Aug 26, 2025 Board of Commissioners

[00:00:05]

AUGUST 26TH, 2025. BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS MEETING.

[Call Board of Commissioners Meeting to Order]

I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.

THANK YOU. GOOD MORNING.

NEXT ON OUR AGENDA IS THE SILENCING OF THE CELL PHONES.

ITEM NUMBER THREE IS THE APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA.

[Approval of Agenda]

THERE ARE NO CHANGES TO THE AGENDA, MADAM CHAIR.

THANK YOU. DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE AGENDA? SO MOVED. SECONDED. FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING AND SEEING. NONE. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE. NEXT ON THE AGENDA IS THE CONSENT AGENDA.

[Approval of Consent Agenda]

MADAM CHAIR, I JUST HAVE ONE QUESTION. MAYBE THE COUNTY ATTORNEY.

I'M SORRY I DIDN'T GET A CHANCE TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT THIS BEFOREHAND.

ARE WE OKAY WITH THIS? ACCESS TO BCA DATA. YES, IT'S A STANDARD AGREEMENT.

STANDARD THAT'S COME. IS IT AN ANNUAL THING I FORGET? ANNUAL. OR MAYBE EVERY TWO YEARS OR SO.

YES. ALRIGHT, I APPRECIATE THAT.

THANK YOU. I'LL MOVE IT, MADAM CHAIR.

THANK YOU. IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND. HEARING AND FURTHER DISCUSSION.

HEARING AND SEEING. NONE. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE. NEXT IS PUBLIC APPEARANCES.

DO WE HAVE ANY PUBLIC APPEARANCES AT THIS POINT? HEARING AND SEEING NONE, WE CAN MOVE ON TO PROPERTY SERVICES.

[Property Services]

CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT.

UNITED FARMERS CO-OP. GOOD MORNING JOHN.

GOOD MORNING, MADAM CHAIR. MEMBERS OF THE BOARD. SO TODAY WE HAVE PLN 20 5-8.

IT IS A CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT FOR LEON WENNINGER, WHO REPRESENTS THE UNITED FARMERS COOPERATIVE.

IT IS FOR A NEW GRAIN LEG OVER 100FT IN HEIGHT TO BE INSTALLED AT THE FEED MILL AT THEIR FACILITY IN KLOSSNER, SO THE FACILITY IS LOCATED.

IT'S BASICALLY LOCATED ON THE WEST SIDE OF MINNESOTA HIGHWAY 15.

BASICALLY, IT'S SORT OF THE THE NORTHWEST QUADRANT OF THE KLAUSSNER SETTLEMENT.

AND OUR ZONING ORDINANCE DOES REQUIRE ANY STRUCTURE OF MORE THAN 100FT IN HEIGHT TO RECEIVE A CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT REVIEW.

SO TODAY, WE WOULD BE LOOKING FOR MEMBERS OF THE BOARD TO APPROVE THE CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT WITH RECOMMENDED CONDITIONS AND APPROVE THE FINDINGS OF FACT FROM THE AUGUST 18TH PLANNING AND ZONING ADVISORY COMMISSION MEETING.

THANK YOU. IS THERE A MOTION TO THAT EFFECT? SO MOVED. SECOND. ANY QUESTIONS? COMMENTS? FURTHER DISCUSSION? JACK. MADAM CHAIR, THANK YOU.

WHAT KIND OF LIGHTING WILL BE USED TO ALERT ANY LOW FLYING PLANES, ETC.? THERE WILL NOT BE ANY LIGHTING ON THE GRINDING LEG, SIMILAR TO PREVIOUS STRUCTURES THAT HAVE BEEN BUILT IN THE AREA.

IT IS BELOW 200FT IN HEIGHT.

AND SO THE FAA DOES NOT REQUIRE ANY KIND OF LIGHTING FOR IT.

IT IS, IT'S BELOW THE FLIGHT LEVEL FOR ANY KIND OF AIRCRAFT.

WERE THERE ANY CONCERNS FROM THE NEIGHBORS OUT THERE ABOUT THE THE HEIGHT, THE TALLER GRANER LAKE ARE THERE.

THEY WERE NOT. AND ACTUALLY.

YEAH. AND THE GRINDING LEG, IT SHOULD NOT REALLY CHANGE THE APPEARANCE OF THE SITE TREMENDOUSLY.

BECAUSE IT'S, IT'S ONLY 107FT.

SO IT'S ONLY SEVEN FEET ABOVE THAT HEIGHT CUT OFF ANYWAY.

AND THERE ARE SOME STRUCTURES ALREADY ON THE SITE THAT ARE UP TO 150FT IN HEIGHT.

AND SO IT'S NOT IT'S NOT AS HIGH ON THE PROFILE OF STRUCTURES ON THE SITE AS SOME OF THE ALREADY EXISTING STRUCTURES.

THANK YOU. ANY ADDITIONAL COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? HEARING AND SEEING. NONE. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

[Administration]

PUBLIC HEARING DATE FOR FEE SCHEDULE.

AMENDMENT. GOOD MORNING, MADAM CHAIR AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.

I DO HAVE ONE ITEM ON PAGE 62 OF THE BOARD PACKET.

THIS IS REGARDING THE PUBLIC HEARING DATE FOR THE FEE SCHEDULE AMENDMENT.

ACCORDING TO MINNESOTA STATUTE 373 .41 COUNTY BOARDS MAY ESTABLISH A FEE SCHEDULE FOR SERVICES PROVIDED BY THE COUNTY.

EACH YEAR, DEPARTMENT HEADS ARE ASKED TO EVALUATE THEIR DEPARTMENT FEE SCHEDULE AND PROVIDE RECOMMENDATIONS WHETHER THEY NEED TO REMOVE, DECREASE, OR DECREASE INCREASE BASED ON THE COST OF SERVICES.

A PUBLIC HEARING IS THEN HELD AND TYPICALLY DECEMBER OF THE CURRENT YEAR FOR IMPLEMENTATION ON JANUARY 1ST OF THE FOLLOWING YEAR.

[00:05:03]

NEXT ON OUR AGENDA IS THE COUNTY ATTORNEY UPDATE.

[County Attorney Update]

THEY HAVE THE FACES OF FENTANYL, WHICH IS VERY LARGE BOARDS SHOWING FACES OF PEOPLE IN THE UNITED STATES THAT HAVE LOST THEIR LIVES TO FENTANYL.

IT'S A VERY SOBERING PICTURE.

AND NOT ALL OF THE BOARDS WERE UP. I THINK THERE WERE SIX BOARDS AND THAT'S NOT ALL OF THE FACES THAT WE'VE LOST DUE TO FENTANYL.

WHAT WAS STRIKING IS THE YOUNGEST PERSON ON THERE WAS A, I BELIEVE, A THREE YEAR OLD.

BUT THEN, AND THEN THERE WAS A 13 YEAR OLD ON THERE AS WELL.

AND THEN ALL AGES OF INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE LOST THEIR LIVES AS A RESULT OF FENTANYL OVERDOSES MOST LIKELY BECAUSE THEY WERE NOT AWARE THAT THE SUBSTANCES THAT THEY WERE USING CONTAINED FENTANYL.

AND AS WE KNOW, EVEN A SMALL AMOUNT OF FENTANYL CAN KILL.

SO I WAS HONORED TO BE ABLE TO SAY A FEW WORDS AT THAT EVENT AND JUST CONTINUE TO BRING AWARENESS OF THE DANGERS OF FENTANYL IN OUR COMMUNITY.

TODAY AND TOMORROW IS THE BACKPACK EVENT.

SO IF YOU HAVE EXTRA TIME AND WANT TO COME AND SEE THE FILLING OF ABOUT 700 BACKPACKS, WE'D LOVE TO HAVE YOU JOIN US.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU. NEXT ON OUR AGENDA IS COMMISSIONER COMMITTEE REPORTS STARTING WITH

[Commissioner Committee Reports, Meetings & Conferences]

I HAD DIVERSITY AMC ZOOM CENSUS MEETING, WHICH I THINK MANDY SHARED WITH MEMBERS LAST WEEK'S WORKSHOP. AND I WANT TO THANK STAFF AND COUNTY ATTORNEY AND EVERYONE INVOLVED WITH THE EMPLOYEE EVENT, WHICH I THINK IS JUST A TERRIFIC OPPORTUNITY FOR FOLKS TO SPEND TIME WITH EACH OTHER AND FOR COMMISSIONERS TO WORK BEHIND THE FOOD.

EVERYBODY DID A GOOD JOB.

AND THANKS FOR THAT EVENT.

I HOPE WE CAN KEEP IT GOING STRONG.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COMMISSIONER.

HELGET. I HAD THE SAINT PETER LIAISON MEETING WITH YOU.

I HAD A MEETING WITH THE SAINT PETER FOOD SHELF AND THE EMPLOYEE RECOGNITION PICNIC AS WELL. AND I HAD A MEETING AT THE STATE HOSPITAL TO TAKE A TOUR OF BOTH CAMPUSES, THEIR FORENSIC SITE AND THEIR SEX OFFENDER SITE AND JUST REALLY WANT TO EXTEND MY GRATITUDE FOR THE GREAT WORK THAT THEY DO UP THERE.

AND THEY RECIPROCATED AND EXPRESSED THEIR GRATITUDE FOR OUR COOPERATION AND THAT IS IT, I THINK. THANK YOU. COMMISSIONER.

ZINS. I DID A HAD AN INSURANCE COMMITTEE MEETING BOARD WORKSHOP WITH ALL OF YOU.

ALSO ATTENDED THE, THE EMPLOYEE PICNIC WAS A SUCCESS AS USUAL.

I ALSO TOURED THE BIO ENERGY CENTER OVER THE HOMETOWN.

HOMETOWN ENERGY CENTER OVER IN LEE SEWER, ALONG WITH A BUNCH OF OTHER MEMBERS OF THE OF THE ENERGY BOARD. THAT WAS VERY INTERESTING.

WERE THERE. THEY'RE TURNING FOOD BYPRODUCTS SUCH AS CORN SILAGE AND AND OTHER FOOD, FOOD WASTE INTO ENERGY OVER THERE BY WITH THEIR BIODIGESTERS.

ALSO TOURED THE BIOINDUSTRIAL INNOVATION CENTER IN WASECA ON THE SAME DAY.

THEY'RE AN ORGANIZATION THAT DOES A LOT OF A LOT OF RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT FOR THESE BIO ENERGY AND, AND, AND DIFFERENT, DIFFERENT THINGS.

AND WENT TO THE GREAT MINNESOTA GET TOGETHER AT THE STATE FAIR.

SO YOU'RE BRAVE. COMMISSIONER DEHEN.

I HAD THE INSURANCE COMMITTEE MEETING. THE BUDGET COMMITTEE MEETING DID THE WORKSHOP WITH THE REST OF THE COMMISSIONERS AND ATTENDED THE, THE COMPANY OR THE EMPLOYEE PICNIC, WHICH WAS WONDERFUL.

AND ALSO ATTENDED THE FLY IN BREAKFAST AT THE MANKATO AIRPORT.

THANK YOU. I HAD A REGION NINE BOARD MEETING.

WE DID A FULL DAY OF DEPARTMENT HEAD BUDGET WORKSHOPS WITH COMMISSIONER DEHEN, WHICH WENT RELATIVELY FAST.

[00:10:01]

I DIDN'T STAY DEPARTMENT HEAD BOARD, WORKSHOP EMPLOYEE PICNIC DIDN'T TOUCH THE FOOD LIAISON WITH THE CITY OF SAINT PETER TRY COUNTY SOLID WASTE AND PASSED THE EYE DOCTOR WITH FLYING COLORS YESTERDAY.

SO NEXT ON OUR AGENDA IS ANY MEETINGS AND CONFERENCES THAT WE NEED TO BE AWARE OF.

AS IT WAS MENTIONED, WE HAD THE DEPARTMENT HEAD BUDGET MEETINGS LAST WEEK.

STARTING TOMORROW WILL BE THE FULL BUDGET WORKSHOP WITH ALL COMMISSIONERS.

AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE ONE SCHEDULED FOR THE NEXT WEEK AND THE WEEK FOLLOWING AFTER THAT.

THANK YOU. NEXT ON OUR AGENDA IS TO PROVE PER DIEMS AND EXPENSES.

[Approve Per Diems and Expenses]

[Adjourn Board of Commissioners Meeting]

THANK YOU. THANK YOU. GOOD MORNING.

WE CAN CALL THE DRAINAGE AUTHORITY OF AUGUST 2026.

[Call Drainage Authority Meeting to Order: Chair]

WE'LL START WITH THE APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA.

ARE THERE ANY ADDITIONS OR CORRECTIONS TO THE AGENDA? THERE ARE NO CHANGES TO THE AGENDA, MADAM CHAIR. WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE.

SO MOVED. SECONDED. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING AND SEEING. NONE.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE.

AYE. NEXT ON THE AGENDA IS THE CONSENT AGENDA, WHICH ONLY CONTAINS THE MINUTES OF AUGUST 12TH.

IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE? SO MOVED. SECOND. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE. NEXT ON OUR AGENDA IS PUBLIC APPEARANCES.

WOULD ANYBODY LIKE TO SPEAK TO ANYTHING THAT IS NOT ON THE AGENDA? OR NOT LATER IN THE AGENDA.

HEARING AND SEEING. NONE.

WE CAN MOVE ON TO PUBLIC SERVICES.

JACKIE. GOOD MORNING, MADAM CHAIR.

MEMBERS OF THE BOARD. SO TODAY WE HAVE OUR ANNUALLY WE DO OUR REPAIR REQUESTS FOR CLEANINGS CERTAIN DITCHES ON THE OPEN DITCH SYSTEMS. THIS YEAR WE'VE RECEIVED FOUR REQUESTS ON COUNTY DITCHES AND THEIR COUNTY DITCH 40 A COUNTY DITCH 75, COUNTY DITCH 88 AND COUNTY DITCH 95.

NATHAN HENRY, THE COUNTY DITCH INSPECTOR WILL PRESENT EACH SYSTEM AND REPAIR INDIVIDUALLY, AND THE DRAINAGE AUTHORITY CAN ACT ON EACH ONE INDIVIDUALLY.

LANDOWNERS HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED OF THESE REQUESTS THAT WE WERE GOING TO BE ADDRESSING THEM AT TODAY'S DRAINAGE AUTHORITY MEETING AT 10:00, ALTHOUGH A PUBLIC HEARING IS NOT REQUIRED UNDER DRAINAGE LAW, BUT I'M REQUESTING THE DRAINAGE AUTHORITY ACCEPT AND CONSIDER ANY PUBLIC INPUT REGARDING THESE REPAIRS TO THE POTENTIAL FINANCIAL IMPACT ON LANDOWNERS.

SO WITH THAT, I'LL HAVE NATE START WITH WE'LL JUST DO THEM IN CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER.

SO WE'LL DO COUNTY DITCH 40 A FIRST.

GOOD MORNING. GOOD MORNING.

COUNTY DITCH 40 A REPAIR REQUEST WAS RECEIVED THIS SUMMER.

THIS IS A 9500 ACRE WATERSHED DITCH SYSTEM THAT WAS ESTABLISHED IN 1958.

SO ONE OF THE LARGER SYSTEMS IN THE COUNTY, THIS PARTICULAR SEGMENT OF DITCH BEING PROPOSED TO CLEAN IS THREE AND A HALF MILES.

AND THIS REQUEST PARTIALLY WAS DRIVEN BY SOME, SOME LANDOWNERS WHOSE TILES WERE UNDERWATER.

AND THERE'S BEEN SOME MINOR BANK SLOUGHING AS WELL AS WIND EROSION ON THIS DITCH SYSTEM WAS, WAS REALLY PREVALENT THIS SPRING DURING THOSE DRY PERIODS AND STRONG WINDSTORMS. AND I DO HAVE A COUPLE PHOTOS I'D LIKE TO PULL UP THAT RELATE DIRECTLY TO THIS SYSTEM.

SO THIS IS JUST ONE AREA WITH A LOT OF PEAT GROUND.

AND DURING THOSE DRY PERIODS AND THAT WIND BLOWS, IT'S ALMOST LIKE A, A DUST STORM AND A BLACKOUT IF YOU'RE DRIVING OUT THERE.

AND WE ENDED UP WITH, YOU KNOW, SEGMENTS OF THE DITCH THAT HAD LIKE A SNOWDRIFT, BUT A WIND DRIFT OF DIRT IN THE DITCH.

SO OF COURSE, THIS IS NOT WHAT, WHAT YOU WANT TO SEE FOR QUALITY DRAINAGE.

SO THAT IS PLAYING A FACTOR IN THIS PROJECT.

SO THAT'S KIND OF A SUMMARY OF, OF WHERE WE'RE AT AND WHAT WE'RE DOING AND WHAT GOT US HERE. SO IF THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS, I'LL ANSWER THEM OR STEP ASIDE FOR ANYBODY TO SPEAK.

[00:15:04]

WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME THIS WAS CLEANED? THIS SEGMENT OF DITCH WAS LAST CLEANED IN 2015.

BUT THERE WAS SEVERAL SEGMENTS THAT WERE SKIPPED PER LANDOWNER'S REQUEST.

SO A LARGE PORTION OF THE, THE NORTHWEST QUARTER OF SECTION 23 WAS NEVER DONE. SO IT'S BEEN WELL OVER 15 YEARS FOR THAT.

OKAY. THANK YOU. WOULD ANY LANDOWNER LIKE TO SPEAK, PLEASE COME FORWARD AND STATE YOUR NAME.

WE NEED TO HAVE YOU ON THE RECORD.

HI, JIM. I JUST HAD A QUESTION.

IT LOOKS LIKE FROM ONE OF THE PHOTOS, THERE WAS SOME WIND EROSION THAT WAS INVOLVED. IS THERE GOING TO BE ANYTHING DONE TO PREVENT A FUTURE WIND EROSION SO WE CAN AVOID FUTURE CLEANINGS? FOR FUTURE PREVENTION, I GUESS THERE'S NO ACTIVE PLANS FOR THE DITCH SYSTEM TO DO ANYTHING.

WE'LL ALWAYS ENCOURAGE COVER CROPS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

ONE THING I WOULD POINT OUT IN THIS PICTURE THE BUFFER STRIPS ARE OUT THERE AND THIS LOCATION IN PARTICULAR HAS, I THINK IT'S A 60 FOOT BUFFER ON IT.

SO WIDER THAN THE NORMAL 16.5FT.

AND THE BUFFER DID WORK WELL IN CAPTURING A LOT OF DIRT.

AS YOU WALKED THROUGH THIS AREA, I MEAN, THE DIRT IN THE BUFFER STRIP WAS ABOUT TEN INCHES DEEP.

SO THE GRASS ESSENTIALLY FILLED UP.

KIND OF LIKE A WINDBREAK OR A SNOW FENCE WOULD ACT.

AND IT DID QUITE WELL.

BUT SOMETHING AS, AS DRAMATIC AS THIS WAS BEING THAT DRY AND THAT WINDY, IT WAS OVERWHELMED. THANK YOU.

WOULD ANYONE ELSE LIKE TO SPEAK REGARDING THIS? COUNTY DITCH 40. I LOST MY 40 A.

A HEARING AND SEEING NONE, IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE CLEANING OF COUNTY DITCH 40 A OH, OKAY.

JIM DEPUTY AGAIN. NATE, I THINK YOU ALREADY ANSWERED THESE FOR ME THIS MORNING, BUT PERHAPS THERE ARE OTHER PEOPLE THAT MAY WANT TO KNOW.

WHEN WHEN IS THE WORK SCHEDULED TO BE DONE AND WHAT IS THE TOTAL COST OF THE PROJECT? IF YOU HAVE MORE QUESTIONS, I THINK THAT'S ALL I HAVE.

SO THE WORK FOR THIS PROJECT IS ANTICIPATED TO BEGIN THIS FALL AFTER HARVEST.

AND WE'LL START AT THE LOWER END OF THE DITCH.

SO I GUESS THE OUTLET END AND WORK OUR WAY UP TO THE NORTHWEST.

ONCE CROPS ARE OUT, WE'LL START AND SPOILS WILL BE BROADCAST OUTSIDE OF THE BUFFER STRIP WHERE 16.5FT. WE CAN EASILY THROW THE DIRT OUTSIDE OF THAT.

MUCH WIDER THAN THAT. IT GETS A LITTLE BIT TRICKIER IF THERE IS ANY DAMAGE TO BUFFER STRIPS OR CRP STRIPS. THE DITCH SYSTEM WILL PAY TO REIMBURSE OR REESTABLISH THAT GRASS STRIP. SO YEAH, THIS FALL AFTER CROPS ARE OUT AND THE ESTIMATE FOR DITCH 40 A WAS $55,000.

OKAY. ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS? MAY I ASK A QUESTION? SURE.

I THOUGHT THE GENTLEMAN ASKED A GOOD QUESTION ABOUT DIMINISHING WIND EROSION.

DO YOU HAVE ANY INSIGHT ONTO OTHER BENEFITS OF LOW NO TILL AND COVER CROPS? I GUESS THERE'S NO PROGRAMS I AM DIRECTLY INVOLVED WITH OTHER THAN I DO KNOW SOIL CONSERVATION SOMETIMES OFFERS GRANTS OR COST SHARE FOR THOSE TYPE OF PRACTICES.

I'VE HEARD OF OTHER PEOPLE DOING IT, HOWEVER, I'VE NEVER BEEN DIRECTLY INVOLVED WITH IT. OKAY. THIS WOULD BE IN THE ONE WATERSHED, ONE PLAN FOR LOWER MIN, AND THERE WOULD BE COVER CROP GRANTS IF THEY APPLY FOR THEM THROUGH SIBLEY COUNTY SOIL AND WATER.

IT'S A FIRST COME FIRST SERVE.

OKAY. AND THEY GET SUCKED UP REALLY FAST.

SURE. THIS COUNTY DITCH 40 DUMPS INTO JD1, WHICH ESSENTIALLY IS RUSH RIVER.

YEAH. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT.

IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE CLEANING OF COUNTY DITCH 40? AYE. I'LL MOVE THAT, MADAM CHAIR.

UNLESS THERE'S SOMEONE ELSE COMING FORWARD. I'M SORRY.

SORRY ABOUT THAT. OH. YOU'RE FINE.

CRAIG NELSON, I'M WONDERING, OUT OF THE 55,000, HOW IS THAT DISPERSED AMONGST THE VARIOUS LANDOWNERS? LIKE IS IT YOU KNOW WHAT, WHAT'S THE SPECIFIC COST FOR EACH LANDOWNER? BECAUSE WHAT WORKED THROUGH RECENTLY WAS IT'S DIVVIED OUT THAT EVERYONE IS NOW.

[00:20:01]

SO I'M WONDERING, AS A PROPERTY OWNER, HOW THAT HOW THOSE FINANCIALS BREAK DOWN PER LANDOWNER USING THAT DITCH.

OKAY, JACKIE, WE'LL HAVE THE DETAILS ON THAT.

SO ALL EXPENSES ARE ARE SPREAD OUT PER BENEFITS AND BENEFITS ARE.

EVERYBODY WITHIN THE WATERSHED HAS A PARTICULAR PERCENTAGE OF OF BENEFITS IN THE DITCH. SO SOME PAY MORE BENEFITS THAN OTHERS DEPENDING ON HOW THE REDETERMINATION REDETERMINATION WAS. AND THIS ONE WAS HAS BEEN REDETERMINED.

SO THE BENEFITS ARE CURRENT AND UP TO DATE.

WE'LL BE DOING LEVIES ON THESE AND THEN JUST A LITTLE WHILE HERE WHERE YOU WILL GET IT MAY NOT BE JUST THE 55,000, DEPENDING ON IF THERE'S A BALANCE IN THE DITCH OR NOT. SO THE LEVY DETERMINATION ISN'T SET YET, BUT THAT WILL BE THE NEXT STEP AFTER THE APPROVAL OF THE OF THE CLEANING.

SO EVERYBODY HAS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT BENEFITS.

AND IF ANYBODY WANTS ME TO TAKE A LOOK AT IT, WE CAN DO THAT AFTER THE MEETING.

THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.

I HAVE A QUESTION MAYBE FOR JACKIE, IF YOU JUST JUST A QUESTION, IS THERE A DOCUMENT OR A PLACE WHERE A LANDOWNER COULD EASILY ACCESS AND KNOW WHAT THEIR PERCENTAGE OF BENEFIT WOULD BE ON ON A, ON A DITCH SO THAT THEY CAN LIKE SAVE THIS 55,000.

IF THEY WOULD FIND THAT PARTICULAR DOCUMENT AND IT SAID THAT THEY HAVE A 1% BENEFIT, THEY COULD ALMOST KIND OF DO THEIR OWN MATH AND FIGURE OUT IO1 PERCENT OF THE 55,000.

SO AT THE TIME OF REDETERMINATION, WHICH I CAN'T REMEMBER WHICH YEAR IT WAS, BUT IT'S BEEN RECENT WITHIN THE LAST FIVE, SEVEN YEARS.

THEY WERE SENT THEIR SPREADSHEETS, BUT WE MIGHT HAVE NEW LANDOWNERS OR MIGHT NOT HAVE IT, BUT WE DO HAVE ON OUR WEBSITE, DRAINAGE DB WHERE THERE'S A LOGIN, THEY CAN GO IN AND LOOK AT THE BENEFITS WHICH THEY ARE UPLOADED AND IN THERE TOO.

IF THEY WANT. SO TAKES A LITTLE BIT OF SEARCHING AND GET IN THERE.

BUT BUT THEY ARE OUT THERE.

THANK YOU. AND YOU HAVE TO READ THIS. IT'S A LARGE SPREADSHEET.

IT'S NOT QUITE CLEAR, BUT BUT THEY ARE THERE.

BUT THEY WERE ALSO SENT AT TIME OF REDETERMINATION TOO.

THANK YOU. ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS ON 48? JACK MADE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE CLEANING. IS THERE A SECOND OR WAS THERE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND IT. THANK YOU.

FURTHER DISCUSSION AMONGST THE BOARD? HEARING AND SEEING.

NONE. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE, AYE. NEXT ONE.

OKAY. COUNTY DITCH 88.

PRIMARILY. PRIMARILY LOCATED IN NEW SWEDEN TOWNSHIP.

THIS IS AN 800 ACRE WATERSHED, THAT DITCH SYSTEM THAT WAS ESTABLISHED IN 1967. THIS PARTICULAR CLEAN OUT IS REQUESTING FOR APPROXIMATELY THE ENTIRE DITCH, WHICH IS EQUAL TO ABOUT TWO MILES.

AND THIS LAST SEGMENT OR THIS LAST CLEANING THAT RELATED TO THIS DITCH WAS IN 1994.

AND THE ESTIMATE FOR THIS PROJECT IS $50,000.

THANK YOU. IS THERE ANYBODY THAT WISHES TO SPEAK REGARDING COUNTY DITCH 88? NEW SWEDEN? I WOULD JUST I WOULD JUST ADD ONE MORE THING WITH THIS CLEAN OUT AS WELL AS THE THE PRIOR ONE AND PREVIOUS ONES.

WHEN WE DETERMINE THE SPOIL PLACEMENT, WHERE THE DIRT WILL GO.

THAT SIDE OF THE DITCH WILL BE DETERMINED BY WHICH SIDE RECEIVED IT LAST TIME.

SO WE ALWAYS TRY TO ROTATE SIDES AND LANDOWNERS, UNLESS OF COURSE THERE'S A ROAD OR A BUILDING SITE OR MAYBE AN LF ALPHA FIELD, THINGS LIKE THAT WE TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION SO WE DON'T ADD EXCESSIVE COST TO IT.

OKAY. AND DANNY WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK.

MY NAME IS DANNY SCHMIDT.

I DO HAVE LAND IN SECTION NINE.

I DID NOTICE ON THE MAP, AND I JUST WANT TO DRAW TO THE ATTENTION AND I CAN WORK WITH HIM ON IT.

I HAVE ANOTHER OUTLET INTO THAT DITCH THAT IS NOT IDENTIFIED ON HERE.

WE DID. I KNEW IT WAS THERE.

AND WHEN THE FARM NORTH OF ME GOT PATTERN TILED I GUESS A YEAR AGO, I BROUGHT IT TO THEIR ATTENTION.

SO WE DID NOT DISTURB THAT OUTLET.

BUT THERE IS ONE MORE OUTLET FLOWING INTO THAT DRAINAGE DITCH.

OKAY. THANK YOU. ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ON COUNTY DITCH 88?

[00:25:01]

OKAY. AND THEN ONE MORE COMMENT IN RELATED IN RELATION TO DENNY'S QUESTION ABOUT TILE, ALL THE DITCH MAPS THAT ARE ARE SHOWN ON THE SCREEN AS WELL AS THAT WAS MAILED OUT.

THE COUNTY TILES ARE IN YELLOW.

WE HAVE NO INFORMATION ON PRIVATE TILE, SO THEY'RE NOT GOING TO SHOW UP.

THEY'RE NOT GOING TO BE INDICATED ON HERE PRIOR TO THESE DITCH CLEANINGS TAKING PLACE, LANDOWNERS WHO HAVE PROPERTY ADJACENT TO THE DITCH SYSTEM WILL GET A NOTICE OF A LETTER INDICATING WHICH SIDE OF THE DITCH WILL BE ON, AND ALSO DIRECTIONS TELLING THEM TO MARK ALL PRIVATE.

ALL TILE OUTLETS ON THEIR PROPERTY AT THE OUTLET, IN THE DITCH AS WELL AS AT THE TOP.

SO THE EXCAVATOR KNOWS EXACTLY WHERE IT IS BECAUSE OFTENTIMES THE GRASS IS GROWN UP FIVE FEET TALL. IT'S HARD TO KNOW EXACTLY WHERE THE OUTLETS ARE.

OKAY. OKAY. ALL RIGHT.

IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE THIS CLEANING.

SO MOVED. SECONDED. THANK YOU.

FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING AND SEEING.

NONE. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE. OKAY. COUNTY DITCH 75, IS A 3500 ACRE WATERSHED WITH THE DITCH SYSTEM BEING ESTABLISHED IN 1949.

THIS PARTICULAR SEGMENT OF OPEN DITCH WAS LAST CLEANED IN 2011, AND IT'S A FIVE AND A HALF MILE SEGMENT OF OPEN DITCH BEING REQUESTED TO CLEAN WITH AN ESTIMATE OF $85,000. AND I WILL JUST ADD THE WESTERN SECTION ON THE MAP WEST OF COUNTY ROAD 19 WAS WAS RECENTLY CLEANED, I BELIEVE ABOUT EIGHT NINE YEARS AGO.

SO THAT IS NOT PART OF THIS.

THANK YOU. WOULD ANYONE WISH TO SPEAK REGARDING COUNTY DITCH 75? FRED.

FRED MILLER. I HAVE SOME QUESTIONS THAT HAVE BEEN UNANSWERED FOR YEARS.

WHERE DID 75 CULVERT GOES UNDER HIGHWAY 22.

IT'S NOT TO THE BOTTOM OF THE DITCH GRADE.

FOR YEARS SINCE. WELL, SINCE IT WAS ESTABLISHED IN 1949, LATE 49, 50. IT WAS NOT PUT IN AT GRADE.

NOW IS THE TIME BECAUSE HIGHWAY 22 WAS BEING RECONSTRUCTED AND THAT CULVERT IS BEING REPLACED. I GUESS WHAT MY QUESTION IS, IS WHY CAN'T A CULVERT BE PUT INTO GRADE WHEN THE DITCH GRADE IS THERE.

I TALKED WITH THE PEOPLE AT MNDOT AND THEY SAID, WELL, IT HAS TO BE PUT IN THE EXACT WAY THAT IT WAS PUT IN IN 1949.

NOW IT'S GOING TO BE REPLACED AND IT'S GOING TO BE PUT IN WRONG AGAIN.

TWO WRONGS HAVE NEVER MADE A RIGHT TO FIND A GRADE.

ALL THE WAY ALONG THE DITCH IS EASY TO DO WITH TECHNOLOGY.

TODAY IS EVEN EASIER. WHY CAN'T THAT PIPE BE PUT IN? OR THAT CULVERT? WHY CAN'T THAT CULVERT BE PUT IN TO THE GRADE? RIGHT NOW IT'S RESTRICTING WATER.

WHAT THE DITCH IS SUPPOSED TO BE DOING IS DRAINING.

ALL THE PROPERTY OWNERS ALONG THE DITCH.

HEY, YOU KNOW, FOR THIS DITCH CLEANING, MAINTAINING ADMINISTRATION OF IT.

I WOULD LIKE SOME ANSWERS.

THEY SAID THAT WHILE THIS IS A LONG PROCESS THE ENGINEERING WOULD HAVE TO GET INVOLVED AND REDETERMINE AND EVERYTHING AND IT'S TOO LATE A DATE TO ME.

NOTHING IS TOO LATE UNTIL IT'S DONE.

SO WHAT MY THINKING IS, IS IN JUST IN A FEW HOURS, YOU, YOU'RE SETTING A GRADE.

HOW HARD IS IT TO PUT THE GRADE WHERE IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE? THAT DON'T TAKE ANY ENGINEERING ROCKET SCIENCE STUFF TO DO.

[00:30:01]

WATER RUNS DOWNHILL. IT ONLY RUNS DOWNHILL, BUT WATER CAN'T JUMP UP AND THEN GO DOWNHILL AGAIN. ENGINEERING SHOULDN'T HAVE A PROBLEM PUTTING THE PIPE AT GRADE.

THEY SET THAT PIPE AT A GRADE THAT THEY DESIGNED.

PUT IT WHERE IT SHOULD BE AND MOVE ON.

MOVE FORWARD. I GUESS I WAS THINKING MAYBE THE ENGINEER OR SOMEBODY WOULD BE HERE TO EXPLAIN WHY THIS CAN'T HAPPEN.

YOU'RE THE COMMISSIONERS.

YOU ARE DEEPLY INVOLVED WITH THE TAXPAYERS IN THIS COUNTY, AND I'M ONE OF THEM, AND I GUESS I WOULD LIKE TO BE HEARD.

THEY SAID, WELL, YOU CAN GO THROUGH THE PROCESS AND GET INTO A LEGAL SITUATION, CARRY IT OUT, BUT THE PIPE IS GOING TO BE IN NOW.

ARE WE GOING TO TEAR UP THE HIGHWAY TO SET THE THING WHERE COMMON SENSE SHOULD APPLY? THEY'RE AT THERE VIRTUALLY GOT THE PIPE LAY IN THERE, AND IT'S GOING TO BE WORKED ON AT SOME POINT IN TIME WITHIN THE NEXT VERY SHORT TIME.

ANY QUESTIONS? QUESTIONS FOR FRED.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU. I HAVE A QUESTION.

I'M NOT SURE IT CAN BE ANSWERED HERE BECAUSE AGAIN, THE ENGINEER. I MEAN, I'M A LITTLE.

CONFUSED IS HOW THE GRADE HAS CHANGED SINCE 1949.

I MEAN, HAS THE DITCH BEEN OVERCUT OR DEEPENED BECAUSE OF IT? AND IS THAT WHY IT'S CHANGED? I MEAN, IF THE IS IT DUE TO CLEANING? I MEAN, I'M JUST WONDERING HOW THE GRADE CHANGED.

YEP. SURE. I DON'T KNOW.

MAYBE. MAYBE NATE HAS SOME INSIGHT.

I THINK A COUPLE EXCUSE ME, A COUPLE THINGS HAPPENING HERE WITH THE CULVERT UNDER 22 IS PERHAPS WHEN THEY PUT IT IN IN 1949, THE ELEVATION MAY HAVE NOT BEEN CORRECT.

BUT ALSO A BIGGER FACTOR IS WHEN IT WAS PUT IN.

I DON'T BELIEVE THOSE CONCRETE SECTIONS WERE TIED TOGETHER.

SO OVER TIME, THOSE END SECTIONS OF CONCRETE PIPE IN THE FROST WILL PUSH THEM UP AND MOVE THEM. SO THAT PLAYS A PART, A BIG PART IN THOSE END SECTIONS GETTING MOVED. AND BETWEEN THE TWO OF THEM IS PROBABLY WHY WE'RE SEEING THE ONE FOOT DIFFERENCE. AND THE REASON MNDOT IS STICKING WITH THAT IS BECAUSE I THINK IT WAS 2022 WHEN THEY SURVEYED THIS PROJECT.

THAT'S WHAT THEY TOOK FOR A SURVEY READING WAS THAT N SECTION OF PIPE, WHICH IS FOUND TO BE HIGH.

AND THAT'S WHAT THEY SURVEYED.

AND THAT'S THE ELEVATION THEY'RE USING TO PUT THE NEW PIPE BACK IN.

SO THEY'RE ESSENTIALLY THE THE PIPE, THE PIPE FLOATED UP BECAUSE THEY CAME ALONG AND SURVEYED IT. AND THEY JUST HAPPENED TO HIT THE FLOATED UP SECTION.

AND THEY'RE USING THAT FOR THE BASE. THEY'RE NOT USING ANY DOCUMENTATION THAT SAID, THE ELEVATION SHOULD BE SET AT THIS LEVEL BECAUSE OF THEIR.

THEY'RE JUST GOING OFF OF THEIR SURVEY RIGHT.

IN 2022, THERE WAS A PUBLIC HEARING.

I THINK IT WAS MAYBE CALLED A MINOR ALTERATION.

I'M NOT SURE EXACTLY WHAT TERMS THEY USED, BUT THEY SURVEYED IT, PRESENTED IT. THAT'S WHAT WAS APPROVED AND THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE STICKING TO.

AND NOW, YOU KNOW, A MONTH OR TWO AGO, THIS PARTICULAR SITUATION OR THIS ISSUE HAS HAS RISEN FROM THAT. ARE YOU AWARE? I DON'T REMEMBER IT WAS IT WAS IT APPROVED AT THIS AT THIS AT THIS MEETING OR A BOARD MEETING? OR WAS IT IT WAS A IT WAS A DRAINAGE AUTHORITY MEETING.

A PUBLIC HEARING, I THINK IT WAS TITLED A MINOR ALTERATION, BUT THEY, THEY WENT THROUGH THE DRAINAGE AUTHORITY TO, TO DO THAT. I BELIEVE THEY DID THAT FOR ALL OF THE CROSSINGS ALONG THAT WHOLE SECTION IN PREPARATION FOR THIS PROJECT.

YEAH. HOW BIG IS DIAMETER IS THAT CULVERT? IS IT SIX FEET, FRED. SIX.

YEAH. SO. YEAH, IT'S A, IT'S A IT'S A VERY LARGE PIPE.

[00:35:05]

MADAM CHAIR, WHICH DIRECTION WOULD IT HAVE TO MOVE TO FIND GRADE THAT THIS GENTLEMAN IS TALKING ABOUT? WELL, TYPICALLY, WHEN SETTING A DITCH CROSSING CULVERT, WE'LL GO TO THE NEXT DOWNSTREAM CULVERT AND THEN PERIODICALLY TAKE ELEVATION SHOTS AS YOU WORK YOUR WAY UP TO FIND THE GRADE.

AND THEN YOU PUT IT AT THE FLOW LINE OF THE OPEN DITCH.

YEAH. BUT IF I MAY. IS IT DRAINING THE AREA THAT THIS GENTLEMAN IS TALKING ABOUT? IT IS. IT IS DRAINING, BUT IT IS HIGHER THAN THE DITCH GRADE ON THE UPSTREAM SIDE. SO THERE IS A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE DITCH GRADE AND THEN THIS PIPE CURRENTLY. SO THERE'S ALWAYS GOING TO BE WATER STANDING IN IT UP UPSTREAM OF IT.

YES. CORRECT. IS THAT WHERE HIS LAND IS? IS YOURS UPSTREAM, SIR? YES. WHAT KIND OF NEGATIVE CONSEQUENCES WOULD A LANDOWNER EXPERIENCE? BECAUSE OF THIS STANDING WATER THAT ISN'T GETTING DRAINED PROPERLY.

AS A LANDOWNER. COME FORWARD, SIR.

COME FORWARD. WE GOTTA GET HIM ON THE MIC.

YOU WANNA PUSH THAT MIC ON? THERE. OKAY. AS A LANDOWNER, YOU.

DRAIN YOUR FIELDS THROUGH TILE.

YOU PUT THE TILE IN. INTO THE DITCH.

FOR DRAINAGE. YOU NEED A WATER FLOW LINE.

FOR THAT TILE TO DRAIN.

LIKE I SAID BEFORE, WATER CAN'T RUN UPHILL.

SO WHEN YOU HAVE TILE COMING IN AND THE WATER IS RESTRICTED IN, YOUR TILE COMES IN HERE.

IT EVENTUALLY WILL DRY THE FIELD OUT.

IT'S CALLED EVAPORATION BECAUSE THE TILE IS NOT WORKING PROPERLY.

IT WILL WORK BECAUSE AS PRESSURE MOVES, YOU CAN MOVE WATER AT A BASICALLY AT A ZERO GRADE, BUT IT'S AWFUL SLOW.

WE DRAIN FIELDS TO NOT LOSE A CROP.

IF THE CROP DROWNS OUT YOU PAID TAXES, YOU PAID ALL THE INCOME OR ALL THE EXPENSES OF PUTTING A CROP IN. AND THEN YOU WAIT UNTIL NEXT YEAR AND HOPE FOR THE BEST.

THIS IS WHY I'M TRYING TO GET PEOPLE CONCERNED ENOUGH TO SAY, OKAY, HERE'S THE WATER FLOW LINE.

THIS IS THE DESIGNATED FLOW LINE.

LET'S PUT THE DITCH OR ANY EVERY CULVERTS A RESTRICTION UNLESS IT'S AT THE FLOW LINE AND ABLE TO DRAIN AND DO THE PURPOSE, WHAT IT WAS SET UP AND DESIGNED TO DO.

AND LIKE I SAID BEFORE, WE CAN'T WAIT FOR ANOTHER 60 YEARS.

IF WE CAN CORRECT THE PROBLEM IN THE NEXT TWO WEEKS OR WHATEVER.

WE'RE LOOKING TO CLEAN THIS DITCH TO GET PROPER DRAINAGE AT THE BOTTOM, GET THE CATTAILS, EVERYTHING.

WIND EROSION WILL TAKE SOME TIME.

YOU MIGHT SAY SILT OR WHATEVER.

WE'LL PUT THAT IN THE BOTTOM OF THE DITCH.

WE'RE GOING TO REMOVE THAT.

SO WE DONE EVERYTHING WE CAN DO THROUGH CLEANING.

BUT NOW THE RESTRICTION OF, YOU KNOW, RE RETARDING THE WATER FLOW BACK TO THE IN THIS CASE IT WOULD BE BACK TO THE SOUTH OR THE UPSIDE.

I AIN'T SAYING WE'RE TOTALLY DEFEATING THE PURPOSE, BUT WE'RE GETTING AWFUL CLOSE.

AND THIS IS WHAT MY CONCERN IS.

MADAM CHAIR, CAN A DRAINAGE AUTHORITY APPEAL TO THE STATE MDOT OFFICE TO HAVE THEM CONSIDER THIS? ARE WE WAY PAST THAT TIME? IS THAT BEEN A MISSED OPPORTUNITY? I THINK THOSE DISCUSSIONS HAVE BEEN HAPPENING, HAVEN'T THEY, NATE? I KNOW FRED'S BEEN COMMUNICATING WITH MIN.

I HAVE NOT. I HAVE AND.

[00:40:01]

I THOUGHT I WAS TALKING TO BRANDI, WHO WAS.

I WAS LED TO BELIEVE THAT SHE WAS THE ENGINEER OF THE THING ON SITE.

SHE GAVE ME A FEW OTHER NAMES.

THEY HAVE ONLY ONE OUT OF THE FOUR RETURNED A CALL AND SAID, YOU CAN'T DO ANYTHING.

WELL. MY THINKING IS COMMON SENSE SHOULD APPLY AT SOME POINT IN TIME.

YOU CAN'T DO ANYTHING IF THE THING IS IN THE GROUND.

TRAFFIC IS FLOWING OVER THE HIGHWAY.

BUT YOU'RE OUT THERE. YOU'RE ENGINEERING A GRADE AT EVERY ONE OF THESE CULVERT SITES.

SO IT DOESN'T TAKE ANYTHING EXTRA TO WITH TECHNOLOGY TODAY.

THE PIPE SITS IN THERE LIKE THIS.

HOW HARD IS IT TO BRING IT TO GRADE? BECAUSE YOU BRING EVERYTHING TO GRADE.

YOU'RE GOING TO BRING IT TO GRADE LIKE THIS.

HOW HARD IS IT TO BRING IT TO GRADE LIKE THIS? IT'S NOT VERY HARD WITH TECHNOLOGY TODAY.

IT'S A MATTER OF PUTTING A DOT HERE AND A DOT HERE AND GET THE EXCAVATOR IN THERE AND BRING IT TO GRADE. THEY'RE GOING TO TAKE IT DOWN HARD SURFACES TO BRING IT UP.

SO THE CULVERT SITS ON GOOD FIRM SOIL.

THAT'S ALL IT TAKES. IT'S NOT THAT EASY.

BUT I MEAN, IT'S EASY ENOUGH WHEN YOU'RE PUTTING A NEW PIPE IN, BRINGING EVERYTHING TO GRADE.

IT'S VERY EASY TO DO IF YOU HAVE THE WILL TO DO IT.

MADAM CHAIR, I DON'T KNOW.

I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY THIS IS A STATE HIGHWAY PROJECT.

YES. I MEAN, SO I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH OVERSIGHT WE HAVE OR HOW MUCH AUTHORITY WE HAVE TO GO IN THERE. AND I MEAN, I'M JUST WONDERING OUT LOUD HERE ABOUT WHAT, YOU KNOW, WHETHER OR NOT WE CAN.

WE'RE ALL THINKING IT. WELL, RIGHT.

SO I MEAN, SO I DON'T KNOW HOW WE CAN I DON'T KNOW WHAT OUR, WHAT OUR REMEDY IS FOR GOING IN THERE AND TRYING TO OBVIOUSLY IT APPEARS TO ME THIS WAS A BIT OF AN OVERSIGHT BACK IN 22 OR WHATEVER WE WERE GOING WITH WHAT THEY HAD OR, OR THIS BOARD, THE DRAINAGE AUTHORITY AT THE TIME, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY HAD A MEETING ON IT AND THERE WAS SOMETHING ESTABLISHED.

BUT OBVIOUSLY IT APPEARS TO ME THAT THIS WASN'T FOUND OUT AT THAT TIME.

AND THIS IS THE FIRST I BELIEVE WE'RE ALL HEARING.

THIS IS RIGHT NOW. OKAY.

IN 2022. AND IT'S AS MUCH MY FAULT AS EVERY PROPERTY OWNER ON DITCH 75 PROBABLY, BUT I'M HERE TALKING. SO I WILL TAKE TAKE IT THAT IT WAS MY FAULT.

AT THAT POINT IN TIME, THERE WAS SEVERAL MEETINGS GOING ON.

THERE WAS A BUFFER MEETING, THERE WAS A REDETERMINATION.

I GOT THE LETTER. I THOUGHT IT WAS THE SAME LETTER THAT I HAD BEEN TO A MEETING BECAUSE THEY HAD THREE MEETINGS.

I WAS TO THE FIRST ONE AND I WAS TO THE THIRD ONE, WHILE I SHOULD HAVE BEEN AT THE SECOND ONE, BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE THEY ACTUALLY HAD, I COULD HAVE BEEN DOING THIS EXACT SAME THING AT THAT POINT IN TIME.

THAT WAS IN NOVEMBER OF 2022.

I WAS NOT AT THAT MEETING.

SO I GUESS I HAVE TO I SHOULD HAVE READ MY MAIL CLOSER, BUT LIKE THEY SAY, IT HAPPENS.

TO ME, NOW'S THE TIME THAT WE NEED TO DO SOMETHING BECAUSE IT, IT'S LIKE I SAID, IT'S GOING TO BE EXCAVATED.

IT'S GOING TO BE BROUGHT TO A CERTAIN GRADE.

LET'S BRING IT TO FLOW LINE AND BE DONE WITH IT.

GOVERNMENT MOVES SLOW.

I'M FINDING THAT OUT AFTER 78 YEARS, YOU WOULD THINK YOU WOULD KNOW THAT.

BUT SO MADAM CHAIR, THE REASON I ASKED THAT IS THAT IF THIS BODY HAS THE POWER TO APPEAL TO MINDAT ON THIS GENTLEMAN'S BEHALF.

WHAT IMPACT, IF IT'S NOT DONE, WILL HAVE ON THE REMAINDER OF THE DITCH SYSTEM AND OTHER PEOPLE'S LANDS AND THEIR ABILITY TO DRAIN THAT YOU'RE BRINGING UP HERE

[00:45:02]

WE ARE THE HIGHWAY. SO IT'S NOT UP TO US.

WE CANNOT MAKE ANY CHANGES.

WELL SOMEBODY HAS GOT TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY.

SOMEBODY HAS TO BE THE LEADER.

THEY SAY THE COUNTY, IT'S THE COUNTY'S DITCH.

WELL, REALLY, TECHNICALLY, IT'S THE PROPERTY OWNER'S DITCH.

AND THE PROPERTY OWNER ARE THE ONES THAT HAVE A PIECE OF THE PIE HERE.

SO IF WE GO AHEAD AND MOVE FORWARD AT THE DESIGN THAT IT HAS RIGHT NOW, WE'RE GOING TO LIVE WITH THAT A WHOLE LOT LONGER THAN MY LIFE.

TIME WHEN I WAS A VERY YOUNG PERSON IN 1949 AND I HEARD MY GRANDPA TALK ABOUT IT.

I HEARD MY DAD TALK ABOUT IT, I HEARD NEIGHBORS TALK ABOUT IT, AND NOW I'M WHINING ABOUT IT, BUT I'M TO THE END, SO I WOULDN'T CALL IT WHINING.

SIR, YOU'RE JUST REPORTING TO US.

THERE'S A GENTLEMAN HERE, MADAM CHAIR. I SAY, TOM, DO YOU HAVE A COMMENT YOU NEED? WE NEED YOU ON THE RECORDING, SO PLEASE COME FORWARD. TALK INTO THE MIC.

I OWN THE PROPERTY, NOT THE VERY NEXT PROPERTY.

AFTER THE DITCH, AFTER THE CULVERT THERE, BUT JUST A LITTLE FARTHER DOWN THE LINE WHERE THE NEXT CULVERT WOULD BE IS ON MY PROPERTY.

IT WILL NOT HAVE ANY EFFECT ON THE DRAINAGE PASS THAT CULVERT.

THEY'RE TRYING TO INSTALL.

ALL IT'LL DO IS LET FRED'S PROPERTY DRAIN TIMELY AND ACCORDINGLY.

RIGHT NOW, IT DOESN'T.

MY LAND IS PROBABLY HIGHER THAN HIS, SO IT'S GOING TO DRAIN FAST.

HIS IS AT THE VERY END OF THE LINE, SO HE NEEDS THAT CULVERT IS ACTING AS A DAM, NOT SOMETHING THAT'LL POSITIVELY INFLUENCE HIS GROWN.

AND EVEN IF THEY DROPPED IT A FOOT, IT WOULDN'T BOTHER MY PROPERTY.

HE'S. YOU KNOW, THEY'RE ONLY ASKING ABOUT TEN SCOOPS OF THAT EXCAVATOR AND THIS WOULD BE DONE. IT'S NOT THAT CLOSER TO 111.

THEY DUG NINE FEET TOO DEEP AND HAD TO FILL IT BACK IN.

THEY MAKE MISTAKES. THEY CAN DO IT LIKE THIS AND GET IT DONE PROPERLY.

IF YOU GUYS CAN INFLUENCE WHAT'S GOING ON, IT'LL JUST MAKE THE SYSTEM WORK BETTER ALL AROUND. THAT'S. AND IT WON'T AFFECT ME AS A PROPERTY OWNER DOWN THE LINE BECAUSE MY WATER MY WATER IS ALREADY GOING DOWNHILL.

FRED'S TRYING TO GET HIS ACROSS THIS DAM THAT WAS CREATED AT SOME POINT IN TIME.

THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU. SO, NATE, IS IT SAFE TO ASSUME THAT MNDOT WANTS AN IMPROVEMENT PETITION FILED AND ALL OF THAT RELATED PARAPHERNALIA? IT'S POSSIBLE. THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE THINKING. WHEN YOU LOWER A PIPE, IT'S CONSIDERED AN IMPROVEMENT. I DON'T KNOW IF THE STATUTE ALLOWS FOR, YOU KNOW, ERRONEOUS ERRORS OR MISTAKES MADE TO BE CORRECTED FOR THE PROCESS THEY WENT THROUGH OR NOT. I THINK THERE'S ADDITIONAL INFORMATION AS I'VE BEEN HEARING WHAT'S BEEN GOING ON. YOU KNOW, WHAT WAS THE ELEVATION AT THE TIME THE DITCH WAS INSTALLED? SUPPOSED TO BE. WHAT WAS INSTALLED AT THE TIME? WHAT IS THIS MINOR ALTERATIONS PETITION THAT MNDOT FILED? WHAT DOES THAT DO TO THE PROCESS? I DON'T HAVE THAT INFORMATION IN FRONT OF ME.

I THINK IT WOULD BE APPROPRIATE FOR ME TO HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH NATE AFTER THE MEETING AND PERHAPS HAVING NATE ALSO REACH OUT TO MNDOT AND SETH, REACH OUT TO MNDOT TO SEE IF THERE'S SOMETHING THAT CAN BE ACCOMPLISHED.

UNFORTUNATELY, THE DRAINAGE STATUTES DON'T ALWAYS REFLECT THE COMMON SENSE THAT IS BEING TALKED ABOUT. BECAUSE I UNDERSTAND WHAT'S BEING SAID.

SO I THINK IT'S JUST APPROPRIATE TO RESEARCH TO TRY TO FIGURE OUT THE AVENUE WHERE WE CAN APPROPRIATELY AND TIMELY ADDRESS THE CONCERN.

MADAM CHAIR, I APPRECIATE THE COUNTY ATTORNEY'S APPROACH TO THE PROCESS, BUT TO THE LANDOWNER'S POINT, THIS IS A ONCE IN A LIFETIME OPPORTUNITY TO CORRECT A MISTAKE. AND IT SEEMS LIKE WE'RE ON A TIGHT, SHORT, SHORT. SHORT TIME FRAME.

SO WITH THAT IN MIND, I'D RECOMMEND THAT THE DITCH AUTHORITY PASS A MOTION. TO CORRECT THAT ERRONEOUS FLOW LINE AT THIS TIME, AND LET THE STAFF DO WHAT THEY NEED TO REACH OUT TO MNDOT.

TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN. IF IT'S AT ALL POSSIBLE.

MADAM CHAIR, MAY I ASK A QUESTION OF MR.

[00:50:02]

ULA ULAN BROTHERS. IT SOUNDS LIKE IT.

ULAN BROTHERS? YEAH. WHERE ARE THEY FROM? KIND OF ALL OVER. I BELIEVE THEIR HOME OFFICE IS IN.

IT'S NORTH OF THE TWIN CITIES.

CAN YOU SPELL THAT? IS IT U E OR U L L? IT'S U E L L. I THINK IT IS A D U E L L A N D.

IT'S 3 OR 4 COMPANIES THAT HAVE KIND OF LIKE EVERYTHING MERGED TOGETHER.

THANK YOU. SURE. I'LL SECOND. I'LL SECOND THE MOTION.

OKAY. SO WE CAN HAVE A DISCUSSION.

AREN'T THEY ALREADY DIGGING OUT THERE? THAT'S THE PROBLEM. THEY HAVEN'T STARTED THAT ONE.

OKAY, I WAS DRIVING AROUND.

I GUESS I WASN'T PAYING ATTENTION, BUT.

OKAY. WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.

CAN WE HEAR THE MOTION AGAIN? JUST SO WE'RE CLEAR. I MOVE THAT THAT THE STAFF THAT THE DITCH AUTHORITY MOVE OR AMEND THE ELEVATION OF THE FLOW LINE.

SO IT ALLOWS THE DITCH TO WORK MORE EFFICIENTLY PER OUR PREROGATIVE.

AND THAT STAFF REACH OUT TO MNDOT TO SEE IF WE CAN MAKE THAT HAPPEN IN A SHORT TIME FRAME. AT THIS LOCATION AT 22.

RIGHT. AND WE HAD A SECOND.

MICHELLE, GIVE ME A LOOK.

ARE YOU ASKING FOR STAFF TO WORK ON THAT CONSISTENT WITH WHAT DRAINAGE AUTHORITY REQUIRES? I'M HOPING SOME OF YOU REACHED OUT TO SOMEBODY THAT CAN ACTUALLY DO SOMETHING IN THE NEXT FEW WEEKS BEFORE THIS GETS CLOSED UP, AND THEY GOT TO LIVE WITH IT FOR A HUNDRED YEARS. SO WHATEVER THAT TAKES, BUT USE APPROPRIATE CHANNELS TO REACH OUT TO THE PROJECT ENGINEER AND SAY, LET'S CORRECT THIS WHILE IT'S CORRECTABLE BECAUSE WE WE CAN'T JUST CHANGE ELEVATION OF A DRAINAGE SYSTEM WITHOUT APPROPRIATE PETITIONS.

BUT IF WE'RE CORRECTING SOMETHING, WE CAN WORK TO TRY TO CORRECT AN ERROR THAT MAY HAVE BEEN MADE. YEAH.

THAT'S RIGHT. IF I MAY.

YEAH. I GUESS THE MOTION I'M INTENDING TO A SECOND WOULD BE TO, FOR, TO DIRECT STAFF TO INVESTIGATE WHETHER THIS DITCH OR THIS CULVERT HEIGHT IS ERRONEOUSLY PLACED, IF THEY CAN FIND SOME DOCUMENTATION THAT SHOWS THAT THIS SHOULD BE PUT IN AT THIS ELEVATION AND, AND CAN WE GET IT TO THE CORRECT ELEVATION AS PER THE ORIGINAL DESIGN? IT SEEMS TO ME LIKE SOMEHOW THE PIPE GOT RAISED OR IS ARTIFICIALLY HIGH AND I SEE JACKIE MIGHT SHED LIGHT.

BUT ANYWAY, I'M JUST, I'M, I'M I'M HOPING WE CAN, WITH ALL HASTE, FIND OUT, INVESTIGATE WHAT CAN BE DONE AND DO WHAT WE CAN DO. ALL RIGHT, IF I MAY.

I SPOKE TO FRED QUITE A BIT.

WE DID QUITE A BIT OF INVESTIGATIVE WORK AND LOOKED AT THE ORIGINAL MAPS.

AND NATE, CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG.

IF I'M CORRECT, I DON'T THINK THE ORIGINAL AS BUILT MAPS REALLY INDICATED THE EXACT ELEVATION OF THAT IT IT BECAUSE THEY WERE SO OLD THAT IT DIDN'T HAVE THE TECHNOLOGY THAT WE DO NOW. I CAN'T REMEMBER THE EXACT VERBIAGE OF WHAT IT SAID, BUT I KNOW A LOT OF THE DITCH SYSTEMS THAT WERE PUT IN IN THE EARLY 1900S DON'T HAVE AN ELEVATION, IT WAS ASSUMED, AND THEY WORKED OFF OF, YOU KNOW, A SPIKE IN THE COTTONWOOD TREE.

SO THERE IS NO DOCUMENT SAYING THE ELEVATION OF THE DITCH IS THIS.

WE JUST HAVE A CUT SHEET THAT SHOWS YOU THE GRADE BASED ON STATIONING OF THAT.

SO YOU COULD ESSENTIALLY WORK BACKWARDS TO FIND THE GRADE AND THEN WORK YOUR WAY UP AT THAT, THAT ELEVATION TO THIS POINT OR THIS LOCATION.

SO CAN WE DO THAT NOW WITH THE EXISTING FLOW LINE? SINCE THERE'S NO IT, IT CAN BE DETERMINED WITH WHAT WE HAVE.

I GUESS WHETHER PEOPLE ARE ALLOWED TO DO IT OR WILL DO IT, WHO WOULD DO THAT? I THINK ANY ENGINEERING FIRM OR ANYBODY WOULD BE ANY ENGINEER WOULD BE QUALIFIED TO DO THAT.

SO THE ON SITE ENGINEER COULD DO IT.

POTENTIALLY THEY COULD.

WHETHER THEY'RE WILLING IS ANOTHER QUESTION.

SO I GUESS THAT'S WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR IS TO DIRECT THEM TO BE WILLING. I THINK THAT WAS OUR CONUNDRUM WHEN WE WERE TALKING TO FRED, WAS I DON'T HAVE AN EXACT ELEVATION TO SAY, HEY, DOT, THIS IS WHERE IT SHOULD GO.

IT'S UNFORTUNATE THAT IN 2023 TWO, WHEN WE DID THE HEARING,

[00:55:03]

I DON'T KNOW IF THAT APPLIES TO THE MINOR ALTERATIONS AND CHANGES FOR MNDOT.

SO WE'RE WELL PAST THAT.

I THINK, I THINK WE COULD EASILY DETERMINE THE GRADE IF THE DIRECTION WAS GIVEN TO DO THAT, WHETHER WE'RE ALLOWED TO OR IT'S LEGAL OR APPROPRIATE, IS THE QUESTION. MADAM CHAIR.

HOW DO YOU WHAT DO YOU WHAT DO YOU MEAN? DETERMINE THE GRADE? DO YOU YOU CAN DETERMINE THE GRADE OR SOMEBODY CAN. I MEAN, HOW HARD IS THIS? WE COULD HIRE AN ENGINEERING FIRM TO TAKE A FEW SURVEY ELEVATION SHOTS AND PREPARE A REPORT FOR THE BOARD.

AND WHAT DO YOU THINK THAT TIME AND TIME FRAME WOULD WOULD LOOK LIKE? I COULDN'T GIVE YOU AN ESTIMATE JUST BECAUSE I'VE NEVER HIRED ANYONE TO DO IT. BUT IT'S, IT'S A COMMON PRACTICE THAT ISN'T OVERLY TECHNICAL.

BUT THEY'RE GOING TO ROLL IN IN TWO WEEKS OR LESS AND DO THIS.

I DON'T, I'M NOT SURE WHAT THE DOT SCHEDULE IS FOR WHEN THEY'RE GOING TO START THIS EXACT. PIPE. MAY I MAY I ASK? THIS MIGHT BE A CAN THE IN THE ESSENCE OF TIME TO MAKE THIS ROLL SO WE DON'T HAVE TO BRING THIS BACK TO ANOTHER. IS THIS SOMETHING THAT CAN BE HANDLED WITHIN THE DITCH COMMITTEE? YOU KNOW, BECAUSE WE HAVE A COMMITTEE THAT COULD BE CALLED FOR A QUICKER MEETING IF WE NEED TO ADDRESS ANY OF THIS IS FORMAL ACTION WOULD HAVE TO BE TAKEN BY THE WHOLE DRAINAGE AUTHORITY.

AND RIGHT NOW THERE'S A THERE'S A THERE WAS A THERE'S A MOTION ON THE FLOOR, THERE'S A SECOND. BUT THE SECOND HAS MADE SOME SUGGESTIONS FOR AMENDMENTS TO THE THE MOTION. AND SO I THINK CLARITY AS TO THE MOTION IS ALSO NEEDED.

I DO THINK IT'S POSSIBLE TO TRY TO GET ON THIS AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE TO ADDRESS THE TIMELINESS ISSUE AND ALSO TO HAVE EITHER NATE OR SETH HAVE THAT COMMUNICATION WITH NDOT.

SO THAT THEY ARE AWARE OF THIS IMMINENT ISSUE TO ACT TO TRY TO ADDRESS IT AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE, WHICH IS BASICALLY THE MOTION.

CORRECT? RIGHT. I JUST THINK IT HAS TO BE RESTATED SO THAT WE'RE CERTAIN WHAT THE MOTION IS TO ENSURE THAT ALLOWS STAFF TO WORK WITHIN THE CONFINES OF THE STATUTE AND THE OBLIGATIONS UNDER THE STATUTE.

AND BESIDES THAT, MADAM CHAIR, AS OTHERS HAVE INDICATED, WE HAVE LANDOWNERS HERE WHO ARE AGREEING THAT THIS NEEDS TO BE DONE AND TO CORRECT WHAT THIS GENTLEMAN IS SAYING IS AN ISSUE, UNLESS THERE ARE OTHER ONES IN THE AUDIENCE WHO DISAGREE. THAT CAN ADD TO THE WEIGHT OF OUR ARGUMENT AS WE SEEK THIS INFORMATION, IT WOULD SEEM TO ME. BUT WE'RE NOT HOLDING A MEETING ABOUT IT.

BUT IT'S IT'S BEING TESTIFIED TO HERE BEFORE THIS BOARD.

SO THAT'S THE NATURE OF WHAT WE WERE TALKING ABOUT IN THE BEGINNING.

WHAT ARE WHAT IS THE PROCESS FOR US TO APPEAL TO MNDOT TO MOVE FORWARD, TO HAVE A CORRECTION CONSIDERED, I GUESS, IS WHERE WE'RE GOING.

AND I THINK CLARIFICATION OF WHAT YOU MEAN BY THE WORD APPEAL HAS APPEAL HAS A LEGAL MEANING OF APPEALING TO MAYBE THAT'S NOT A GOOD WORD THEN.

OR IS IT APPEAL TO REACH OUT AND ASK THEM AND IMPLORE THEM TO CORRECT THE ERROR.

THE LATTER IS CERTAINLY SOMETHING THAT WE'RE ABLE TO DO THE APPEAL IF IT WAS IN 2022, MOST APPEALS ARE NOT THREE YEARS LATER TO BE ABLE TO LEGALLY APPEAL.

I'M GLAD YOU'RE THE ATTORNEY FOR ME.

I, WHEN I, WHEN I DO SOMETHING WRONG, I APPEAL SOMEONE TO ASK FORGIVENESS, YOU KNOW? BUT I HEAR YOU.

SO WHATEVER THE THE MOTION.

CAN BE STRUCTURED TO FIT WHERE YOU THINK WE SHOULD BE.

THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL.

AS WE'RE SITTING HERE NOW.

OH, I THINK COMMISSIONER DEHEN HAS TO MAKE THE DECISION OF WHAT HE WANTS HIS MOTION.

SO I AGREE WITH WHAT YOUR RECOMMENDATIONS ARE.

I THINK THE MOTION IS BOTTOM LINE IS WE WANT TO HAVE THE ELEVATION CORRECTED AND TO DIRECT STAFF TO WORK WITH MNDOT TO GET THAT DONE IN A TIMELY FASHION BEFORE THAT ROAD IS CLOSED OR REPAIRED. CAN I MAKE ONE MORE COMMENT ON THAT? I KNOW THERE'S A LOT OF ENGINEERING DISCUSSIONS ON THIS.

[01:00:04]

THE PIPE RUNS NORTH AND SOUTH ACROSS HIGHWAY 22 ON THE SOUTH END OF THE PIPE, WHICH IS THE INPUT SIDE OF THE FLOW.

THAT'S WHAT'S HIGH. SO ALL IT WOULD TAKE IS JUST PUT THE FLOW LINE ON THE NORTH END, THE SAME AS THE SOUTH END.

WATER RUNS DOWNHILL. I GUESS THAT'S THE COMMENT THAT I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE IN.

THANK YOU. IS THAT ENOUGH OF AN IMPROVEMENT IN THE IN THE MOTION? YES. I THINK WE CAN WORK WITH WITH THAT TO WORK WITH MNDOT TO TRY TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO PROCEED FROM HERE CONSISTENT WITH STATUTE.

AND YOUR SECOND IS OKAY WITH THAT? I WILL SECOND. SO YOU'RE TELLING ME MNDOT HAS TWO DIFFERENT ELEVATIONS ON TWO DIFFERENT SIDES OF THIS PIPE? THAT'S WHAT HE'S TELLING YOU? YEAH, I THINK WHAT I'M SORRY, I DIDN'T HEAR.

SO MNDOT HAS GOT TWO DIFFERENT ELEVATIONS ON TWO DIFFERENT ENDS OF THIS PIPE RIGHT NOW.

WELL, THEY SAID THAT THEY'RE PUTTING IT IN TO THE ORIGINAL GRADE ON BOTH ENDS OF THE PIPE, WHICH WAS THE NORTH. SO THEY WOULD HAVE THE NORTH END OF THE PIPE AND THE SOUTH END OF THE PIPE. THEY WOULD HAVE THEM ELEVATION GRADES.

BUT SHE SAID, BRANDI, WHO IS THE COORDINATOR OR THE PERSON IN CHARGE OF THAT ROAD, SAID THAT THEY ARE NOT GOING TO MAKE A CHANGE BECAUSE THIS IS WHAT HER DESIGN SAYS. THE DESIGN, THE CUT SHEET, WHICH YOU HAVE THE CUT SHEET ORIGINALLY BACK IN, I THINK IT WAS DESIGNED IN 48 OR 7, PUT IN IN 49. I DON'T KNOW HOW IT GOT SCREWED UP, BUT IT DID. AND NOW WE'RE JUST TRYING TO WRITE THAT.

OKAY. I GOT CONFUSED WITH THIS AND ELEVATIONS.

ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT.

SO ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION ON THE MOTION? IS THE ATTORNEY. DID YOU MAKE THAT CLEAR, MICHELLE? ARE YOU JOTTING THOSE NOTES DOWN AS TO WHAT WE'RE SAYING, WHAT WE'RE GOING TO BE VOTING ON, OR DO WE NEED TO TALK TO OUR.

YES. I'M MAKING NOTES ABOUT THE FACTUAL INFORMATION OR THE STATEMENTS THAT HAVE BEEN MADE HERE TODAY ABOUT THE INFORMATION THAT'S BEEN PRESENTED.

I DID NOT GO BACK AND WRITE DOWN THE MOTION.

MAY WE ASK? I WOULD SAY, COULD YOU REREAD THAT, PLEASE? THE NOTES THAT I HAVE, AND WE ALSO HAVE A RECORDING OF THIS IF WE NEED TO GO BACK. COMMISSIONER DEHEN.

AS MOTION INCLUDES THE CORRECTION OF THE ELEVATION OF THE CULVERTS AND ALSO DIRECTING STAFF TO WORK WITH MNDOT BEFORE THE ROAD CLOSED IS REPAIRED.

I THINK THE SECOND PART OF THAT MOTION IS WHERE THEY'RE.

THE SECOND PART OF THAT STATEMENT IS THE APPROPRIATE MOTION TO BE BEFORE THE BODY.

IF COMMISSIONER DEHEN IS WILLING TO MAKE THAT MOTION.

THAT'S THE MOTION. OKAY.

SECOND, ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE.

AND NOW WE NEED A MOTION TO PROCEED WITH THE CLEANING PETITION.

I MOVE TO DO THE CLEANING WITH THE AMENDED ELEVATION ON THAT PIPE.

I CAN'T DO THAT. OKAY.

JUST THE CLEANING. JUST TO CLEAN.

OKAY. WE'LL MOVE THE CLEANING.

OKAY. WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE PETITION FOR CLEANING OF COUNTY DITCH.

I FORGOT THE NUMBER 75.

IS THERE A SECOND? SECONDED.

ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE.

OKAY. ONE MORE. ONE MORE.

COUNTY DITCH 95, IS A 1100 ACRE WATERSHED DITCH SYSTEM ESTABLISHED IN 1971.

THERE IS VERY LITTLE INFORMATION OF THIS DITCH SYSTEM EVER BEING CLEANED IN 1980.

THERE IS A REPAIR REPORT THAT MENTIONS A SHORT SEGMENT OF CLEANING THE DITCH, BUT THERE'S NO INDICATION AS TO WHERE OR HOW MUCH WAS DONE.

SO THIS PARTICULAR SYSTEM HAS A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF SEDIMENT IN IT, AS WELL AS A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF TREES AND BRUSH GROWING IN THE BANKS AND IN THE DITCH, AS WELL AS A COUPLE LARGE WASHOUTS FROM FROM OVERLAND FLOW GOING INTO THE DITCH.

SO A MUCH NEEDED REPAIR TO THIS SYSTEM FOR SOME MAINTENANCE.

AND THE ESTIMATE FOR THIS PROJECT IS $50,000.

[01:05:02]

THERE IS TWO REPAIR REQUESTS FROM LANDOWNERS THAT WERE RECEIVED AT DIFFERENT TIMES.

THERE WAS A THIRD REPAIR REQUEST TURNED IN FROM JOHN HAMMEL.

HOWEVER, IT JUST CAME IN AFTER THE MAILINGS WENT OUT.

SO IT WASN'T INCLUDED IN, IN THE REGULAR MAILINGS.

THANK YOU. ANYTHING REGARDING COUNTY DITCH 95? HEARING AND SEEING NONE.

IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE CLEANING PETITION AT THIS TIME? SO MOVED. IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE. THANK YOU. THAT CONCLUDES OUR BUSINESS OF THE DAY.

AND THE DRAINAGE AUTHORITY MEETING IS.

I'M SORRY. NATE, ARE YOU DONE WITH ME? I'M DONE WITH THE CLEANINGS.

I'D JUST LIKE TO GIVE A BRIEF UPDATE ON COUNTY DITCH 76 IF WE GOT FIVE MINUTES.

SURE. I'M SORRY. I FORGOT ABOUT THAT.

YOU MENTIONED IT. SO COUNTY DITCH 76 A IS A PUMPING STATION THAT PUMPS INTO MIDDLE LAKE.

RIGHT NOW IT IS BEING SERVED BY TWO ELECTRIC PUMPS AND ONE TRACTOR PUMP.

DURING HIGH FLOWS, THAT TRACTOR WILL BE PUT IN.

ABOUT TWO WEEKS AGO, THERE WAS A LARGE RAIN EVENT JUST NORTH OF NICOLLET.

AREAS WERE REPORTING ABOUT SIX INCHES OF RAIN.

THIS PUMP STATION IS IS VERY OLD.

I DON'T HAVE THE IN THE INSTALL DATE WITH ME HERE, BUT THESE PUMPS HAVE BEEN IN THERE FOR 30 PLUS YEARS, AS WELL AS THE BERM BETWEEN MIDDLE LAKE AND THE, THE DITCH SYSTEM. SO THEY HAVE SERVED THEIR PURPOSE AND IT'S FAIR TO SAY THEY'VE REACHED THE END OF THEIR USABLE LIFE.

THE LAKE HAS BEEN GETTING HIGHER. AND WHAT'S HAPPENING NOW IS THOSE METAL RISER PUMP PIPES ON THE PUMPS ARE STARTING TO RUST AND ERODE, AND WATER IS FLOWING FROM THE LAKE BACK INTO THE OPEN DITCH SYSTEM.

SO THERE WAS A SIGNIFICANT EROSION EVENT HAPPENED AFTER THAT SIX INCH RAIN.

WHAT I WOULD CONSIDER AN EMERGENCY REPAIR WAS DONE WHERE SOME CLAY FILL WAS HAULED IN AND ROCK BACK FILLED TO KIND OF SHORE UP THAT BERM SO THAT IT WOULDN'T ERODE AND ULTIMATELY WASH OUT THE WHOLE PUMP STATION AND FILL THE, FILL THE DITCH IN. SO THAT WAS COMPLETED LAST WEEK.

AND I HAVE SUBSEQUENTLY MET WITH HOUSTON ENGINEERING TO, TO LOOK AT THE PUMP STATION AND CHRIS OTTERNESS WILL BE PROVIDING THE DITCH SYSTEM, A PROPOSAL FOR POTENTIAL REPAIRS THAT MAY BE NEEDED AND THAT WILL COME BEFORE THE BOARD AT A LATER DATE FOR FORMAL ACTION.

BUT HE DID AGREE TO MEET ME OUT THERE AND COME UP WITH SOME, SOME PLANS AND PRELIMINARY IDEAS FOR US.

OKAY. THANK YOU. ANYTHING ELSE FOR THE DRAINAGE AUTHORITY? HEARING AND SEEING? NONE. WE CAN ADJOURN THE DRAINAGE AUTHORITY.

WE HAVE A JOINT DRAINAGE AUTHORITY MEETING AT 130 WITH SIBLEY NICOLLET COUNTY.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.