, ANYTIME THAT YOU'RE ESTIMATING COSTS, THEY CAN BE HIGHER OR LOWER DEPENDING ON WHAT'S GOING ON AT THE TIME WITH THE CONSTRUCTION MARKET AND THAT THING. AND I'LL TALK A BIT ABOUT THAT MORE IN A BIT AND THEN I'LL GO OVER THE DECISION POINTS THAT THE BOARD HAS WITH THIS. NEXT SLIDE. SO I TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THESE REPAIR TASKS. WE'VE LOOKED AT ACTUALLY A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT ALTERNATIVES FOR THE REPAIR. WE ALSO LOOKED AT A CULVERT SIZING AND THIS IS THE CULVERT THAT'S IN-BETWEEN MUD AND DUCK LAKES LOCATED ON DNR PROPERTY. AND THEN WE PROVIDE A RECOMMENDATION FOR A PAIR THAT WILL AGAIN ATTEMPT TO RESTORE THE FUNCTION OF THE DITCH. IT'S IMPORTANT TO KNOW WHAT THE RESTORED FUNCTION IS AND THAT IT'S NOT NECESSARILY A DRY DITCH BECAUSE IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE, THAT'S NOT FEASIBLE WITH THE STRUCTURE THAT IS LOCATED DOWNSTREAM OF MIDDLE LAKE THAT AFFECTS WATER ELEVATIONS IN THE DITCH. NEXT SLIDE. THIS SLIDE TALKS SPECIFICALLY ON THAT, THAT WE'RE SHOWN ON THE GRAPHIC THAT'S ON THE SCREEN THERE AND THE LOWER LEFT-HAND CORNER OF THAT GRAPHIC. IT'S A FIXED CREST WEIR. THE ELEVATION OF THE WEIR IS SHOWN ON OUR CONSTRUCTION PLANS THAT WE HAVE INCLUDED THERE. A PAIR PART INDICATES THE ELEVATION THAT WE ARE IN RELATION TO THE BOTTOM OF THE ORIGINALLY CONSTRUCTED DITCH. LIKE I SAID, IT IS A COUPLE OF FEET ABOVE THAT ORIGINAL CHANNEL BOTTOM AT THE VERY DOWNSTREAM. ANS SO NO MATTER WHAT IS DONE ON THIS DRAINAGE SYSTEM, THERE IS GOING TO BE WATER STANDING IN THE DITCH DURING THE ENTIRE YEAR. JUST AS A MATTER OF HOW MUCH WATER THERE IS AND HOW MUCH IT CAN STACK UP AS YOU GO FURTHER UPSTREAM. SOME OF THE UNIQUE CHALLENGES WITH THE SYSTEM NOT COMPLETELY UNIQUE TO ALL SYSTEMS, BUT MOST OF THEM DO NOT HAVE THIS SCENARIO WHERE YOU HAVE THAT CONSTRAINT ON THE OUTLET AND ALSO RUNS THROUGH TWO DIFFERENT PUBLIC WATERS. AGAIN, WE'RE AT OUTLETS IN THE MIDDLE LAKE AND THEN GOING THROUGH DUCK LAKE, AND THE FACT THAT THESE GO THROUGH PUBLIC WATERS, THERE IS REGULATORY ENGAGEMENT WITH THE DNR REQUIRED ANYTIME A REPAIR IS DONE IN THIS PARTICULAR AREA OF THE DRAINAGE SYSTEM. BECAUSE OF HOW, IF YOU CAN STARE ON THE SLIDE A LITTLE BIT MORE HERE, BECAUSE OF THE UNIQUE SITUATION OF HOW WET IT IS, IT'S GOING TO BE CHALLENGING TO GET A TRADITIONAL EXCAVATOR IN THIS AREA AND HAVE THE EXCAVATOR BUILT TO SAFELY TRAVERSE ALONG THE EDGE OF THE DITCH BECAUSE OF HOW WET IT IS AND HOW UNSTABLE THE SOILS ARE. [00:40:04] SO IT'S MORE LIKELY THAT SOME AN AMPHIBIOUS SOLUTION IS REQUIRED, ESSENTIALLY SOMETHING THAT HAS FAULTS ON IT. AND I'LL TALK ABOUT TWO DIFFERENT OPTIONS HERE NOW THAT PROVIDED AMPHIBIOUS FEATURE HERE. JUST A QUICK REMARK REGARDING THAT AS CONSTRUCTED AND SUBSEQUENT IMPROVED CONDITION THAT WAS DETERMINED DURING THE RE-ESTABLISHMENT OF RECORDS THAT DOES SET THE LOWEST AVAILABLE GRADE [NOISE] THAT THE DRAINAGE AUTHORITY IT CAN REPAIR TO IN ORDER FOR IT TO BE CONSIDERED TO BE A REPAIR AND NOT AN IMPROVEMENT. SORRY, I [LAUGHTER] I APOLOGIZE HAVING TO GO BACK. THAT PURPLE LINE THAT WE HAVE SHOWN ON THAT GRAPHIC THERE THAT IS THAT PERMANENT POOL THAT IS SET BY THE ELEVATION OF THAT WEIR THAT'S DOWNSTREAM OF MIDDLE LAKE. SO YOU CAN AGAIN SEE THAT THAT IS ABOVE THAT ORIGINAL CHANNEL BOTTOM. NEXT SLIDE. [NOISE] SO. I RECOMMENDED REPAIR. WE IDENTIFIED A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT SEGMENTS OF DITCH THAT NEED TO BE REPAIRED IN ORDER TO RESTORE THE FUNCTION OF THE DRAINAGE SYSTEM. THE MOST OBVIOUS ONE THAT I'VE TALKED ABOUT NOW IS THAT AREA BETWEEN MIDDLE AND DUCK LAKES, THERE'S ANYWHERE UP TO TWO-AND-HALF FEET OF MATERIAL IN THAT AREA THAT NEEDS TO BE REMOVED. THERE'S ALSO A CULVERT THERE THAT I MENTIONED THAT IS BETWEEN THE MIDDLE AND DUCK LAKES AND THAT ALSO NEEDS TO BE REPLACED AND LOWERED BUT RIGHT NOW IT'S OVER THREE FEET ABOVE THAT ORIGINAL CHANNEL BOTTOM. THAT ITSELF IS PART OF WHAT IS BLOCKING THE FLOW THERE. BUT EVEN IF THAT DOES GET LOWERED WITH THAT MUCK AND SEDIMENT THAT'S IN THE DITCH BOTTOM, THAT CREATES A CHALLENGE FOR WATER TO GET THROUGH THERE. IT ALSO ENCOURAGES WEED GROWTH, PARTICULARLY CATTAILS THAT CAN CLOG THE FLOW OF WATER IN THE CHANNEL. WE HAVE BEEN LOOKING TO COMPLETE THAT WORK. THERE'S ALSO SOME REPAIR THAT IS NEEDED ALONG FORT ROAD THAT'S IN THE MIDDLE OF THAT GRAPHIC THERE. THAT ALSO NEEDS TO BE REPAIRED. THAT CAN BE DONE THROUGH TRADITIONAL EXCAVATION AS IT'S NOT AS WET AND THAT AREA ALONG THE ROAD. HOWEVER, THE EFFECTS OF THAT REPAIR ON THERE ARE GOING TO BE LIMITED UNTIL THAT OUTLET FROM DUCK IN THE MIDDLE LAKES IS FIXED. THERE ARE A COUPLE OF AREAS THAT WITH SOME SMALL SLOUGHING A LITTLE FURTHER UPSTREAM THAT CAN BE REPAIRED ALSO, BUT THEY AREN'T NEARLY AS IMPORTANT AS WHAT'S CARRYING DOWNSTREAM. NEXT SLIDE. THE EFFECT OF DOING THESE REPAIRS WILL BE THAT THE SEDIMENT AND VEGETATION OR REMOVAL WILL ALLOW WATER TO FLOW BETTER. IT'S DEFINITELY NOT GOING TO BE PERFECT OR IDEAL GIVEN THAT OUTLET CONDITION AT THE END OF MIDDLE LAKE, BUT IT AT LEAST ALLOWS THE ABILITY FOR WATER TO FLOW WHEREAS NOW WITH ALL THAT VEGETATION AT REALLY IS HOLDING THAT BACK. IT'S LIKE HAVING ESSENTIALLY A WATER TRYING TO GO THROUGH A FINE MESH TO TRY TO GET THROUGH THERE. IT SLOWS THE WATER DOWN. CERTAIN THAT WE COMPLETED ON THE FORT ROAD. [NOISE] EXCUSE ME. IT SAYS THAT THE REPAIR COULD LOWER WATER ELEVATIONS UP BY THE ROAD BY AS MUCH AS A FOOT. THAT'S WHAT WE DETERMINED TO BE THE DIFFERENCE IN ELEVATION BETWEEN THE WATER UP BY FORT ROAD AND THE WATER THAT IS OVER IN MIDDLE LAKE WHEN WE COMPLETED OUR SURVEY. THAT AGAIN IS AT A TIME WHERE THERE WASN'T A LOT OF RAINFALL THAT WAS OCCURRING, IT COULD MAKE EVEN A POTENTIAL BIGGER DIFFERENCE FOLLOWING A SUBSTANTIAL RAINFALL. THEN THE OTHER THING THAT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE, IS THE DITCH DOES GO ALL THE WAY DOWN INTO MIDDLE LAKE THERE ARE FLOATING BOGS THAT ARE THERE, AND THOSE FLOATING BOGS IF THOSE CAN BE REMOVED AND MANAGED IN THE FUTURE, THAT MAY DECREASE SOME OF THAT STACKING OF THE WATER THAT I'M INDICATING IS OCCURRING DURING OR FOLLOWING THESE RAINFALL EVENTS AND SO THAT CAN PROVIDE A MORE PREDICTABLE WATER ELEVATION WORKING ITS WAY UPSTREAM. I'LL TALK ABOUT THESE TWO DIFFERENT OPTIONS THAT WE HAVE FOR AN AMPHIBIOUS EXCAVATION ALONG THIS AREA BETWEEN DUCK AND MIDDLE LAKES. WHAT'S SHOWN ON THE SCREEN HERE IS A FLOATING EXCAVATOR THAT WAS ACTUALLY TAKEN FROM A PROJECT WE WORKED ON WITH ANOTHER GRAINS AUTHORITY IN THE NORTH METRO AREA. [00:45:01] ESSENTIALLY ISN'T A STANDARD EXCAVATOR THAT IS MALTED ON THESE BIG PONTOON TRACKS. THAT'LL ALLOW IT TO BE ABLE TO BRIDGE THOSE UNSTEADY SOILS AND EVEN FLOAT TO SOME DEGREE IN AN AREA THAT IS NEARLY OPEN WATER. THEY ALSO DO HAVE A LONG REACH ARM MOUNTED ON THAT EXCAVATOR TO ALLOW THE EXCAVATOR TO WORK FROM THE BANK OR A LITTLE FURTHER OFF TO THE BANK AND BE ABLE TO REACH DOWN INTO THE DITCH. THIS PARTICULAR PIECE OF EQUIPMENT WAS FROM A COMPANY THAT IS LOCATED IN MONACO WISCONSIN. THEY HAD A FAIRLY LONG DISTANCE. THEY HAD TO MOBILIZE THEIR EQUIPMENT. THEIR MOBILIZATION OF EQUIPMENT IS A FAIRLY SUBSTANTIAL COST, IN COMPLETING THIS AMPHIBIOUS EXCAVATION WITH THIS PIECE OF EQUIPMENT. THERE AREN'T A LOT OF CONTRACTORS THAT HAVE THAT TYPE OF EQUIPMENT AROUND. IN ORDER TO PROVIDE AN ECONOMY OF SCALE ON DOING THIS WORK, IT MAY BE WORTHWHILE FOR THE DRAINAGE AUTHORITY ALSO TO CONSIDER IF THERE ARE OTHER LOCATIONS THAT IT MANAGES OR MAYBE EVEN CONSULT WITH SOME OF THE OTHER ADJOINING DRAINAGE AUTHORITIES, OR OTHER COUNTIES. JASON IS GOING TO NEED TO TALK ABOUT IF THERE'S AN ABILITY TO GET THAT PIECE OF EQUIPMENT LIKE THAT MOBILIZED FOR MULTIPLE PROJECTS AND THAT COULD POTENTIALLY CUT THE COST OF THE WORK DONE. NEXT SLIDE. THE OTHER OPTION THAT WE'VE LOOKED AT IS THIS MACHINE THAT'S REFERRED TO AS A COOKIE-CUTTER. ESSENTIALLY A HOUSE ALMOST LIKE A PROPELLER BLADE. YOU CAN SEE ON THE RIGHT-HAND PHOTO THAT IS MOUNTED AND SPINS VERTICALLY, THAT CHOPS UP THE MATTER THAT IS IN THE CHANNEL AND SUCH AS SPRAYS IT OUT TO EACH BANK. THERE'S ALSO THE ABILITY WITH THAT COOKIE CUTTER MACHINE TO HAVE A GRAPPLE THAT WOULD GRAB ONTO ANY OF THAT MATERIAL, THAT IS CHOPPED UP AND PULL IT OFF TO THE SIDE AND ACTUALLY EVEN BE ABLE TO PULL SOME OF THE BOG MATERIAL OVER THAT HAS BROKEN LOOSE AND GET THAT OUT OF THE WAY. IT'S A MACHINE THAT'S VERY IDEALLY SUITED TOWARD BREAKING UP BOG MATERIAL. IT IS COMPLETELY AMPHIBIOUS. FLOATS ON FOR LACK OF A BETTER TERM, A BOAT. IT WILL FLOAT IN THE CHANNEL THAT THOSE PROPELLER ARMS, THEY ACTUALLY PROPEL THE MACHINE FORWARD. THAT'S HOW IT MOVES FORWARD TO BREAK UP THE BOG MATERIAL. ONE DISADVANTAGE OF A BOTTOM MACHINE LIKE THAT IS THAT IT ONLY CAN WORK ITS WAY DOWN TO A CERTAIN DEPTH. THAT DEPTH IS BASED ON WHAT THE WATER ELEVATION IS AND WHATEVER BODY OF WATER IT IS WORKING IN AT THAT TIME, IT CAN ONLY GO DOWN TO, SAY MAYBE A COUPLE OF FEET BELOW THE WATERLINE TO CHOP THAT MATERIAL UP. SO YOU MIGHT NOT BE ABLE TO REMOVE ALL OF THAT SEDIMENT THAT IS DOWN IN THE CHANNEL WORKING ITS WAY BACK UP TOWARD DUCK LAKE. BUT AT A VERY MINIMUM CAN GET THE MAJORITY OF THAT ROOT MASS IN THE CATTAILS AND BE ABLE TO ALLOW OTHER MANAGEMENT PRACTICES TO OCCUR IN THE FUTURE, INCLUDING DURING SPRING. NEXT SLIDE. WE PREPARED A COUPLE OF COST ESTIMATES FOR THIS WORK AND THESE ARE ACTUALLY BOTH FROM ESTIMATES PROVIDED LAST FALL BY CONTRACTORS THAT DO THIS TYPE OF WORK. WE ESTIMATED THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE FLOATING EXCAVATOR TO BE APPROXIMATELY A $107,000 AND THAT INCLUDED BOTH THE EXCAVATION ALONG THE DITCH BOTTOM AND ALSO THE LOWERING OR REPLACING OF THE CULVERT. ACTUALLY, BOTH OF THESE ESTIMATES THAT WE HAVE PROVIDE THOSE TWO COST HERE. NEXT SLIDE. THE OTHER COSTS AS MAY GOT WAS FOR A COOKIE CUTTER MACHINE THAT WE ESTIMATED ABOUT $135,000 AND HAD THE SAME SCOPE TO CLEAN OUT OF THE CHANNEL. THE REMOVAL ON LOWERING OF THAT CULVERT. [NOISE] SORRY. MY PHONE WAS PLEASING UNRELENTINGLY AT ME HERE. I NEEDED TO SHUT IT DOWN. SORRY. THE COSTS THAT WE HAD UP IN HERE FOR THAT COOKIE CUTTER MACHINE ALSO INCLUDED A HARVESTER THAT WAS AT GRAPPLE HOOK THAT I WAS MENTIONING THAT CAN GRAB A HOLD OF THAT FLOODING MATERIAL AND MOVE IT OFF THERE. THE CONTRACTOR THAT GAVE THAT ESTIMATE TO ME INDICATED [00:50:05] THAT IF THAT HARVESTER WASN'T USED THEN THE VEGETATION MATERIAL WAS NOT COLLECTED, THAT COULD POTENTIALLY REDUCE THAT COST UPWARDS OF $28,000. AGAIN, ONE THING I'LL NOTE ABOUT THESE COST ESTIMATES THAT WE PROVIDED HERE FOR BOTH THOSE TWO OPTIONS, IS THAT THEY WERE BASED ON COST THAT THE CONTRACT ARE PROVIDED AT THE TIME. THE COST OF DOING ANY TYPE OF CONSTRUCTION, AND EVEN MAYBE MORE SO SOME OF THIS WORK THAT WE DO RELATED TO DRAINAGE SYSTEMS IN WATER, THEY'RE HIGHLY VOLATILE RIGHT NOW. WE'VE RECENTLY HAD A PROJECT, THAT WAS A DREDGING PROJECT THAT CAME IN NEARLY DOUBLE WHAT THE ENGINEER'S ESTIMATE WAS DUE TO THIS VOLATILITY AND THE LACK OF AVAILABLE CONTRACTORS TO DO SOME OF THIS WORK. IT'S ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT WE REALLY WON'T KNOW THE ACTUAL COST UNTIL WE DID THE WORK OR IT GETS BACK FOR THAT WORK. I JUST WANTED TO TALK A LITTLE BIT OF ABOUT THOSE COSTS. NOTING, WE DO HAVE THOSE TWO OPTIONS. THE ADVANTAGES OF THAT AMPHIBIOUS EXCAVATOR ARE THAT IT CAN GO ALL THE WAY TO THE BOTTOM OF THAT PROFILE. IT MIGHT NOT BE ABLE TO GO QUITE AS FAR INTO MUD LAKE, AND MIGHT NOT BE ABLE TO PULL SOME OF THAT BOG MATERIAL IN THE VERY FARTHEST PART OF GOING INTO MUD LAKE OR THE OUTLETS. THIS COOKIE CUTTER MACHINE CAN TAKE CARE OF ALL OF THAT BOG MATERIAL ALL THE WAY UP TO THE CULVERT, AND UP TO [INAUDIBLE] BUT IT CAN GET NEARLY AS GREAT OF A DEPTH. I WOULD SAY IDEALLY, IT WOULD PROBABLY BE THE BEST OPTION IF WE CAN GET THAT AMPHIBIOUS EXCAVATOR TO DIG ALL THE WAY DOWN AND DIG THAT OPEN CHANNEL OFF. BUT IN EITHER ONE OF THESE METHODS, WE'RE GOING TO BE SOMEWHAT AT THE MERCY OF WHAT THE CONTRACTOR AVAILABILITY IS, WHAT THE COST END THE COMING BACK FOR THESE OPTIONS. FOR THAT REASON, I WOULD PROVIDE A RECOMMENDATION THAT THE RANGE OF 30, KEEP THEIR OPTIONS OPEN TO UTILIZING EITHER METHOD FOR THIS WORK. NEXT SLIDE. I TALKED A LITTLE BIT OF THESE ITEMS RELATED TO THE CONSTRUCTION COSTS THAT WE UTILIZED, ACTUAL CONTRACTOR COSTS. IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT THE BENEFITING LANDOWNERS ARE THE ONES THAT WILL BE INCURRING THIS COST, BUT THEY INCUR THE ACTUAL COST OF WHAT'S DONE AND NOT NECESSARILY WHAT WE'RE ESTIMATING HERE AT THIS TIME. I TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT SOME OF THESE THINGS THAT MAY CAUSE FLUCTUATIONS IN THOSE COSTS. AGAIN, THERE'S PROBABLY AN ADVANTAGE IF WE DO EMBARK ON ONE OPTION OR OTHER OF TRYING TO SEE IF THE CONTRACTOR CAN WORK ON MULTIPLE PROJECTS IN MULTIPLE AREAS IN THESE AREAS TO REDUCE THAT COST OF MOBILIZING THE EQUIPMENT DOWN HERE. NEXT SLIDE. IF THE PROJECT IS ORDERED, SOMETHING THAT WON'T BE ABLE TO OCCUR IMMEDIATELY, THERE'S GOING TO BE A SUBSET PLACE. WE ARE AT THE HEARING RIGHT NOW AND IF THE BOARD DOES QUARTER THAT REPAIR, PROBABLY THE EARLIEST WE COULD ADVERTISE FOR BIDS OR FOR QUOTES FOR THIS WORK WOULD BE SOMETIME DURING THE FOLLOWING SUMMER HERE. THERE, AGAIN, IS GOING TO NEED TO BE SOME REGULATORY COORDINATION WITH THE DNR IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO NOT ONLY GETS SOME REGULATORY APPROVAL FROM THEM IN THE WAY OF PERMISSION OR A PERMIT, BUT ALSO LOOK TO THE FUTURE WITH A DNR HOW SOME OF THIS MIGHT BE MANAGED POTENTIALLY THROUGH HERBICIDE TREATMENT THAT COULD OCCUR ALONG THE WAY. THEN IDEALLY IF THOSE QUOTES COME BACK DURING THE SUMMER AND IF WE CAN GET SOME REASONABLE QUOTES FOR CONSTRUCTION, THEY'RE PROBABLY THE EARLIEST THIS COULD BE COMPLETED THIS FALL. ACTUALLY, THAT'D BE A GOOD TIME TO COMPLETE THIS WORK BECAUSE DURING THE FALL, IT'S PROBABLY THE TIME OF YEAR WHILE YOU HAVE THE LOWEST WATER LEVELS, AND THAT COULD TAKE ADVANTAGE AND EITHER OPTION OF HAVING THOSE LOWER WATER LEVELS FOR EITHER STABILITY OF THE EQUIPMENT OR BUILDING EQUIPMENT DOWN A LITTLE BIT LOWER INTO THE CHANNEL. NEXT SLIDE. SOME OF THE CONSIDERATIONS FOR [00:55:06] THE DRAINAGE AUTHORITY IN RELATION TO ANY REPAIR WOULD BE AS WHETHER OR NOT THE DRAINAGE SYSTEM IS IN NEED OF REPAIR. ARE THESE REPAIRS NECESSARY TO RESTORE THE FUNCTION AND BENEFIT TO THE LANDOWNERS? GIVEN THE LIMITATIONS THAT WE DO HAVE IN THIS PARTICULAR ADVANTAGE SYSTEMS, CAN THOSE REPAIRS ACTUALLY ACHIEVE THE OUTCOMES THAT ARE DESIRED BY THE LANDOWNERS? I WOULD SAY FOR THE FIRST TWO BULLET POINTS, THAT'S OUR RECOMMENDATION THAT THE WORK IS NECESSARY TO BE COMPLETED. BUT THE THIRD BULLET IS A LITTLE MORE OF A CHALLENGE, BECAUSE SOME OF THAT DEPENDS ON WHAT THE LANDOWNER BENEFIT ACTUALLY IS AND WHAT THEY FEEL LIKE IS WORTH THEIR WHILE TO IN ORDER TO COMPLETE THE REPAIR. NEXT SLIDE. WITH THAT, I CAN ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE BOARD RIGHT AWAY. THEN IF YOU WANT TO OPEN TO THE PUBLIC COMMENT AFTER THAT, I CAN CERTAINLY ANSWER QUESTIONS THEN ALSO. >> THANK YOU. DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR CHRIS? >> I DO. >> JACK. >> CHRIS, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE TODAY. COUPLE OF QUESTIONS. WHAT IS THE ELEVATION OF THE LAKE IN THE SOUTH SIDE OF DARK COMPARED TO THE NORTH SIDE OF MIDDLE? WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE THERE? THEN HOW FAR IS THAT? HOW LONG IS THAT FOG? IS IT 100 YARDS? I DON'T HAVE A SENSE OF IT. >> SURE. IF YOU BEAR WITH ME JUST A MINUTE, I'M GOING TO SEE IF I CAN PULL THAT ELEVATION UP. I KNOW WE HAVE IT IN OUR REPORT HERE. RIGHT NOW THAT ELEVATION OF THE WIAR IS AT A 975.3 AND THE OUTLET THAT WE HAVE AT MIDDLE LAKE IS AT A 971.58. THERE'S ACTUALLY AT THAT PARTICULAR LOCATION, ALMOST FOUR FEET OF DEPTH THERE FROM THE VERY BOTTOM OF THE CHANNEL. BUT THAT'S AGAIN RIGHT WHERE IT IS AT THE VERY OLD LIT INTO THE OPEN WATER PORTION OF MIDDLE LAKE. IF YOU COMPARE THAT ELEVATION OF THE WIAR THAT IS AT MIDDLE LAKE AND COMPARE THAT TO THE ELEVATION OF THE CULVERT AS BETWEEN MIDDLE AND DUCK LAKES, THE WIAR IS A LITTLE OVER HALF A FOOT ABOVE THAT CULVERT ELEVATION. AT A VERY MINIMUM, ROLLING THAT CULVERT AND BE ABLE TO CLEAN OUT SOME OF THAT CHANNEL WILL MAKE AN IMMEDIATE DIFFERENCE FLOWING THROUGH BETWEEN DUCK AND MIDDLE LAKES. WE DIDN'T KNOW WHAT THAT THE WATER ELEVATION IN OUR PREVIOUS SURVEY, AGAIN, WAS ANOTHER FACTOR ABOVE THAT DOWNSTREAM ELEVATION WHEN YOU LOOKED AT DUCK LAKE AND FURTHER UPSTREAM BY FOREGROUND. THEN YOUR OTHER QUESTION REGARDING THE BOG MATERIALS. IF YOU GO FROM THE CULVERT BETWEEN DUCK AND MIDDLE LAKES AND GO OUT TO THE OPEN WATER PORTION OF MIDDLE LAKE, IT'S APPROXIMATELY 1400 FEET IN LENGTH. I WOULD CONSIDER MOST OF THAT TO BE SEMI BOGGY MATERIAL AND IT'S GOING TO BE A COMBINATION OF CAT TAILS. THEN AS YOU GET MAYBE A LITTLE FURTHER OUT THERE, ABOUT HALFWAY OUT TO THE OPEN WATER, IT'S MORE OF THAT FLOATING BOG MATTE TYPE THING THAT'S OUT THERE. >> MADAM CHAIR, IF I COULD, HOW LONG ESTIMATING WOULD HAVE IF WE DO CLEAN 1400 FEET OF THIS BOG? >> I WOULD SAY THAT IT PROBABLY WOULD TAKE MAYBE A COUPLE OF DAYS WITH AN EXCAVATOR AT THE VERY MOST. I'M NOT SURE EXACTLY HOW LONG THE COOKIE CUTTER WOULD TAKE, BUT I WOULD GUESS IT PROBABLY BE A SIMILAR LENGTH OF TIME. AGAIN, THE BIGGEST ISSUE WITH THIS IS NOT SO MUCH THE THE TIME THAT THEY'RE ALL UP THERE, IT'S MORE OF THE TIME TO GET THE EQUIPMENT THERE TO SITE. THEY'RE GOING TO SPEND ALMOST AS MUCH TIME DRIVING BACK AND FORTH FROM WHERE THEIR EQUIPMENT IS TO NICOLLET COUNTY AS THEY WILL ACTUALLY DOING THE WORK IN THE CHANNEL ITSELF. >> THEN THE FINAL, HOW LONG WOULD THAT STAY CLEAN? >> THAT'S GOING TO DEPEND ON SEVERAL DIFFERENT THINGS. IF THE COUNTY WORKS WITH THE DNR TO COMPLETE SOME HERBICIDE TREATMENT ALONG THERE, YOU CAN POTENTIALLY KEEP THAT OPEN AS LONG AS YOU'RE DOING THAT HERBICIDE TREATMENT. EVENTUALLY, THERE MIGHT BE SOME SLOUGHING THAT MIGHT OCCUR IN THERE THAT MAY DECREASE THE DEPTH OF CHANNEL A LITTLE BIT, BUT IT'S PROBABLY GOING TO STAY OPEN FOR QUITE AWHILE. IF THE HERBICIDE TREATMENT DOESN'T OCCUR FOLLOWING THIS, [01:00:02] THEN IT'S GOING TO BE SOMETHING THAT'S A LOT HARDER TO PREDICT IN ALL. IT COULD DEPEND EVEN ON HOW MUCH WIND YOU GET OR FLOW YOU GET IN ANY GIVEN YEAR. THE MORE FLOW YOU HAVE, THE THE MORE IT'S GOING TO STAY OPEN. IF YOU GET WIND IN THE LAKE, YOU CAN POTENTIALLY HAVE THAT BOG MATERIAL PUSHED BACK IN IF IT'S COMING THE WRONG DIRECTION AND SEAL THE CHANNEL OFF. WE'VE SEEN THAT HAPPEN BEFORE. WE'RE A LITTLE MORE AT THE MERCY OF MOTHER NATURE AT THAT PLAN. >> THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS, COMMISSIONER MORROW? >> THANK YOU, MANAGER. I JUST WANT TO FOLLOW-UP MORE OF THE COMMISSIONER [INAUDIBLE] QUESTIONS. THE DEPLOYMENT COST AND THE FLOATING IS WHAT I'M FOCUSING ON IT. YOU JUST SAID A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT HOW EITHER RARE THESE ARE. I KNOW YOU'VE TALKED ABOUT THE ONE COMING FROM WISCONSIN. ARE THEY NOT MORE LOCAL THAN THAT? >> I DON'T KNOW IF WE FOUND ANY PIECES OF EQUIPMENT JUST LIKE THAT IN MINNESOTA. THEY'RE ARE A LOT MORE COMMON IN THE SOUTHERN PART OF THE US. THERE'S A LOT OF THEM DOWN IN LOUISIANA, DOWN IN SOME OF THOSE STATES IN THE [INAUDIBLE] TERRITORY. BUT UP HERE, THEY JUST STARTED AS COMMON PEOPLE AREN'T DOING THAT WORK AS FREQUENTLY. [NOISE] IT WOULD BE WORTHWHILE TO MAKE SOME CONTACTS WITH SOME COMPANIES THAT DO DREDGING WORK ROUTINE TO SEE IF THEY MIGHT BE MOBILIZING A PIECE OF EQUIPMENT ANYTIME SOON FROM LOUISIANA BECAUSE SOMETIMES CONTRACTORS, ESPECIALLY THE BIGGER ONES, WILL DO THAT IN ORDER TO GET A SPECIFIC PROJECT DONE. THEY'LL MOBILIZE THEIR EQUIPMENT FROM SOUTHERN US, BUT THEY WANT US TO KEEP IT ON HAND BECAUSE THERE ISN'T THE DEMAND TO REGULARLY DO THAT WORK. >> HEARING NO MORE QUESTIONS FROM THE BOARD, WE CAN OPEN IT UP FOR PUBLIC COMMENT AT THIS TIME. IF YOU HAVE A PUBLIC COMMENT, PLEASE COME UP TO THE MICROPHONE AND STATE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD. >> [INAUDIBLE]. >> SURE. >> HELLO. MY NAME IS JEAN DAWN. I'M ONE OF THE LANDOWNERS AROUND THIS. I'M GLAD TO SEE EVERYTHING THAT'S HAPPENING BECAUSE THIS TOOK QUITE A WHILE. I APOLOGIZE TO THE BOARD, JACKIE, EVERYBODY ELSE THAT WE WERE NOT HERE LAST MEETING. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR DOING THE EXTENDING ON THIS BECAUSE IT IS A VERY IMPORTANT THING. I'VE BEEN WORKING ON THIS THING FOR WELL OVER 10, 15 YEARS. I GUESS PROBABLY THE FIRST THING I'M THINKING IS ON THAT CULVERT. WELL, [INAUDIBLE] LAST TIME THAT DITCH WAS DUG WAS IN APPROXIMATELY '67. THAT TIME WE USED TO DO A FAIR AMOUNT OF TRAPPING THROUGH THERE AND EVERYTHING AND THEN THAT CULVERT THAT'S IN THERE. THAT'S A GOOD SIZE CULVERT WHICH I THINK IT NEEDS IF WE GET HEAVY RAIN, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, THE TOP OF THAT CULVERT WHEN IT IS BURIED AT THE RIGHT AMOUNT OR THE RIGHT DEPTH. EACH YEAR IS DIFFERENT, BUT FIVE, SIX PROBABLY SEVEN YEARS THE FROST KEEPS HEAVING IT. THERE WAS A LOCAL GUY, BOB WEBER, WHEN HE'D GO ACROSS, HE HAD A THREE BOTTOM PLOW, WHEN IT WOULD CATCH ON THAT, THEN HE'D GET IT OUT IT'D HAVE TO BE LOWERED. THAT'S ONE THING ABOUT A CULVERT SITTING THERE BECAUSE AT THE TOP THERE ISN'T ENOUGH COVER ON IT. BECAUSE WHEN I TALKED TO DNR WAS OVER A NEW HOME A COUPLE OF TIMES AND THEN NICOLLET, THEY FIRST THOUGHT ABOUT PUTTING SOME TYPE OF A BRIDGE IN, OR I'M JUST WONDERING IF WE COULD PUT MOUNTAIN A LITTLE MORE DIRT OVER IT TO KEEP IT A LITTLE MORE STABLE OVER TIME. YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE SEDIMENT. THAT WHOLE WORKS IS IN A PEAK BASE. THINGS IN THERE IS GOING TO BE A FAIR AMOUNT OF SEDIMENT COMING INTO THAT AND SOMETIMES I DON'T CARE HOW DEEP YOU DO IT. IT'S NOT GOING TO AFFECT THE FLOW BECAUSE WATER HAS ITS LEVEL, BUT IT WILL LENGTHEN THE TIME THAT SEDIMENT WAS APPROXIMATELY BUILD UP INTO THE BOTTOM OF THAT AND COME UP TO START TO AFFECT IT. JUST ONE THING THAT I'M THINKING ABOUT THAT. DOWNSTREAM IN THE MIDDLE OR THE LAKE RUSSIA'S YES, THAT'S A BIG CONCERN, ESPECIALLY WITH THE FLOATING BUGS THAT ARE COMING THROUGH IN THE WIND CAN MOVE BACK AND FORTH. WE HAD A FELLOW HERE LAST YEAR THAT ACTUALLY WENT OUT WITH A COOKIE CUTTER. BECAUSE WE HAVE ANOTHER PROBLEM THAT EXISTS FROM THERE WHEN IT GOES INTO THE NORTHERN PART OF THE MIDDLE LAKE. WITHOUT HAVING THE MOOSE GRAPHS AROUND. THE RUSHES HAVE GROWN IN SO DEEPLY THAT IT TAKES A LONG TIME [01:05:02] TO GET THAT THROUGH PLUS THE RUSHES ARE HOLDING UP SOME SEDIMENT, A NUMBER OF THINGS. NOW WHEN HE DID THAT WITH A COOKIE CUTTER, I DID KEEP TRACK OF IT. IT TOOK APPROXIMATELY WELL, IN A MATTER OF 12 DAYS, I SEEN UP ON OUR END A DROP OF PROPERTY ON AN INCH AND A HALF AND WITHIN 30 DAYS, WE DID HAVE A DROP OF CLOSE TO NINE INCHES JUST BY MOVING WATER THROUGH. BUT THE ONLY THING THAT I HAVE A PROBLEM WITH COOKIE CUTTERS IS YES, THEY DO A GOOD JOB FOR A PERIOD OF TIME, BUT RUSSIA'S HAS SUCH A FAST GROW BACK. IF YOU DON'T SPRAY SOMETHING AND WHEN I TALK TO DNR, THERE ARE CHEMICALS RANGER OR SOMETHING ELSE THAT IS APPROVED FOR WATER AQUATIC SPRING. THAT WOULD BE VERY IMPORTANT ON THAT. CHRIS IS BACK IN '86 OR '87. WE WENT OUT THERE AND WE GOT APPROVAL FROM DNR AT THAT TIME. WE DID SOME DYNAMITING THROUGH THOSE RUSH AREAS, SOME OF THE FLOATING BOX. NOW, WHEN YOU COME TO THE END OF THIS WHERE IT GOES INTO DUCT LAKE IS VERY TRUE. IT DOESN'T COME UP FAST, IT DOESN'T, THERE'S A LONG WAYS FOR THAT SEDIMENT THERE AND THE FLOATING BOND, IS THAT SOMETHING THAT CAN BE DONE TODAY TO DYNAMITE, SOMETHING LIKE THAT AND BLOW IT OUT. ESPECIALLY IF WE KEEP IT SPRAYED ONCE OR TWICE A YEAR TO HELP CONTROL THAT. BECAUSE THAT ACTUALLY WORKED QUITE WELL AT THAT TIME. >> MADAM PRESIDENT, I HAVEN'T HEARD OF PEOPLE DOING THAT SOME RECENTLY. I SUPPOSE IT COULD BE WE CAN MAKE AN INQUIRY TO THE DNR ABOUT THAT, BUT I THINK THAT IT'S PROBABLY UNLIKELY THAT THEY WOULD HOLD ALL THAT. >> I UNDERSTAND THAT WE DON'T HAVE A LOT OF THEM GOOD FISHED AREAS. WE DO HAVE CARB, WE DO HAVE BULL HEADS, WE DO HAVE A FEW OTHER THINGS, BUT YEAH, THAT'D BE ONE THING THAT DNR AT THAT TIME THEY GIVE US RIGHT TO DO IT. WE JUST DROPPED DOWN TO PUSH DOWN INTO THE SOFT SOIL AND KEPT GOING ALONG. ONCE YOU START AT ONE END AND WAS JUST LIKE A STRING, SHE EXPLODED. IT WAS UNBELIEVABLE HOW THAT WORKED. HOW ABOUT SOMETHING LIKE THEY DID OVER AT LAKE [INAUDIBLE] YEARS AGO AND PROBABLY YOU DON'T RECALL THAT. THEY DID IT A HUGE PROJECT ON DRENCHING WHERE YOU PUT THE DREDGE OUT THERE, WHICH IS BASICALLY A FLOATING SUCKING UP DOING THINGS AND I WAS AMAZED WHAT THEY DID WITH RUSSIANS AND EVERYTHING THERE AND THEN THAT HOLDS GOES OUT WHEREVER YOU PUT IT WHERE IT BUILDS UP. I DON'T KNOW IF THAT CAN GET DOWNLOAD WENT UP, BUT THEY DID REMOVE A LOT OF STUFF. IN FACT, THEY ACTUALLY PUT IT UP ON SOME FARM FIELDS THAT TIME. THESE ARE JUST SOME QUESTIONS THAT I HAVE. I DO REALLY FEEL AND THIS IS ANOTHER THING THAT WHEN I TALKED TO A DNR AND THEY SOLD THAT COOKIE CUTTER BECAUSE THEY SAID IT WAS TOO EXPENSIVE TO KEEP UP AND NOW LAST YEAR WHEN I WAS THERE AND HE SAID, WELL, WE'D PROBABLY HAVE TO DO SOMETHING DUCT HONORS THEY'RE REALLY COMPLAINING. WELL, THE FARMERS HAVE BEEN COMPLAINING FOR AWHILE, BUT I DON'T KNOW IF THEY'RE GETTING WENT BACK BECAUSE THAT IS VERY TRUE. EVERYTHING IS FINE UNTIL WE GET THE HEAVY RAIN AND THEY WILL HAPPEN IN TIME. WE CAN'T GET RID OF THE WATER FAST ENOUGH. WHEN THEY PUT THAT ADDITIONAL DIKE DOWN BACK A NUMBER OF YEARS AGO, THEY RAISE THAT DIKE TWO-TENTHS, WHICH IS APPROXIMATELY TWO-AND-A-HALF INCHES, BUT YOU TAKE OVER THAT WHOLE BODY OF WATER. THAT'S A LOT OF GOWNS THAT THEY DID FOR THAT. TO ME, IT SEEMS LIKE THAT WASN'T QUITE FAIR. I DON'T THINK THAT THAT WAS ADVERTISED ENOUGH. ALL THE FARMERS THAT HAD [NOISE] TILED INTO THERE AND EVERYTHING ELSE IT WAS LIKE THAT SHOULD BE GRANDFATHERED IN. NOW YOU CHANGED OUR WATER LEVEL QUITE A BIT. BUT THAT'S A DIFFERENT THING. BUT I DO FEEL THAT EITHER WITH DNR OR SOMETHING THAT WE DO HAVE TO DO BECAUSE WE HAVE SOME PRETTY CHOKE UP AREAS. IF YOU FOLLOW DOWN WITH A DRONE OR WHATEVER THAT YOU CAN OR SATELLITE, YOU CAN SEE IT'S PRETTY CLOSE THEN ON SEDIMENT, NOT SEDIMENT, RUSSIA'S INBOX. [NOISE] ANOTHER THING IS CHRIS. NOW THAT ALL DEPENDS ON WINTER AND HOW MUCH SNOW WE GET. BUT ONCE IT FREEZES AND THINGS, IS IT FEASIBLE TO DO WHEN IT FREEZES UP BUT THAT DEPENDS ON WHETHER THINGS ARE SETTING THESE BIG GUT. WHAT DO YOU CALL THEM, THOSE WOODEN THINGS THAT YOU HOLD ON IT. WE'VE GOT SOME A LOT MORE STABILIZATION IN THAT AREA, MASS TO MOVE DOWN ON THAT. BUT I KNOW THAT'S A WEATHER ISSUE BECAUSE IF WE GET A LOT OF SNOW, [01:10:02] WHAT'S GOING TO INSULATE THAT? >> SURE. I HAVE WORKED WITH A LOT OF CONTRACTORS THAT USE THOSE MATHS AND THE WET AREAS. OFTENTIMES THEY LIKE TO DO THAT IN LATE SUMMER AND FALL BECAUSE THEY CAN GET THE VEGETATION ITSELF TO HELP BRIDGE THE MATERIAL UNDERNEATH EACH ON THE MATS. BUT THERE ARE SOME OF THOSE AREAS WHERE THEY REALLY CAN'T GET INTO EVEN WITH MATHS TOO FAR, I THINK THAT ON THIS PROJECT THAT IS POSSIBLY COULD DO. EVEN LIKELY THEY COULD DO THE AREA IMMEDIATELY ON EITHER SIDE OF THE CULVERT BETWEEN DECREMENTAL LAKES WITH EXCAVATOR ON MATHS, BUT THEY WON'T BE ABLE TO GET VERY FAR OFF THE MIDDLE LAKE WITH THAT. >> THE PROBLEM IS A DITCH FILLED UP SO MUCH AND NOW SHE FLOODS AROUND AND SHE IT'S SO SOFT ALL THE WAY AROUND THIS BECAUSE THE WATER COULDN'T GET OUT THERE. WE'VE EVEN GOT A FEW WILLOW TREES AND A FEW THINGS LIKE THAT THAT HAVE COME IN THERE TOO. I GUESS THAT'S ALL THAT I HAVE ON IT, BUT YES, I VERY MUCH APPRECIATE YOU EXTENDING THIS FOR US. WE DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH PEOPLE HERE. I'M GLAD TO HEAR THAT THIS IS GOING ON. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. >> ANY QUESTIONS? >> I THINK WE'LL HEAR FROM EVERYBODY. >> WE'LL HEAR FROM EVERYBODY. NO MORE QUESTIONS. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU, CHRIS. >> NEXT, ANYONE ELSE THAT WISH TO COMMENT? NORMALLY WE LIMIT YOU TO THREE MINUTES, BUT I FORGOT TO REMIND GENO OF THAT. [LAUGHTER] ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR ANYBODY ELSE LIKE TO COMMENT AT THIS TIME? >> JERRY PAYNE, LANDOWNER. YOU THINK WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO GET THE DNR HYDROLOGIST INVOLVED IN THIS BEFORE WE GO ON ANY FURTHER? >> CERTAINLY BEFORE GOING OUT FOR QUOTES ON THIS, WE WANT TO GET THE DNR HYDROLOGIST INVOLVED TO BEGIN THAT REGULATORY PROCESS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN GET THAT COMPLETED AHEAD OF DOING THE QUOTE WORK. BUT I TYPICALLY DON'T WANT TO GET TOO FAR INTO THE REGULATORY PROCESS UNTIL A DECISION IS MADE WHETHER TO MOVE FORWARD BECAUSE IT CAN TAKE SOME TIME AND EFFORTS TO WORK THROUGH THAT PROCESS WITH THE DNR. >> HE USED TO BE RIGHT HERE IN NICOLLET COUNTY, HE RETIRED, I THINK THEY'RE OUT AT HUTCHINSON NOW, RIGHT? >> YEAH, I BELIEVE THE AREA HYDROLOGIST I BELIEVE COULD BE IN HUTCHINSON. >> DIRTY BENNETT. >> THAT'S ALL FOR RIGHT NOW BECAUSE I THINK WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO HAVE THAT PLUS AHEAD OF TIME, GET THAT HERBICIDE LINED UP BECAUSE IT'S GOING TO COME RIGHT BACK IN. THANK YOU. >> MR. PAYNE, WAS THERE PHOTOGRAPHS YOU WANTED TO TALK ABOUT? >> OH, YEAH. [LAUGHTER] I JUST TOOK PICTURES WITH MY PHONE. A COUPLE OF DAYS AFTER OUR LAST MEETING AND I LOOKED NORTH AND SOUTH AND YOU CAN'T TELL MUCH DIFFERENCE OTHER THAN YOU LOOK WHERE THE HORIZON ON ONE OF THESE, YOU CAN SEE A BUILDING SITE. BUT THERE'S A CULVERT, I WAS STANDING RIGHT ON IT AND THERE WAS STILL SOME ICE AND SNOW OUT THERE WHEN I WAS OUT THERE. BUT THAT IS HIGH, THAT CULVERT. I CAN'T BELIEVE HOW MUCH THAT'S WORKED UP OUT OF THERE. YOU'D HAVE A HARD TIME GOING ACROSS THERE NOW WITH A PLOW. [LAUGHTER] BUT YEAH, YOU CAN SEE THE ICE. BUT IN BOTH DIRECTIONS, THAT'S WHAT I WAS WORRIED ABOUT, HOW WIDE ARE THEY GOING TO MAKE IT IF THEY GO CUTTING THROUGH THERE AND WHAT DEPTH? HE'S ANSWERED THAT, SO IT'S GOING TO BE A PROJECT. YOU CAN SEE HOW IT'S CLOSED IN DOWN THE WAY THERE. BUT THAT'S THE WAY IT LOOKS OUT THERE. I JUST WANTED ANYBODY ELSE WHO'D OUT THERE TO LOOK AT THAT. I WALKED OUT THERE BECAUSE WE'RE JUST EAST OF THERE. WE HAVE A FIRE RIGHT UP AGAINST A DUCKLING. THERE'S A LOG ALL ALONG THE NORTH SHORE OF MIDDLE LAKE. THE WATER IS COMING IN, AND NORTH SHORE OF MIDDLE LAKE [NOISE] IT'S GETTING HIGH ALREADY RIGHT NOW. I DON'T KNOW NOW THAT ALL THE ICE GOING OUT AND IF IT'LL OPEN UP, GO AWAY HERE PRETTY SOON, I DON'T KNOW, BUT IT'S BUILDING UP. YOU DON'T NEED IT ANY DEEPER OUT THERE. >> MADAM PRESIDENT AND BOARD, SO JUST TO NOTE REGARDING THESE PHOTOS, [01:15:02] YOU CAN SEE THE STAINING ON THE PHOTO OIL THAT GENERALLY IT WOULD BE WHERE A LOT OF THE SOIL MATERIAL WOULD HAVE BEEN ON BEFORE AND THAT'S AN INDICATION AS MR. [INAUDIBLE] INDICATED, THAT THE CULVERT IS HEAVED UP OVER TIME AND RELATED TO WHAT HE WAS IN WONDERING ABOUT WHAT COULD BE DONE. ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS ON ANY CULVERT, PARTICULARLY WHEN YOU'RE IN AREAS THAT ARE ON STEADY SOIL IS GETTING AS MUCH MATERIAL DUG OUT, WHERE YOU'RE PLACING THE CULVERT, SO YOU'RE PLACING ON A BASE OF SAND AND GRAVEL TO GET A PROPER BEDDING OF THE CULVERT, THAT WILL HELP. AS HE ALSO INDICATED, HAVING ENOUGH MATERIAL ON TOP OF IT TO HELP HOLD IT IN PLACE WILL BE IMPORTANT THERE TOO, ESSENTIALLY KEEP IT WEIGHTED ON. YOU DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT NECESSARILY A METAL CULVERT FLOATING LIKE YOU WOULD HAVE PLASTIC PIPE. BUT THE HEAVIER YOU CAN HAVE MATERIAL OVER IT THAT'LL HELP SOME OF THAT FROST HEAVING THAT CAN OCCUR AS WELL. >> I'LL ASK ONE MORE QUESTIONS. [OVERLAPPING] THANK YOU, MR. [INAUDIBLE]. IN THIS CASE FOR EXAMPLE, YOU MENTIONED HOW WE CAN SEE WHERE THE SOIL HAD BEEN AT ONE POINT. IN ADDITION TO PUTTING MORE ON TOP INITIALLY, WOULD MAINTAINING THAT SOIL COVER BE HELPFUL AS WELL? >> ABSOLUTELY. MAINTAINING THAT COVER ON THERE AND PART OF THAT IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF DNR TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT. BUT WORKING WITH THE DRAINAGE AUTHORITY, IT CAN BE CHECKED AND VERIFIED IF THAT'S BECOMING A PROBLEM OUT THERE. AND AS WELL, I THINK A GOOD DISCUSSION WITH THE DNR WILL BE TO TALK ABOUT WHAT THEY NEED IN LENGTH FOR THEIR PURPOSES OUT THERE AND NOT PUTTING THE CULVERT IN AT A LENGTH ANY GREATER THAN WHAT IS NEEDED. THE LONGER YOU MAKE IT, THE MORE LIKELY IT IS TO START POPPING UP. >> THANK YOU. >> MADAM CHAIR, LAST QUESTION. >> YEAH, GO AHEAD. >> DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA, WAS THIS A NATURAL STREAM ONCE UPON A TIME, PRE-SETTLEMENT? >> I THINK IT'S HIGHLY LIKELY THAT IT WAS IN SOME WAY, SHAPE OR FORM, YEAH. >> WHO WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE CULVERT REPLACEMENT? >> THE RESPONSIBILITY LIES ON THE DNR FOR THE CULVERT BECAUSE THEY'RE THE LANDOWNER. REGARDLESS OF WHETHER IT IS A PUBLIC DITCH OR A WATERCOURSE, BECAUSE THEY'RE THE LANDOWNER, THEY'RE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE CULVERT. [NOISE] >> IF I MAY SPEAK AGAIN. THAT CULVERT WAS PUT IN BY MARTIN [INAUDIBLE]. ORIGINALLY THIS WAS DITCH 48, AND THEN WHEN COUNTY ROAD 5 WAS STRAIGHTENED OUT AND DONE, THAT'S WHEN THEY CHANGED IT AND IT WAS 4088. BEING THAT THAT FARMER PUT THAT IN, AND AT THAT TIME WHEN THAT HAPPENED, I CAN REMEMBER THREE TIMES SINCE I'VE BEEN OUT THERE THAT I MOVED OUT THERE IN 1980, THAT IT WAS LOWERED THREE TIMES UP UNTIL APPROXIMATELY 10 YEARS AGO. BUT THE REASON THAT THAT WAS PUT IN BY A PRIVATE OWNER WHEN DNR BOUGHT THAT, THEY OWN THAT, AND THERE WAS A THING THAT THEY DIDN'T KNOW AT THE TIME. BACK IN THE '80S WHEN IT GOT SO DRY, THEN I DON'T KNOW IF IT WAS THE COUNTY OR WHO, BUT FROM THAT CULVERT GOING NORTH, THEN THEY TOOK A [INAUDIBLE] IN THERE AND PUSHED OUT THROUGH THE CAT TAIL AND SEDIMENT OVER TO WHERE IT COMES IN, TO THE DITCH AND THEY DID LOWER THAT SOMEWHAT. BUT AGAIN, THAT WAS DONE IN THE '80S, AT '88, I BELIEVE WHEN IT WAS AT DRY FALL BECAUSE THAT LAKE WAS COMPLETELY DRIED UP THAT HERE. THERE WAS SOMETHING ELSE BUT NOW I FORGOT. [LAUGHTER] BUT YEAH, THAT WILL PUSH UP BECAUSE I DON'T WANT A MATTER OF CLOSE TO 30 YEARS THAT WAS LORD THAT DUG DOWN TWO IF NOT THREE TIMES. DO YOU HAPPEN TO HAVE MY OLD, BECAUSE MY SON AND I THE LAST TIME WHEN HE WAS HERE A YEAR AGO, WE FLEW A DRONE AND WE TOOK A LOT OF PICTURES OF THAT. MANDY, PROBABLY WE DON'T HAVE THAT ON RECORD. I GIVE YOU A PLUG-IN OR A WHAT DO YOU CALL THEM AND WE SHOWED IT AT THAT TIME. [OVERLAPPING] >> WE CAN LOOK AND IT MAY NOT BE. [NOISE] EXCUSE ME, IN THIS LAPTOP, BUT WE CAN SEE IF WE HAVE IT ON THE FILES. >> OKAY BECAUSE OF THAT DRONE, IT REALLY SHOWS HOW IT'S GROWN IN AND ALL THE WAY DOWN HOW IT IS. AND ALSO YOU CAN SEE ON WHICH SIDE THEY PUT THE DIRT. NOW, THAT WAS A THING WHEN I WAS OVER DNR, WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO WITH THAT DIRT? AND I SAID, WELL, ORIGINALLY IT WAS THERE BECAUSE YOU CAN SEE IT IN THE WAY IT WAS. FOR AWHILE THEY WAS TELLING ME YOU GOT TO REMOVE THAT. [01:20:01] I DON'T KNOW. ON A SITUATION LIKE THAT SO, BECAUSE WE USED TO WALK ALONG THERE AND DEER HUNT AND THAT WAS ALWAYS BUILT UP HIGH ON THAT TOO. BUT OVER TIME THAT SETTLED OUT, YOU CAN ALREADY TELL THAT ANYTHING IS THERE LIKE THAT. >> GENERALLY THE ARGUMENT THAT WE'VE MADE FOR THE DNR ON THESE CASES IS THAT WHERE YOU HAVE THESE CHANNELS DOWNSTREAM OF A LAKE, THE SEDIMENT THAT'S IN THE CHANNEL ISN'T COMING FROM UPSTREAM. IT'S REALLY THE SLOUGHING OFF OF MATERIAL FROM THE BANK SO WE'RE JUST SIMPLY PUTTING THAT MATERIAL BACK WHERE IT CAME FROM. AND THAT'S TYPICALLY A VERY SUCCESSFUL ARGUMENT TO MAKE TO THE DNR TO PUT IT THERE AND NOT HAVE TO. BECAUSE PRACTICALLY SPEAKING, IT WOULD BE VIRTUALLY IMPOSSIBLE TO REMOVE THAT MATERIAL OFF SITE. >> YEAH. WHEN WE DID ON THE DRONE, THEN WE GOT DIFFERENT PICTURES AND YOU CAN ACTUALLY SEE THAT WHICH SIDE WAS HIGHER, HOW IT LOOKED, BUT IT'S PRETTY WELL FLATTENED OUT NOW. NOW YOU CAN SEE FROM THERE BECAUSE THAT'S ACTUALLY LOOKING SOUTH. RIGHT, JERRY? >> I THINK SO. >> YEAH, THAT'S LOOKING SOUTH. THANKS AGAIN. >> THANK YOU. DOES ANYBODY ELSE HAVE ANY INPUT FOR THE PUBLIC HEARING BEFORE I CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING? ANY OTHER COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC? HEARING NONE, WE'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC TESTIMONY PORTION OF THE PUBLIC HEARING. BRING IT BACK TO THE BOARD FOR DISCUSSION. OUR CHALLENGE HERE, I'M GOING TO CHANGE GLASSES IS TO DECIDE WHETHER TO ACT OR NOT TO ACT AND THEN WHAT TYPE OF ACTION. >> IF I MAY, MADAM CHAIR, I DO HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS FOR CLARIFICATION BEFORE THE BOARD DECIDES THAT I COULD ASK CHRIS SON, AND ARE YOU PROPOSING REPLACING THE CULVERT, OR JUST LOWERING THE EXISTING CULVERT? >> NOW WE'RE PROPOSING TO REPLACE THE CULVERT [OVERLAPPING] BECAUSE OF ITS AGE, HARDER TO RESET IT THAN HAVE IT BE STABLE. >> THEN ONE OTHER THING YOU HAD MENTIONED, THE REPLACEMENT COST OF THE CULVERT WOULD BE THE DNR'S EXPENSE? >> WELL, THE DNR AS WITH ANY LANDOWNER IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THEIR OWN CULVERT CROSSINGS, BUT WE VERY OFTEN SEEN THE DRAINAGE OF AUTHORITY BENEFITING LANDOWNERS PAY FOR CROSSING FOR VARIOUS REPAIRS AND SO THAT WOULD BE A DISCUSSION YOU PROBABLY NEED TO HAVE WITH YOUR ATTORNEY AS FAR AS WHERE YOU STAND ON REPLACEMENT OF THOSE CULVERTS THAT ARE FOR, I GUESS PRIVATE OR PUBLIC LAND OWNERS CROSSING THE DRAINAGE SYSTEM. >> OKAY. >> THE COSTS THAT WE HAD IN HERE INCLUDED THE REPLACEMENT COST OF THAT CULVERT. >> THAT'S ALL THE QUESTIONS I HAD. THE BOARD, WE WOULD BE ASKING THE DRAINAGE AUTHORITY TO DECIDE HOW YOU'D LIKE TO MOVE ON THIS WITH THE MOTION, AND THEN WHAT WE WOULD DO IS PREPARE FINDINGS FOR THAT TO PRESENT AT THE NEXT BOARD MEETING FOR FINAL APPROVAL OF THE REPAIR. >> MADAM CHAIR? >> COMMISSIONER LUEPKE. >> WHAT WOULD YOUR RECOMMENDATION BE? >> MY RECOMMENDATION WOULD BE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH A REPAIR, KEEPING BOTH ALTERNATIVES OPEN. KEEPING IN MIND THE COSTS THAT YOU ALREADY PORTRAYED TO THE PUBLIC AND GOING THROUGH THE REGULATORY PROCESS WITH DNR AND THEN GOING OFF FOR QUOTES AND SEEING IF YOU CAN GET COATS BACK FOR WORK. THAT WOULD BE COMPARABLE TO WHAT WE'VE INDICATED IN THE PUBLIC HEARING HERE TODAY. THOSE COSTS CAN BE QUITE VARIABLE, LIKE I SAID, AND ALSO IS PROBABLY A GOOD IDEA TO DO SOME COORDINATION WITH YOUR NEIGHBORING COUNTIES AND EVEN POTENTIALLY LOOKING AT OTHER AREAS ON YOUR OWN DRAINAGE SYSTEMS, THAT EQUIPMENT MIGHT BE UTILIZED TO DOUBLE DOWN ON THOSE COST A BIT. >> MY PART 2 IS, IS THIS WHAT THE LAND OWNERS WOULD LIKE US TO DO? IS THAT YESES, IF YOU RAISE YOUR HAND? >> I THINK WE'VE BEEN PUSHING FOR IT FOR A WHILE. IF I MAY MAKE ANOTHER STATEMENT. THE ONLY THING IS CHRIS, WHAT YOU SAID IS ON PUBLIC ARE GOING ACROSS A DITCH AND I UNDERSTAND THAT THIS IS DNR. THERE'S NO LOUD MOTORIZED VEHICLE. NOW THE ONLY THING THAT THEY WOULD EVER USE THAT FOR IS THAT THEY WANT TO GO ACROSS, [01:25:02] BUT I WAS STATED THAT THE LAKES UP SO HIGH THAT THEY CAN'T REALLY UTILIZE AND GET INTO SOME AREAS. THEY HAVEN'T USED IT FOR A WHILE OTHER THAN WITH A SIDE-BY-SIDE. IT HAS NO PUBLIC USE THAT CAN BE USED ONLY DNR IF THEY FEEL THEY NEED TO GET ACROSS TO SPRAY OR CUT IS THE ONLY REASON THAT THAT CULVERT IS IN THERE. I KNOW A CULVERT IS A SMALL THING, BUT I'M ALSO SAYING AS JACKIE IS HEARING THIS TOO AS IT GOES OUT. I FEEL THAT THAT'S A VERY SMALL COST AND DNR IS THE ONLY ONE THEY CAN USE IT. [INAUDIBLE] >> [INAUDIBLE] >> MADAM CHAIR, I'M GOING TO MAKE A MOTION BY ASKING US THROUGH THIS VERY SAME QUESTION. JOHN JUST SAID THE SAME ONE MORE TIME SO THAT EVERYONE CAN UNDERSTAND BECAUSE I'M GOING TO MOVE YOUR RECOMMENDATION OF KEEPING BOTH OPTIONS OPEN OF PROCEEDING WITH THE NEXT STEPS. I'M NOT SURE WHAT EXACTLY WE NEED TODAY, BUT WHAT MR. ROBIN JUST SAID IS THE MOTION I'M TRYING TO MAKE. MAYBE YOU SAY ONE MORE TIME YOUR RECOMMENDATION. >> SURE. THE RECOMMENDATION WOULD BE AS TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE REPAIR. I'M KEEPING BOTH OPTIONS OPEN AND PURSUING BOTH OPTIONS, AND OBTAINING QUOTES FROM CONTRACTORS TO COMPLETE THE WORK. ALSO TO ENGAGE WITH THE DNR TO OBTAIN REGULATORY APPROVAL. >> CAN I STOP YOU THERE IF I MIGHT? >> SURE. >> I THINK MY MOTION IS REGARDING 48 DAYS TO PROCEED WITH THE REPAIR PROCESS TO KEEP BOTH THE COOKIE CUTTER AND FLOATING EXCAVATOR OPTIONS OPEN AND TO TAKE ALL NECESSARY STEPS AND COMMUNICATIONS TO KEEP THAT PROCESS MOVING FORWARD. >> I WILL SECOND THAT. >> THANK YOU. >> I'M ASSUMING THAT'S ALL WE NEED TODAY. >> DO YOU WANT TO ADD ANYTHING TO THAT MOTION RING ABOUT THE DNR AND SUBMITTING THAT WE WILL HAVE TO GET THEIR APPROVAL FIRST IN ORDER TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS? >> THAT'S IN THERE. >> I'M TRYING TO KEEP [OVERLAPPING] THE DNRS INCLUDED BUT THEY MAY BE OTHER DEPARTMENTS, AGENCIES OR OTHERS THAT NEED TO BE CONSULTANT. I DON'T WANT TO LIMIT IT TO THE DNR. CERTAINLY, I WOULD EXPECT THAT COMMUNICATION WITH THE DNR WOULD OCCUR. I DON'T THINK THE PROCESS CAN GO FORWARD WITHOUT IT. >> I'VE ONE OTHER QUESTION TO MAKE SURE WE COVERED THAT. CHRIS, WE WOULD WANT TO ENTER INTO A CONTRACT FOR YOU TO KEEP WORKING ON THIS BECAUSE WE ARE AT THE END OF OUR CURRENT CONTRACT. >> CORRECT. >> I BELIEVE WE WOULD WANT TO MAKE A MOTION TO CONTINUE WORKING WITH HOUSTON ENGINEERING INTO CONTRACT WITH THEM FOR THE CONTINUATION OF THE REPAIR PROJECT. >> DO YOU WANT THAT AS TWO SEPARATE MOTIONS? THAT'S WHAT I WOULD THINK. MY RECOMMENDATION WOULD BE LET'S GO WITH THAT FIRST MOTION AND COME RIGHT BACK TO THAT. >> WE HAVE THE FIRST MOTION AND SECOND ON THE FLOOR. ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE BOARD OR COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD ON THAT MOTION? HEARING NONE, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? >> AYE. [OVERLAPPING] >> GO AHEAD ATTORNEY. >> MADAM CHAIR IF I CAN MAKE. I WOULD MOVE THAT THE COUNTY ENTER IN WHEREVER NECESSARY CONTRACT WE WOULD DO TO CONTINUE TO HAVE HOUSTON ENGINEERING WORK ON THE 48 A DITCH PROJECT? >> I WILL SECOND THAT. >> OKAY, QUESTIONS FROM THE BOARD? >> THERE IS A QUESTION WITH CO ENGINEERS BEING INVOLVED AT ALL IN THIS? >> NO. [LAUGHTER] >> ALL THOSE IN FAVOR. [OVERLAPPING]. >> I JUST WANT TO THANK MR. ALLEN HAS BEEN VERY CLEAR. >> YEAH. >> YOU'VE GIVEN CONTINGENCIES, YOU'VE ALERTED US TO PRICE FLUCTUATION AND VOLATILITY. I'M VERY GRATEFUL FOR THE CLARITY IN YOUR COMMUNICATION TO EVERYBODY. >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >> HEARING NO OTHER COMMENTS, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? >> AYE. [OVERLAPPING] >> AT THIS POINT, STAFF WILL BRING IT BACK WITH FINDINGS. WE WILL PREPARE OFFICIAL FINDINGS AND THE ORDER AND BRING THAT TO OUR NEXT DRAINAGE AUTHORITY MEETING FOR FINAL APPROVAL. >> THERE IS A QUESTION. >> CAN YOU TELL ME ABOUT HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE INVOLVED WITH? >> FORTY. >> DUMPING INTO THIS STITCH LIGHT? HOW MANY? WHEN WILL WE SEE THAT, LIKE HOW WILL THAT BE? >> I CAN VISIT WITH YOU, I DON'T KNOW OFF THE TOP MY HEAD, BUT I CAN LET YOU KNOW. I'D HAVE TO LOOK AT THE RECORDS HOW MANY LANDOWNERS ARE IN THERE. >> OKAY, THANK YOU. [01:30:01] >> THE OTHER THING THAT WE'LL BE COMING BACK BEFORE THE BOARD IS TO APPROVE THE CONTRACT. WE'LL GET THE CONTRACT IN PLAY AND THEN IT WILL COME BACK BEFORE THE BOARD TO SIGN. >> OKAY. SOUNDS GOOD. >> IT WAS JUST A CONTINUATION BASICALLY. >> WELL, IT WOULD BE A NEW CONTRACT BECAUSE IT WOULD BE FOR THE REPAIR ITSELF THAT THE CONTRACT THAT EXISTS NOW IS JUST FOR THE STUDY. >> THANK YOU. >> ANY OTHER BUSINESS BEFORE THE DRAINAGE AUTHORITY? >> MOVE TO ADJOURN. >> THANK YOU. >> SECOND. >> ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? >> AYE. [OVERLAPPING] * This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.