[Call Board of Commissioners Meeting to Order]
[00:00:13]
FIRST ON OUR AGENDA IS THE ELECTION OF.
MR. DEAN, AS HE IS THE VICE CHAIR AND THE WAY WE DO THINGS AROUND HERE, THE VICE CHAIR USUALLY SUCCEEDS.
THE CHAIR THANK YOU. IS THERE A SECOND TO THAT MOTION? I WILL SECOND THAT. ARE THERE ANY OTHER NOMINATIONS? ANY OTHER NOMINATIONS? NOW WE NEED TO ELECT THE VICE CHAIR.
DO I HAVE A NOMINATION FOR VICE CHAIR? I'LL NOMINATE KURT ZINS.
I'LL SECOND THAT MOTION AND A SECOND.
ANY OTHER NOMINATIONS? ANY OTHER NOMINATIONS? ANY OTHER NOMINATIONS? ALL RIGHT. ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. AYE. VICE CHAIR VICE CHAIR BEEN ELECTED.
THE NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. 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. WELCOME, EVERYONE, AND GOOD.
HAPPY NEW YEAR. NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS SOLID CELL PHONES.
AND THEN THE THIRD ITEM IS THE APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA.
[Approval of Agenda]
DO I ANY CORRECTIONS OR ADDITIONS TO THE AGENDA? THERE ARE NO CHANGES TO THE AGENDA, MR. CHAIR.ALL RIGHT. DO I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE AGENDA? SO MOVED. SECOND. SECONDED.
NEXT ITEM IS APPROVAL OF THE CONSENT AGENDA.
[Approval of Consent Agenda]
ARE THERE ANY ITEMS ON THE CONSENT AGENDA? ANYONE WOULD LIKE TO REMOVE FOR FURTHER DISCUSSION? IF NOT, DO I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA? SO MOVED. SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE.AYE. ALL RIGHT. SEEING NO PUBLIC.
I DON'T BELIEVE THERE'S ANY PUBLIC APPEARANCES. SO WE'LL MOVE ON TO FINANCE AND
[Finance]
WE'LL INVITE OUR FINANCE DIRECTOR UP.HEATHER. THERE WE GO. GOOD MORNING, MISTER CHAIR.
MEMBERS OF THE BOARD. I'M HERE TODAY.
MY AGENDA ITEM IS TO CONSIDER RESOLUTION FOR EFT, ELECTRONIC FUNDS TRANSFER AUTHORITY, IN ACCORDANCE WITH STATUTE 470 1.3 383A.
THE RESOLUTION IS TO APPROVE DELEGATION OF ELECTRONIC FUNDS TRANSFERS.
THE COUNTY BOARD APPROVES THIS DELEGATION AUTHORITY EACH JANUARY.
SO THE ACTION REQUESTED TODAY IS THE APPROVAL OF THE RESOLUTION.
MOTION TO APPROVE THE AGENDA OR THE ACTION.
DO WE NEED TO READ IT OR ARE WE COMFORTABLE WITH IT SINCE IT'S A STANDARD? OKAY. WE'RE GOOD. ALL RIGHT.
THIS IS RESOLUTION, SO WE PLEASE CALL THE ROLL.
ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. THANKS, HEATHER.
ALL RIGHT. NEXT UP IS THE HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES.
[Health and Human Services]
GOOD MORNING, MR. CHAIR AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD. THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, NICOLLET COUNTY ENTERS INTO VARIOUS AGREEMENTS INCLUDING PURCHASE OF SERVICE, COOPERATIVE GRANT AND INTERNSHIP AGREEMENTS TO SUPPORT THE DELIVERY OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES. TO ENSURE EFFICIENCY, THE NICOLLET COUNTY BOARD HAS ANNUALLY GRANTED THE HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES DIRECTOR AUTHORITY TO EXECUTE AND APPROVE THESE CONTRACTS FOR PROGRAM AREAS THAT HAVE BEEN PREVIOUSLY APPROVED AND BUDGETED BY THE BOARD. SO THIS MORNING I AM ASKING FOR APPROVAL OF THE BOARD RESOLUTION FOR 2026 CONTRACTS. I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE.I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE RESOLUTION.
SECOND. FURTHER DISCUSSION? IF NOT, AGAIN, THIS IS A RESOLUTION.
SO WILL YOU PLEASE CALL THE ROLL? COMMISSIONER.
THANK YOU. AND NEXT ITEM IS HUMAN RESOURCES.
[Human Resources]
[00:05:03]
SO. GOOD MORNING. GOOD MORNING.THIS IS A RESOLUTION TO APPROVE THE BUDGET.
FUNDS FOR THE EMPLOYEE RECOGNITION EVENTS WHICH I BELIEVE THIS IS DONE ANNUALLY, AM I CORRECT? OKAY. THE BACKGROUND.
SO PER THE MINNESOTA STATUTE 1546 AND THE NICOLLET COUNTY EMPLOYEE HANDBOOK ON NICOLLET COUNTY HAS ESTABLISHED AN EMPLOYEE WELLNESS AND RECOGNITION PROGRAM.
THIS PROGRAM ENABLES THE COUNTY TO HOST EMPLOYEE RECOGNITION EVENTS AND WITH THE PERMISSION FROM THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS, UTILIZE BUDGETED COUNTY FUNDS TO SUPPORT SUCH EVENTS. EVENTS PLANNED FOR THIS YEAR INCLUDE A PICNIC THIS SUMMER IN 2026.
LUNCH FOR THE WINNERS OF THE MOST IMPACTFUL CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT AWARD NATIONAL COUNTY GOVERNMENT MONTH ACTIVITIES IN APRIL.
RETIREMENT RECOGNITION AND EMPLOYMENT MILESTONE ANNIVERSARY RECOGNITION.
THE ACTION REQUESTED, OF COURSE, IS TO BE APPROVING THE BUDGETED COUNTY FUNDS FOR THESE EMPLOYEE RECOGNITION EVENTS FOR 2026.
THANK YOU. DO I HAVE A MOTION? I'LL MOVE IT, MR. CHAIR.
SECOND. SECOND. MOTION AND SECOND.
FURTHER DISCUSSION? THIS IS AN ONGOING PROGRAM.
WE'VE DONE THIS FOR A LONG TIME, I PRESUME.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT.
[Administration]
GOOD MORNING, MR. CHAIR. MEMBERS OF THE BOARD. I HAVE SEVERAL ITEMS FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION TODAY BEGINNING ON PAGE 31 OF YOUR PACKET.THE FIRST FIVE ITEMS ARE ANNUAL RENEWAL RESOLUTIONS FOR THE BOARD TO CONSIDER.
THE FIRST ONE IS ESTABLISHING THE 2026 GOPHER BOUNTY MINNESOTA STATUTE.
348 .12 REQUIRES COUNTIES THAT WISH TO PAY GOPHER BOUNTY TO ANNUALLY SET THE BOUNTY AMOUNT BY RESOLUTION. ATTACHED IS A RESOLUTION SETTING THE 2026 BOUNTY AT $1 PER GOPHER, AND THIS IS THE SAME AS PREVIOUS YEAR'S COUNTY BOUNTY.
PAYMENTS ARE REIMBURSEMENT TO A TOWNSHIP WHO HAVE ALREADY PAID OUT THE BOUNTY.
THE LAST TIME THE COUNTY PAID OUT A BOUNTY WAS IN 2019 FOR $21.
MR. CHAIR, I'M REQUESTING APPROVAL OF THE RESOLUTION SETTING THE 2026 GOPHER BOUNTY AT $1 PER GOPHER. DO WE HAVE A MOTION? SO MOVED. I WAS GOING TO FIGHT YOU FOR THAT ONE.
KURT. WE'RE ALL ABOUT THE GOPHERS TODAY.
MOTION AND SECOND, THIS IS A RESOLUTION, SO PLEASE CALL THE ROLL.
COULD I JUST CONFIRM WHO SECONDED THAT RESOLUTION? IT WASN'T. I THINK IT WAS MARIE.
I THINK THERE MIGHT BE A THERE WAS COMPETITION THERE.
THERE MAY BE A NO VOTE ON THIS ONE.
DEHEN. YES. THE NEXT ITEM IS THE 2026 BOARD MEETING AND WORKSHOP SCHEDULE RESOLUTION AS PER MINNESOTA STATUTE 375 .07.
THE BOARD SHALL MEET AT THE COUNTY SEAT FOR THE TRANSACTION OF BUSINESS ON THE FIRST TUESDAY AFTER THE FIRST MONDAY IN JANUARY, AND MAY MEET ON OTHER DAYS AND AT OTHER LOCATIONS WITHIN THE COUNTY. IT PRESCRIBES AS NECESSARY FOR THE INTEREST OF THE COUNTY.
SESSIONS SHALL BE CALLED BY A MAJORITY OF THE BOARD, AND THE CLERK SHALL GIVE AT LEAST TEN DAYS NOTICE OF THE MEETING FOR EACH COMMISSIONER.
ATTACHED ARE THE REGULARLY SCHEDULED COUNTY BOARD MEETINGS AND WORKSHOPS FOR 2026.
MR. CHAIR, I'M REQUESTING APPROVAL OF THE RESOLUTION SETTING THE REGULARLY SCHEDULED COUNTY BOARD MEETINGS AND WORKSHOPS FOR 2026.
DO YOU HAVE A MOTION? SO MOVED.
DISCUSSION. WILL YOU AGAIN CALL THE ROLL, PLEASE? COMMISSIONER. HELGET. YES.
SO THE NEXT RESOLUTION IS APPROVING THE OFFICIAL NEWSPAPER FOR PUBLICATIONS IN 2026.
ANNUALLY, COUNTIES MUST DESIGNATE THE OFFICIAL NEWSPAPER FOR PUBLICATIONS.
A REQUEST FOR BIDS WAS PUBLISHED IN THE SAINT PETER HERALD IN NOVEMBER OF 2024, FOR THE CALENDAR YEARS OF 2025 THROUGH 2027.
MINNESOTA STATUTE 331 A .06 ALLOWS COUNTIES TO BID UP TO THREE YEARS FOR LEGAL PUBLICATIONS AND NOTICES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE DELINQUENT TAX LIST, MEETING MINUTES, SYNOPSIS, TAX FORFEITED LAND SALES, THE COUNTY FINANCIAL STATEMENT AND LEGAL
[00:10:02]
HEARING, MEETING AND AND BID NOTICES.MR. CHAIR, I'M REQUESTING APPROVAL OF THE RESOLUTION DESIGNATING THE SAINT PETER HERALD AS THE OFFICIAL NEWSPAPER FOR THE NICOLLET COUNTY PUBLICATIONS IN 2026.
MOTION A SECOND. CAN YOU PLEASE CALL THE ROLL? COMMISSIONER. HELGET. YES.
THE NEXT RESOLUTION IS FOR PUBLICATION OF TRANSPORTATION.
ADVERTISEMENT BIDS ON THE NICOLLET COUNTY WEBSITE.
MINNESOTA STATUTE 331 .12 STATES AT THE MEETING OF THE GOVERNING BODY OF A POLITICAL SUBDIVISION AT WHICH THE GOVERNING BODY DESIGNATES ITS OFFICIAL NEWSPAPER FOR THE YEAR, THE GOVERNING BODY MAY ALSO DESIGNATE, IN THE SAME MANNER THAT PUBLICATION OF TRANSPORTATION PROJECT ADVERTISEMENTS FOR BIDS THAT CAN BE PUBLISHED ON THE NICOLLET COUNTY WEBSITE INSTEAD OF THE OFFICIAL NEWSPAPER.
MR. CHAIR, I'M REQUESTING APPROVAL OF THE RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE USE OF THE NICOLLET COUNTY WEBSITE OF W W W O NICOLLET MS AS THE METHOD OF ADVERTISING FOR TRANSPORTATION PROJECT BIDS.
SECONDED. SECOND, CAN YOU PLEASE CALL THE ROLL? COMMISSIONER. KOLARS. YES.
COMMISSIONER. HELGET. YES. COMMISSIONER. ZINS. YES.
COMMISSIONER. DRANTTEL. YES. COMMISSIONER. DEHEN. YES.
THE NEXT RESOLUTION IS TO CONSIDER ESTABLISHING THE 2026 COMMITTEE MEETING AND BOARD ASSIGNMENTS THAT QUALIFY FOR A PER DIEM PAYMENT AT THE BEGINNING OF EACH YEAR, THE COMMITTEE MEETING AND BOARD ASSIGNMENTS LIST IS REVIEWED, DISCUSSED AND COMMISSIONER REPRESENTATIVES ARE ASSIGNED TO SPECIFIC ITEMS THAT MAY RECEIVE A PER DIEM AS PER MINNESOTA STATUTE.
375 .06. THE LIST WITHIN THE BOARD PACKET IDENTIFIES VACANCIES AND OR CHANGES IN THE REPRESENTATIVE'S AND OR TERM LIMITS IN RED FONT.
THE COMMITTEE LIST DOES INCLUDE THE REMOVAL OF THE FOLLOWING COMMITTEES AMTRAK RURAL MINNESOTA ENERGY BOARD AND SOUTHERN MINNESOTA TOURISM ASSOCIATION, AS WELL AS THE ADDITION OF THE FOLLOWING COMMITTEES THE BROWN COUNTY DETOX BOARD, THE NICOLLET COUNTY COMMUNITY HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES BOARD WORKSHOP, WHICH WILL CONSIST OF ALL FIVE COMMISSIONERS, THE COMMUNITY HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES ADVISORY COMMITTEE, WHICH WILL INCLUDE ONE REPRESENTATION BY A COMMISSIONER.
AND LASTLY, DAVID ANDERSON IS SEEKING REAPPOINTMENT AS THE CITIZEN APPOINTEE ON THE SOUTH CENTRAL MINNESOTA MULTI-COUNTY HRA BOARD.
MR. CHAIR, IF YOU'D LIKE, I CAN GO THROUGH THE DIFFERENT ONES, BUT THERE ARE MINIMAL CHANGES TO THE COMMISSIONER REPRESENTATIVES.
YOU WILL NOTICE THAT THERE ARE SOME CHANGES INTO THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE WITH THE ADDITION OF THE NEW JUDGES, AND I WILL BE AVAILABLE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
PLEASE DO. THE FIRST CHANGES ON THE AMC DELEGATE. THAT IS JUST A CHANGE WITH THE HR DIRECTOR TO BRIDGETTE FLEER.
UNDER BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT AND APPEALS, YOU WILL NOTICE THAT THE TERM LIMITS WERE EXTENDED FOR JUSTIN LEVIN, JOHN THORSON, AND RANDY SCHWAB.
THE ADDITION OF THE BROWN COUNTY DETOX BOARD OF SHERIFF AARON PETERSON ON THE BUDGET COMMITTEE. IT IS THE CHANGE OF COMMISSIONER DEHEN AS A CHAIR AND THEN ALSO INCLUDE COMMISSIONER ZINS AS THE VICE CHAIR UNDER THE BUILDING COMMITTEE.
THERE'S A VACANCY RIGHT NOW THAT WILL BE FULFILLED BY THE NEW FACILITIES MAINTENANCE DIRECTOR AT THAT TIME.
THE NEXT ONE IS THE COMMUNITY HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES ADVISORY COMMITTEE, WHICH THE BOARD DOES NEED TO APPOINT A REPRESENTATIVE.
IS WHAT DOES THAT ENTAIL? THIS IS ONE OF THE COMMITTEE CONVERSATIONS I HAD AT A RECENT BOARD WORKSHOP WITH THE HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES OF LOOKING AT OPPORTUNITIES TO WORK WITH OUR COMMUNITY.
AS A RESULT OF THE DISSOLUTION OF THE BROWN NICOLLET ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH BOARD AND THEN SOME CHANGES IN THE STRUCTURE WITH HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES. COMMISSIONER.
I'M INTERESTED IN BEING THAT MEMBER.
SO FAR NO. ARE YOU LOOKING FOR A MOTION? I'D MAKE A MOTION TO MAKE NICOLE HELGET REPRESENTATIVE OF THAT SECOND MOTION A SECOND AND APPOINT NICOLE TO THAT.
I NEED TO VOTE ON THAT SPECIFICALLY.
OR CAN WE DO THAT IN. I THINK WE CAN DO THAT AT THE END OF IT WITH THE RESOLUTION ADOPTION. OKAY. DO YOU NEED AN ALTERNATE FOR THAT OR.
NO. NOT AT THIS TIME. I BELIEVE WITH THE CONVERSATION BECAUSE OF THE OTHER MEMBERS ON THE BOARD FOR CONSISTENCY PURPOSES, WE'RE LOOKING AT ONE COMMISSIONER REPRESENTATIVE. PERFECT.
UNDER THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE COMMITTEE.
YOU'LL NOTICE JUST THE CHANGE IN THE SHERIFF APPOINTEE TO AARON PETERSON AND THEN THE ADDITION OF THE NEW JUDGES.
THE CHANGE IN THE HR DIRECTOR TO BRIDGETTE FLEER.
AND THEN TWO AREAS OF THE STATE DOC REPRESENTATIVE AND THE CDA REPRESENTATIVE ARE TO BE DETERMINED. AND THEN THE CHANGE IN THE PUBLIC DEFENDER TO AARON ZURICH.
MR. CHAIR, WHEN WILL THIS CRIMINAL JUSTICE COMMITTEE EVER MEET AGAIN?
[00:15:05]
MAYBE THE COUNTY ATTORNEY COULD WEIGH IN.I'M LOOKING AT TRYING TO SCHEDULE NOW THAT THE JUDGES ARE HAVE BEEN APPOINTED AND HAVE BEEN HERE FOR A LITTLE BIT OF TIME. I'M LOOKING AT HAVING A MEETING PROBABLY IN MARCH EARLY APRIL TO ALLOW SOME TIME TO GET ON THEIR CALENDAR.
WELL, IT USED TO BE A RATHER ACTIVE COMMITTEE IN TERMS OF MEETINGS WHEN COMMISSIONER STENSON WAS ON THIS BOARD.
AND SO I WONDERED WHAT HAPPENED.
YES. IT'LL WE'LL HAVE A MEETING.
I THINK WE HAD GONE TO LIKE ONCE A YEAR.
AND SO I WILL HAVE THAT SCHEDULED.
RIGHT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. THE NEXT CHANGE IN COMMITTEE ASSIGNMENT IS EXTENSION, WHICH WILL GO TO THE CHAIR OF COMMISSIONER DEHEN.
MOVE ON TO THE HEALTH INSURANCE PORTABILITY AND ACCOUNTABILITY ACT, THE HIPAA COMMITTEE. THAT IS JUST A CHANGE TO INCLUDE THE HR DIRECTOR, BRIGITTE FLAIR. ON PAGE THREE OF THE COMMITTEE LIST, YOU'LL NOTICE THE REMOVAL OF THE AMTRAK COMMITTEE.
THE INSURANCE COMMITTEE JUST HAS A CHANGE IN THE HR DIRECTOR REPLACEMENT.
MOVING DOWN TO THE CORRECTIONS ADVISORY BOARD, YOU'LL NOTICE THE CHANGE OF THE JUDGE AS WELL AS OTHER CITIZEN COMMITTEE MEMBERS.
A CHANGE WITH FROM CATHY SASSENBERG.
THE HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES DIRECTOR TO THE DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF ANGIE OBERMILLER THE CHANGE WITH THE APPOINTMENT OF SHERIFF PETERSON, AND THEN ALSO THE CHANGE IN THE PUBLIC DEFENDER TO AARON ZURICH.
THE NEXT ADDITION IS THE NICOLLET COUNTY COMMUNITY HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES BOARD WORKSHOP THAT INCLUDES ALL FIVE COMMISSIONERS.
MOVING ON TO PAGE FOUR OF THE COMMITTEE ASSIGNMENT UNDER THE PERSONNEL COMMITTEE.
THAT WAS JUST A CHANGE IN THE HUMAN RESOURCES DIRECTOR TO BRIDGETTE FLEER.
THE PLANNING AND ZONING ADVISORY COMMITTEE. IT IS JUST A CHANGE IN THE TERM LIMITS FOR JUSTIN LAVIN, RANDY SCHWAB AND JOHN THORSON, A STATEWIDE EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS BOARD.
THAT WAS A CHANGE TO INCLUDE SHERIFF PETERSON.
THE NEXT CHANGE IS THE MINNESOTA ENERGY BOARD.
THE REMOVAL OF THAT COMMITTEE FROM THE LIST.
THE SAFETY AND SECURITY COMMITTEE THAT WILL BE IN A CHANGE AS SOON AS A FACILITIES MAINTENANCE DIRECTOR IS APPOINTED.
THE NEXT ITEM IS A SOUTHERN MINNESOTA TOURISM ASSOCIATION.
AND THAT IS JUST THE REMOVAL OF THAT COMMITTEE. AND I HAVE BEEN IN CONTACT WITH MISS BECKER CONCERNING THAT.
AND THAT IS THE LAST CHANGE ON THE COMMITTEE LIST.
WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE CHANGES.
AND WITH THE ADDITION OF MR. HELGET TO THE REPORT. I'LL MOVE IT.
MOTION. DO I HAVE A SECOND? SECOND. AGAIN, THIS IS A RESOLUTION.
SO WOULD YOU PLEASE CALL THE ROLL? COMMISSIONER. KOLARS. YES.
SO THAT COMPLETES THE ANNUAL RESOLUTION.
SO I'LL MOVE ON TO TWO ITEMS THAT ARE NEW FOR THE BOARD'S CONSIDERATION.
EXCUSE ME, I SHOULDN'T SAY EXACTLY NEW.
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT IS TYPICALLY HANDLED EVERY FOUR YEARS, AND SO DOES THE RESOLUTION SETTING THE MINIMUM SALARY FOR THE COUNTY SHERIFF AND ATTORNEY. MINNESOTA STATUTE 386 .01 AND 388 .18 REQUIRES THAT THE MINIMUM SALARY FOR THE OFFICES OF COUNTY SHERIFF AND COUNTY ATTORNEY BE SET ON ELECTION YEARS FOR THESE OFFICES PRIOR TO THE ELECTION FILING PERIOD.
STATE STATUTE DOES NOT SPECIFY MINIMUM SALARY FOR THE SHERIFF.
THE POSITION CURRENTLY HAS AN ESTABLISHED SALARY RANGE IN THE COUNTY'S COMPENSATION PLAN. THE SALARY INCLUDED THE RESOLUTION AS THE MINIMUM SALARY FOR THE POSITION.
STATE STATUTE DOES PROVIDE A MINIMUM SALARY FOR THE OFFICE OF COUNTY ATTORNEY BASED ON 1960 PAY STANDARDS. THE COUNTY ATTORNEY IS NOT PART OF THE NICOLLET COUNTY COMPENSATION PLAN, SO THE STATUTORY MINIMUM WAS USED IN THE ATTACHED RESOLUTION.
MR. CHAIRMAN, REQUESTING APPROVAL OF THE RESOLUTION ESTABLISHING THE MINIMUM SALARIES FOR THE OFFICE OF COUNTY SHERIFF AND COUNTY ATTORNEY FOR 2027.
DO YOU HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE.
ANY DISCUSSION? I WOULD JUST NOTE THAT IN 1960, STANDARD SEEMS DATED. EVEN THE ATTORNEYS WHO THINK ABOUT CHANGING THAT.
ALL RIGHT. WE HAVE A MOTION A SECOND.
WILL YOU PLEASE CALL THE ROLL? COMMISSIONER. DRANTTEL. YES.
[00:20:07]
NOW, THIS IS MOVING ON TO NEW INFORMATION FOR THE BOARD.THIS WAS CONSIDERATION. AMEND THAT LIMITED USE PERMIT AND RESOLUTION FOR A NON-MOTORIZED TRAIL IN LATE 2025. MNDOT NOTIFIED THE COUNTY OF THEIR GRANTING OF A LIMITED USE PERMIT FOR A NON-MOTORIZED TRAIL ALONG TRUNK HIGHWAY FOUR.
APPROXIMATELY 100FT OF THE TRAIL IS LOCATED WITHIN NICOLLET COUNTY AND ENTERS INTO FORT RIDGELY STATE PARK. THE REMAINING PORTION OF THE TRAIL IS LOCATED WITHIN RENVILLE COUNTY.
THE COUNTY APPROVED A SIMILAR ACTION WITH MNDOT IN JUNE OF 2024 ALONG HIGHWAY 14, WITH A REALIGNMENT PROCESS WITHIN YOUR PACKET.
EXHIBIT A AND PAGE 15, WHICH IS NUMBERED IN THE UPPER RIGHT CORNER OF. THE DOCUMENTS REPRESENT THE NICOLLET COUNTY TRAIL AREA, AND YOU CAN SEE THAT IT'S A VERY SMALL SECTION OF THE TRAIL WITHIN THE COUNTY.
THE PERMIT IS VALID FOR TEN YEARS AND WILL EXPIRE ON DECEMBER 9TH OF 2035.
MNDOT REQUIRES LIMITED USE PERMITS FOR CERTAIN NON-MOTORIZED ACTIVITIES ON STATE RIGHT OF WAYS TO MANAGE SAFETY, PREVENT PROPERTY PROPERTY DAMAGE, ENSURE LIABILITY COVERAGE AND MAINTAIN CONTROL OVER PUBLIC HIGHWAY PROPERTY FOR TRANSPORTATION PURPOSES.
EVEN FOR THINGS LIKE TRAIL MAINTENANCE OR TEMPORARY STRUCTURES.
MR. CHAIR, I AM REQUESTING APPROVAL OF THE LIMITED USE PERMIT FOR NON-MOTORIZED TRAIL AND RESOLUTION. DO YOU HAVE A MOTION? I'LL MAKE THE MOTION. I HAVE A SECOND.
SECOND DISCUSSION. SO THIS IS FOR 300FT.
IT'S A VERY SHORT DISTANCE, BUT MDOT DOES REQUIRE IT.
THERE'S RENVILLE COUNTY APPROVED THE REST.
THEY WILL TAKE CARE OF THE WHOLE PROCESS.
I'M NOT SURE IF THEY MADE IT TO THE END OF DECEMBER MEETING OR IF IT WOULD BE CONSIDERED TODAY. BUT YEAH, THEY DO HAVE A LARGE MAJORITY OF THE TRAIL.
RIGHT. FURTHER DISCUSSION? IF NOT, THIS ONE IS JUST A MOTION.
CORRECT. SO ALL IN FAVOR? AYE, AYE. MR. CHAIR, THERE DOESN'T THERE IS A RESOLUTION INCLUDED IN THE PACKET.
SORRY ABOUT THAT. YEP. LET'S DO THE ROLL CALL.
ALL RIGHT. IN. THE LAST ITEM I HAVE FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION IS THE ALLIANCE CONTRACTING INCORPORATED CONSTRUCTION AGREEMENT.
THE PURPOSE OF THIS AGREEMENT IS FOR PROFESSIONAL SERVICES, FOR ALLIANCE CONTRACTING, TO ACT AS THE PROJECT MANAGER AS A RESULT OF DAMAGE CAUSED BY A VEHICLE COLLISION TO THE NICOLLET COUNTY SERVICES BUILDING LOCATED IN NORTH MANKATO. THIS WILL INCLUDE THE SELECTIVE DEMOLITION AND REPAIR OF THE EAST ENTRANCE THAT HAS BEEN CLOSED SINCE EARLY 2025. FORMER FACILITIES MAINTENANCE DIRECTOR CODY JOHNSON HAS BEEN IN CONTACT WITH LHS ENGINEERING TO ENSURE A CODE COMPLIANT DESIGN AND REPAIR.
MR. JOHNSON ALSO IS IN CONTACT WITH MRT, THE COUNTY'S INSURANCE CARRIER, CONCERNING THE CLAIM THE SERVICES OF ALLIANCE CONTRACTING WILL BE REIMBURSED BY MRT.
MR. CHAIR, I AM REQUESTING APPROVAL OF THE ALLIANCE CONTRACTING, INC. CONSTRUCTION AGREEMENT.
I'LL MOVE IT. I HAVE A MOTION.
DO I HAVE A SECOND, SECOND DISCUSSION.
THIS HAS BEEN A LONG TIME COMING.
SO. ALL RIGHT. ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE.
[County Attorney Update]
THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. THE ONLY UPDATE THAT I HAVE IS WE HAVE A CONFERENCE ON PLAN FOR STAKEHOLDERS FOR EDUCATION SUCCESS.MARCH 4TH STARTING AT 830 AT GUSTAVUS.
YOU'RE ALL INVITED TO ATTEND THAT CONFERENCE.
PRESENTATIONS ON INTERNET AND EXPLOITATION OF CHILDREN AND COMMISSIONER HELGET WILL ALSO BE TALKING ABOUT SOME CURRICULUM FOR TEACHING HEALTHY BOUNDARIES AND RELATIONSHIPS FOR OUR YOUTH. SO THAT IS MY UPDATE TODAY.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT.
THE CHAIR'S REPORT. I HAVE NOTHING TO REPORT.
ALL RIGHT. LET'S GO TO COMMISSIONER COMMITTEE REPORTS, MEETINGS AND CONFERENCES. I HAVE
[Commissioner Committee Reports, Meetings & Conferences]
VERY LITTLE AS IT'S BASICALLY THE HOLIDAYS.OTHER THAN PERSONNEL. WE HAD A PERSONNEL COMMITTEE MEETING AND ATTENDED THE SHERIFF'S RETIREMENT. THE SHERIFF'S SWEARING IN, AND THAT'S IT.
I HAD A BOARD MEETING, BOARD WORKSHOP, REGION NINE FINANCE COMMITTEE
[00:25:02]
GIG. I MISSED THE SHERIFF'S RETIREMENT PARTY WITH VERTIGO, BUT I ATTENDED THE SWEARING IN OF THE SHERIFF.YES. THANK YOU. DIVERSITY FINANCE, THE SHERIFF RETIREMENT SPECIAL BOARD MEETING ON THE 22ND. WE WERE ALL THERE.
DIVERSITY. THE NEW SHERIFF SWEAR IN.
AND, OF COURSE, TODAY'S MEETING.
AND BEFORE I END, COULD I ASK MISS SASSENBERG IF SHE WOULD COME FORWARD? WE ALL RECEIVED THE NOTE FROM THE STATE HERE ON JANUARY 2ND ABOUT THE CHILD CARE ASSISTANCE PROGRAM AND THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT'S ACTIONS TO FREEZE MINNESOTA CHILD CARE PAYMENTS. I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE ARE A NUMBER OF DATES THAT ARE ATTACHED TO THIS. MISS SASSENBERG, AND IT'S CAUSED MUCH ALARM AND QUESTIONS THAT HAVE BEEN RAISED. THE FREEZING OF THE FUNDS.
CAN YOU GIVE US AN UPDATE IF THAT.
THOSE ACTIONS HAVE TAKEN PLACE FROM THE FEDS TO THE STATE TO AFFECTING US HERE AT HOME? CORRECT. I THINK THE INFORMATION THAT YOU SHARED IS THE MOST RECENT UPDATE THAT I WOULD HAVE IN TERMS OF FEDERAL FUNDING, WE ARE AWARE THAT THERE WOULD BE A FREEZE IN PLACE AND THAT MINNESOTA HAS BEEN REQUESTED TO PROVIDE DATA TO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO DETERMINE HOW TO BEST MOVE FORWARD.
ARE OTHER STATES BEING TARGETED IN THE SAME WAY? DO YOU KNOW? I AM NOT AWARE.
AND THEN THE FEDS HAVE STATED THE DEADLINE OF JANUARY 9TH FOR THE STATE TO PROVIDE THIS INFORMATION, WHICH IS FRIDAY.
SAYS IT MAY WITHHOLD THE CHILD CARE ASSISTANCE PROGRAM MONIES AND IMPOSE OTHER PENALTIES. THIS IN MY 29 YEARS SITTING ON THIS BOARD, I'VE NEVER HEARD OF THIS TYPE OF ACTIONS BEFORE BY A FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO A STATE GOVERNMENT THAT AFFECTS OUR FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS THAT WE LIVE WITH EVER.
IF YOU'RE LOOKING FOR SOME INFORMATION REGARDING LOCAL IMPACT, I DID PUT TOGETHER SOME STATISTICS.
ASSUMING THAT THIS MIGHT BE A QUESTION THAT WAS DISCUSSED THIS MORNING.
WE IN NICOLLET COUNTY, WE HAVE 125 CAP CASES, WHICH IS 147 CHILDREN WHO ARE ELIGIBLE TO RECEIVE THAT FUNDING.
THE FUNDS THAT WE EXPEND SO FAR IN 2025, WE'VE EXPENDED $471,066 OF FEDERAL FUNDS.
WITH OUR PROJECTED SPENDING THROUGH THE END OF THE YEAR HAVING BEEN $513,890, WE'RE PAYING 41 DAYCARES WITH THOSE FUNDS LARGELY ACROSS NICOLLET, BLUE, EARTH, BROWN AND LE SUEUR COUNTIES, BECAUSE WE ARE PAYING TO WHEREVER CHILDREN WHO QUALIFY FROM NICOLLET COUNTY ARE ABLE TO GO.
THE MAJORITY OF THOSE ARE LARGER CENTERS AND NOT THE FAMILY CHILD CARE CENTERS THAT WE LICENSE BECAUSE IT IS A VERY IT'S A PROGRAM THAT COMES WITH A LOT OF ADMINISTRATIVE BURDEN. SO A LOT OF OUR SMALLER CHILD CARE PROGRAMS DO NOT APPLY WELL.
I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO ASK THESE QUESTIONS.
AND I SHOULD HAVE KNOWN THAT CASSIE WAS GOING TO COME PREPARED.
WE APPRECIATE THAT. AND IF YOU CAN KEEP US UPDATED AND SHARING THIS INFORMATION AS IT COMES ALONG, THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO ALL OF US.
THANKS FOR THE TIME. THANK YOU.
COMMISSIONER. KOLARS. AND THANK YOU, CASSIE, FOR THE UPDATE. I HAD NICOLLET COUNTY COLLABORATIVE MEETING.
I HAD THE SHERIFF'S RETIREMENT CELEBRATION.
SHERIFF PETERSON, I AM SORRY I MISSED YOUR SWEARING IN.
I WAS ON GRANDPARENT DUTY, BUT I WAS THINKING ABOUT YOU.
AND WELCOME OFFICIALLY TO YOUR NEW ROLE.
IT WAS KIND OF QUIET. THERE YOU GO.
ALL RIGHT, ALL RIGHT. I ALSO HAD THE THE SHERIFF'S RETIREMENT CELEBRATION.
THE NEW SHERIFF'S SWEARING IN CELEBRATION, OUR SPECIAL COMMISSION MEETING.
AND I ALSO ATTENDED THE MAASAI EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEETING YESTERDAY.
SO. ALL RIGHT WITH THAT, THE NEXT MOTION IS TO APPROVE PER DIEMS AND
[Approve Per Diems and Expenses]
EXPENSES. I'LL MOVE IT.MR. CHAIR, DO I HAVE A SECOND? SECOND. MOTION AND SECOND.
ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE. MOTION CARRIES.
[00:30:02]
THE NEXT ITEM IS TO ADJOURN, SO WE'LL ADJOURN THE BOARD MEETING.[ Adjourn Board of Commissioners Meeting]
CAN WE BEGIN THE. OR DO WE NEED TO WAIT FOR CHRIS? WE NEED TO WAIT FOR PEOPLE TO GET HERE, RIGHT? WE DO HAVE A 10:00 PUBLIC HEARING SCHEDULED, SO THAT WOULD HAVE TO WAIT AT LEAST TILL 10:00. OKAY, SO I DON'T KNOW THAT.I THINK CHRIS JUST WALKED IN. CHRIS IS HERE SOMEWHERE. YEAH, HE JUST HE'S OUT THERE.
I JUST SEE HIM NOW. HE JUST. YEAH.
ALL RIGHT, SO LET'S TAKE A 15 MINUTE RECESS AND THEN WE'LL START THE MEETING.
AND THEN WE'LL DO OUR PUBLIC HEARING AT TEN.
GOOD MORNING. WE WILL CALL THE MEETING TO ORDER.
[Call Drainage Authority Meeting to Order: Chair]
FIRST ITEM ON THE AGENDA FOR THE APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA.THE AGENDA WAS PRESENTED TO YOU IN ADVANCE.
MOTION TO APPROVE. I MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE.
MOTION IN A SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE.
AYE. ALL RIGHT. APPROVAL OF CONSENT AGENDA, WHICH CONTAINS THE MINUTES FROM OUR LAST SESSION. MOTION TO APPROVE.
BY ALL APPEARANCES. I SEE NO PUBLIC.
SO WE'LL CONTINUE ON TO OUR PUBLIC WORKS ON.
GOOD MORNING, MR. CHAIR. MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
ONE ITEM FROM PUBLIC WORKS IS TO PROVIDE A COUNTY DITCH 86 REPAIR PROJECT UPDATE.
SO I HAVE WITH ME TODAY CHRIS HOUGHTON WITH HOUSTON ENGINEERING, AND HE'S GOING TO BE PROVIDING THE UPDATE ON THE STATUS OF THE COUNTY DITCH 86, A PUMP CONTROL BUILDING REPAIR PROJECT AND THE PUMP CHAMBER REPAIR PROJECT.
SO JUST AS A REMINDER, WE HAD TWO DIFFERENT CONTRACTS FOR THIS.
WE HAD ONE CONTRACT JUST FOR THAT BUILDING AND ONE FOR THE REST OF THE PUMP STATION REPAIRS. THE BUILDING, AS YOU MAY CALL, HAS A SINGULAR PURPOSE.
AND THAT PURPOSE IS TO PROVIDE ESSENTIALLY A RAINWATER BARRIER TO THE EXISTING BUILDING THAT'S THERE THAT HAS HAD ISSUES WITH HAVING WATER LEAKING INTO IT, WHICH OF COURSE, BEING AN ELECTRICAL BUILDING IS NOT A GOOD THING.
SO WE HAD THE CONTRACTOR GET STARTED WITH THE PROJECT.
THEY DID RUN INTO DIFFICULTIES DURING THE PROJECT.
ONE OF THE BIG DIFFICULTIES WAS AS THERE WERE HYDRO DRILLING THE HOLES OUT FOR THE POLES THEY KEPT ENCOUNTERING ELECTRICAL LINES, CONDUITS RUNNING OVER TO THE PUMP STATION.
SO THEY HAD TO SHIFT MOVE OVER THE PILINGS AND OR I SHOULD SAY THE POLES SO THAT THEY COULD GET IT AROUND THE CONDUITS AND THAT AS WE WORK THROUGH THE PROJECT AND I'LL JUST NOTE THEM THAT THEY DID HAVE A STRUCTURAL ENGINEER INVOLVED THAT VERIFIED THE MODIFIED METHODS THAT THEY USE TO BUILD THE BUILDING, BASED ON HAVING TO MOVE THOSE POLES AROUND A LITTLE BIT.
AS THEY BUILT THE PROJECT AND COMPLETED IT, THEY PUT IN AN APPLICATION TO GET PAID.
AND SO WE DID A PUNCH LIST INSPECTION.
ON THAT PUNCH LIST INSPECTION, WE DID FIND DEFICIENCIES OUT THERE.
WE FOUND SEVEN DIFFERENT DEFICIENCIES THAT WE'VE INDICATED IN A PUNCH LIST SIX OF WHICH HAVE LED TO SNOW BLOWING INTO THE BUILDING.
THOSE INCLUDED NOT HAVING MATERIALS TO BRING THE GRADE UP INSIDE THE BUILDING.
SO BASICALLY YOU HAVE AN AIR GAP THAT'S ALLOWING WIND TO BLOW SNOW IN THERE.
THEY ALSO HAVE AN AIR GAP UP AT THE TOP THAT WAS CREATED BY A MODIFICATION THEY MADE TO HOW THE ALIGNMENT OF THE PURLINS WERE AT THE TOP TO HOLD THE ROOF STRUCTURE ON.
SO THEY'VE GOT A FEW THINGS TO MODIFY WITH THAT REGARD.
WE ASKED THEM TO PROVIDE FIXES TO THIS, AND THEY DID GET BACK TO US LAST NIGHT WITH FIXES TO FIVE OUT OF THE SIX ITEMS. WE'RE GOING TO GET THEM REVIEWED BY AN INDEPENDENT PARTY TO TAKE A LOOK AND SEE IF THESE FIXES ARE APPROPRIATE, AND THEN WE'LL PROCEED TO HAVE THEM COMPLETE THOSE FIXES. THE SEVENTH ITEM THAT WE IDENTIFIED WAS AS WE'RE LOOKING AT THE BUILDING, YOU CAN ACTUALLY SEE IN THE ROOF LINE THAT THE TRIM IS SKEWED FROM THE ROOF SHEETING ENOUGH THAT THE TRIM ACTUALLY GOES OVER ONE OF THE RIBS OF THE ROOF.
AND SO WE LOOKED IN THERE AND DID A MEASUREMENT FROM POLE TO POLE UP AT THE TOP BECAUSE AGAIN, WE CAN'T MEASURE DIAGONALLY AT THE BOTTOM BECAUSE THE BUILDING'S IN A WAY.
[00:35:02]
SO WE DID THAT MEASUREMENT AND FOUND THAT THE BUILDING IS ACTUALLY TEN INCHES OUT OF SQUARE. THIS THE BUILDING BEING OUT OF SQUARE IS NOT A STRUCTURAL DEFICIENCY.IT STILL PROVIDES THE SAME FUNCTION.
IT'S JUST THAT WE DO HAVE COSMETIC DEVIATIONS IN THE ROOF LINE WHERE AGAIN, THE TRIM IS NOT IN ALIGNMENT WITH THE ROOF.
AND AGAIN, WE SEE THIS AS A COSMETIC ITEM.
IT DOESN'T MODIFY THE FUNCTION OF THE BUILDING.
THE BIG THING AGAIN WE'RE TRYING TO ADDRESS IS THE WIND AND THE SNOW, RAIN BLOWING INTO THE BUILDING THROUGH THE GAPS.
AND WE'RE GOING TO BE GETTING THOSE CORRECTED. BUT JUST WANTED TO UPDATE YOU ON THAT. AND THEN ONCE THE BUILDING IS COMPLETED TO THE SATISFACTION OF US AND SATISFACTION OF THE COUNTY STAFF, THEN WE'LL BE ISSUING A RECOMMENDATION TO PAY FOR THE BUILDING AT THAT TIME. UPDATE ON THE PUMP STATION.
THERE THE MATERIALS FOR THE GATE.
THEY'VE BEEN ORDERED QUITE A LONG WHILE BACK.
WE'VE RIGHT NOW THEY'VE SAID THAT THEY ANTICIPATED DELIVERY DATE OF AROUND MARCH OR APRIL. AND THEN THE CONTRACTOR WOULD MOVE FORWARD WITH INSTALLATION AFTER THAT.
AND THEY ARE NOT MOVING FORWARD WITH ANY OF THE OTHER WORK AT THIS TIME UNTIL THEY CAN ACTUALLY GET THAT DONE.
AND CERTAINLY THERE MAY NEED TO BE SOME TIME AFTER THAT TO ALLOW THE PUMP TO PUMP THE DITCH DOWN IN THE SPRINGTIME IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO SAFELY COMPLETE THE WORK THAT THEY'RE DOING. GREAT. QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FOR YOU, MR. CHAIR, IF I MAY? YOU SAID THAT THE TWO, A COUPLE OF THE DEFICIENCIES OBVIOUSLY WERE GAPS IN THE FLOOR AND THEN A GAP IN THE ROOF OR WHATEVER.
CORRECT. IN TERMS OF THE DAY DO YOU HAVE A TIMELINE ON HIS REPAIR FOR ANY OF THIS STUFF OR I GUESS, I DON'T KNOW WHAT RECALL IF THERE WAS A TIMELINE IN TERMS OF COMPLETION OF THE PROJECT, WHEN IT NEEDED TO BE COMPLETE OR IF THERE WAS A.
THEY'RE ALREADY PAST THEIR COMPLETION DEADLINE AT THIS POINT, SO WE'RE GOING TO SET A DATE CERTAIN THAT THEY NEED TO COMPLETE THESE FIXES.
AND IF THEY'RE NOT COMPLETED BY THAT DATE, THEN WE'LL HAVE TO LOOK TO POTENTIALLY TERMINATE THE CONTRACT.
YEAH, I GUESS THAT WAS MY QUESTION.
I MEAN, WE HAVE, WE DO HAVE SOME TIMELINES IN PLACE AND HE AND I COULD HAVE SOME MONETARY PENALTIES IMPOSED ON HIM DUE TO NOT MAKING THOSE TIMELINES OR I DON'T KNOW.
I CAN'T REMEMBER IF THE CONTRACT HAD LIQUIDATED DAMAGES IN IT.
IT'S A VERY SMALL CONTRACT, BUT THE CONTRACTOR IS GROSSLY BEHIND SCHEDULE ON COMPLETION DATE. THE COMPLETION DATE WAS THE END OF OCTOBER.
THE CONTRACTOR, I'LL BE BLUNT, HAS BEEN VERY POOR ON BEING TIMELY AND RESPONSIVENESS. AND THIS HAS GOTTEN TO BE A REAL FRUSTRATION.
AND WE QUITE FRANKLY, WE SHOULDN'T BE IN THIS SPOT AT THIS POINT.
BUT THE CONTRACTOR HAS PUT US SQUARELY WHERE WE'RE WHERE WE'RE AT.
YEAH, UNFORTUNATELY, WE'LL WE'LL BE LEFT WITH I MEAN, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY IT'S IT'S GOOD TO KNOW.
I MEAN, AGAIN, SOME OF THIS IS COSMETIC AND I DON'T KNOW THAT.
I MEAN, COSMETICS AREN'T THAT IMPORTANT OUT THERE IN THAT PARTICULAR ENVIRONMENT IS IT'S NOT AS IMPORTANT AS AS FUNCTIONALITY THAT IT IS WIND AND WATERPROOF AS IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE. IT'S UNFORTUNATE, ONCE AGAIN, THAT WE'RE IN THIS SITUATION THAT WE'LL HAVE TO DEAL WITH COMPLAINTS OF THE BUILDING BEING, YOU KNOW, EVEN THOUGH IT MAY BE ADEQUATE TO SERVE ITS PURPOSES.
IT. THAT WILL BE USED AS A LEVER AGAINST US TO SAY THAT YOU KNOW THAT IT'S.
IF IT DOESN'T LOOK GOOD, IT'S NOT GOING TO WORK.
GOOD TYPE OF DEAL. AND THAT'S GOING TO BE TOUGH TO HAVE TO DEAL WITH.
AND I DON'T KNOW IF WE ARE GOING TO MAKE SOME.
I DON'T KNOW IF WE HAVE ANY TEETH IN THERE. AS YOU SAID, IT'S A SMALL PROJECT. SO I MEAN HOW MUCH HOW MUCH TEETH DO WE HAVE IN THERE THAT TO PENALIZE THEM FOR HARD TO BELIEVE A BUILDING THAT'S WHAT 15 BY 15 OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
YEAH, I THINK IT WAS 19 BY 2019 BY 20 AND TEN INCHES OUT OF SQUARE.
THAT'S REALLY YOU ALMOST HAVE TO TRY TO DO THAT.
I COULD SEE WITH SOME OF THE PROBLEMS WITH, YOU KNOW, HAVING A BUILDING UNDERNEATH IT TO BEGIN WITH. IT'S HARD TO TO SQUARE THE BASE BECAUSE YOU CAN'T DIAGONALLY MEASURE IT, AS YOU SAID, DOWN BELOW WHERE THEY'RE GETTING STARTED.
SO YEAH, THAT WAS A CHALLENGE.
AND THEN DRILLING AROUND WIRES PROBABLY ADDED TO THAT PROBLEM.
I MEAN, I'LL GIVE THEM THAT, YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? THAT PROBABLY WAS A LITTLE BIT TOUGH TO WORK AROUND, BUT IT'S JUST TERRIBLY UNFORTUNATE.
AND WE'LL FIND OURSELVES IN A SITUATION.
[00:40:02]
HAVE TO DEAL WITH CONSTITUENT COMPLAINTS.HAVE WE EXPENDED ANY FUNDS ON THIS? WELL, THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION. WE HAVE NOT PAID ANYTHING ON THIS PROJECT.
AND IF THE CONTRACTOR DOES NOT, YOU KNOW, MAKE FIXES AND REPAIRS TO OUR SATISFACTION. WE HAVE THOSE FUNDS AVAILABLE TO HIRE SOMEBODY THAT CAN RECTIFY THE ISSUE AND PROVIDE THE PROJECT THAT, THAT THE SYSTEM DESERVES.
MAY I ASK A COUPLE QUESTIONS? THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE TODAY AND FOR THE UPDATE. CAN I GET SOME CLARIFICATION ON THE WIND AND THE SNOW? SO ARE YOU SAYING THAT THE WIND AND THE SNOW IS BLOWING? UNDER THE NEW BUILDING AND THEN ALSO STILL INTO THE OLD BUILDING WHERE ALL OF THE ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT IS INTO THE NEW BUILDING.
SO WE'RE SEEING ESSENTIALLY DRIFTS OF SNOW AT THE BASE DRIFTS, SNOW AT THE TOP OF THE BUILDING THAT WHERE IT'S COME IN THROUGH THOSE GAPS.
AND THEN WE'VE EVEN SEEN SNOW BLOWING ONTO THE ROOF OF THE OLD BUILDING SITTING ON TOP THERE. OKAY. I'M NOT AWARE THAT WE'VE SEEN LEAKAGE INTO THE OLD BUILDING, BUT I'M NOT CERTAIN OF THAT.
OKAY. OKAY. YEAH. AND JUST A REMINDER, THERE ARE A LOT OF EYES ON THIS PROJECT AND THERE WILL CONTINUE TO BE.
SO WE REALLY NEED TO GET THIS RIGHT.
HOW YOU DOING? GOOD. GOOD TO SEE YOU.
SOMEONE TO HELP YOU. I GOT ACTUALLY WELDED THE FRAME.
OH, REALLY? OH, THAT'S SO COOL.
YEAH. THAT'S COOL. I'LL HAVE TO ADMIT.
THERE'S A SECTION THAT'S GOOD I THOUGHT PEOPLE WERE GOING FOR A PARTY. YEAH. BUT ANYWAY, SO I JUST WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW REALLY QUICKLY. SOMETIMES YOU HAVE TO REPLACE THE BARTLEBAUGH AND SEEING THERAPY SESSIONS ATTACHED TO. THE SAME SOLAR LIGHTS.
SAME SOLAR PANELS. SO HOW DID YOU ATTACH THEM? WELL, THEY JUST SLID OUT SO THEY CAN SLIDE OFF. OH THAT'S CRAZY.
COOL PIECES OF ANOTHER ONE THERE, BUT NOBODY FEELS ANYMORE.
I'M GOING TO OPEN THE HEARING.
OKAY. THIS TIME I'D LIKE TO OPEN THE HEARING FOR THE PUBLIC OR THE ENGINEERS.
REPORT ON COUNTY DITCH NUMBER 61.
WE'LL HAVE SOME OPENING REMARKS FROM OUR JACKIE KOPET.
THANK YOU. GOOD MORNING, MR. CHAIR. MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
[00:45:01]
A PETITION FOR IMPROVEMENT IN NICOLLET COUNTY DITCH, 61, WAS SUBMITTED TO THE NICOLLET COUNTY PUBLIC SERVICE OFFICE ON AUGUST 9TH, 2024. ON SEPTEMBER 10TH, 2024, THE DRAINAGE AUTHORITY ACCEPTED THE PETITION AND APPOINTED CHRIS OTTERNESS, ENGINEER OF HOUSTON ENGINEERING, AS THE ENGINEER RESPONSIBLE FOR PREPARING THE PRELIMINARY ENGINEER'S REPORT.ON JULY 8TH, 2025, THE DRAINAGE AUTHORITY HELD THE PRELIMINARY ENGINEER'S REPORT HEARING AND ORDERED THE ENGINEER TO PREPARE THE FINAL ENGINEER'S REPORT AND APPOINT THE VIEWERS TO THE PROJECT.
ON OCTOBER 6TH, 2025, CHRIS OTTERNESS OF HOUSTON ENGINEERING SUBMITTED THE FINAL ENGINEER'S REPORT.
ON DECEMBER 10TH, A LANDOWNER INFORMATIONAL MEETING WAS HELD AT THE NICOLLET COUNTY COMMISSIONERS ROOM. SEVERAL LANDOWNERS ATTENDED THAT MEETING, AS WELL AS THE ENGINEER AND THE VIEWERS.
NOTICE FOR THIS PUBLIC HEARING WAS GIVEN BY MAIL TO ALL LANDOWNERS ON DECEMBER 9TH, 2025. POSTED DECEMBER 9TH, 2025 AND PUBLISHED IN THE COUNTY NEWSPAPER ON DECEMBER 11TH, 18TH AND 29TH.
SO, THE PURPOSE OF TODAY'S HEARING IS TO REVIEW THE FINAL ENGINEER'S REPORT, THE DNR RESPONSE LETTER, THE VIEWER'S REPORT, AND TAKE STATEMENTS FROM ALL PARTIES TO DETERMINE WHETHER TO PROCEED WITH THE PROJECT OR DISMISS THE PROJECT.
AT THIS TIME, I'D LIKE TO CALL UP CHRIS AS THE ENGINEER TO PROVIDE THE FINAL ENGINEER'S REPORT.
MEMBERS OF THE BOARD. I'LL BE GOING OVER A FEW DIFFERENT ITEMS TODAY HERE IN MY PRESENTATION. FIRST TALKING ABOUT WHAT THE PROJECT ACTUALLY IS, HOW IT CAME ABOUT. TALKING ABOUT THE OVERALL FEASIBILITY OF THE PROJECT, THE EFFECTIVENESS OF IT, INCLUDING IN THIS AS A DISCUSSION AS REQUIRED UNDER STATUTE 103 EO AND FIVE REGARDING ENVIRONMENTAL CONSIDERATIONS THAT NEED TO BE COMPLETED. AND THEN I'LL TALK ABOUT THE COST OF THE PROJECT.
THIS PROJECT IS LOCATED IN CORTLAND TOWNSHIP, SECTIONS THREE, 34 AND 35.
YOU CAN SEE ON THE MAP HERE THE DRAINAGE SYSTEM IS SHOWN IN RED.
IT CONSISTS OF A MAIN TRUNK AND SEVERAL BRANCHES.
THE PETITION PROJECT ONLY CONSISTS OF WORK ON THE MAIN TRUNK OF THE DRAINAGE SYSTEM.
AND MAIN TRUNK DOES FLOW GENERALLY TO THE NORTHEAST INTO SWAN LAKE.
SYSTEM WAS ORIGINALLY CONSTRUCTED IN 1916 AND ESTABLISHED A COUPLE OF YEARS AT THAT TIME, 1918. THE THE SYSTEM IS NEARLY 100% TILE.
IT'S ONLY THE LAST 300FT OR SO OF THE SYSTEM.
THERE'S AN OPEN CHANNEL THAT GOES DIRECTLY INTO SWAN LAKE.
DRAINAGE AREA IS ABOUT 726 ACRES OR 1.1MI².
THE PETITION CAME ABOUT DUE TO THE FACT THAT THE DRAINAGE SYSTEM IS A COMBINATION OF UNDERSIZED AND IT IS IN VERY POOR CONDITION.
TILE IS NOW OVER 100 YEARS OLD.
LIKE MANY TILE SYSTEMS OF THIS VINTAGE, IT IS PAST ITS FUNCTIONAL LIFE.
PARTICULARLY WHEN YOU HAVE TILE SYSTEMS THAT ARE FAIRLY SHALLOW, LIKE THIS ONE IS THEY'RE EVEN MORE SUSCEPTIBLE TO DAMAGE OVER TIME.
AND YOU CAN SEE BY THE PHOTOS ON HERE, WE'VE GOT JOINTS THAT ARE OFFSET.
WE'VE GOT SOME AREAS THAT HAVE STARTED COLLAPSING.
AND BECAUSE OF THIS, THERE IS A SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT OF INEFFICIENCY OF THE DRAINAGE SYSTEM THAT WASN'T PRESENT WHEN IT WAS ORIGINALLY CONSTRUCTED.
SO THE FUNCTION OF THE DRAINAGE SYSTEM IS PROBABLY LESS THAN HALF OF WHAT IT WAS BACK WHEN IT WAS ORIGINALLY CONSTRUCTED.
THE DRAINAGE COEFFICIENT OF THE DRAINAGE SYSTEM AS IT WAS ORIGINALLY CONSTRUCTED WAS LESS THAN 1/12 OF AN INCH PER DAY, MEANING IF YOU HAD A RUNOFF OVER THAT
[00:50:03]
DRAINAGE AREA ONLY 1/12 OF AN INCH OF RUNOFF OVER EACH SQUARE FOOT OF LAND IN THAT AREA WOULD BE ABLE TO DRAIN OFF IN A 24 HOUR PERIOD.THIS IS CONSIDERED TO BE INADEQUATE FOR MODERN FARMING PRACTICES.
AND SO THE PETITION IS TO IMPROVE THE DRAINAGE SYSTEM TO A HALF INCH PER DAY, WHICH IS WHAT THE NRC'S RECOMMENDED STANDARD IS.
AGAIN, THIS IS ON THE MAIN TRUNK ONLY.
NONE OF THE BRANCHES OF THE SYSTEM WERE INCLUDED IN THE PETITION.
SO WE DID COMPLETE SOME SITE SURVEY IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE TELEVISING THAT OCCURRED OUT THERE. WE ALSO RELY UPON STATE WIDE LIDAR TO PROVIDE US TOPOGRAPHY AND HOW THINGS DRAIN TO THE SYSTEM AND OVERALL DRAINAGE AREAS TO DIFFERENT POINTS.
AND IT HELPS US DO THE SIZING.
SO AS WE DESIGN THE SYSTEM AT THAT HALF INCH PER DAY THE TILE SIZE WENT FROM YOU KNOW, THE CURRENT SIZES BEING FROM 10IN TO 18IN.
AND NOW THE PROPOSED SIZES WOULD BE RANGING FROM 15IN AT THE UPSTREAM END DOWN TO 36IN AT THE DOWNSTREAM END. THE PROPOSED PROJECT WOULD INCLUDE RECONNECTION OF ALL THE PUBLIC BRANCHES OR LATERALS OF THE DRAINAGE SYSTEM, AS WELL AS ANY OF THE PRIVATE LATERALS THAT EACH OF THE LANDOWNERS HAS CONSTRUCTED ALONG THE SYSTEM.
THERE ARE SOME INLETS ALONG THE SYSTEM ALREADY.
WE WOULD BE REPLACING THOSE INLETS AND THEN ADDING NEW INLETS WHERE WE'VE IDENTIFIED LOWERS IN THE SYSTEM, WHERE IT WOULD PROVIDE ADDITIONAL EFFICIENCY TO ADD AN INLET. THE OLD TILE THAT IS THERE RIGHT NOW, THE OLD MAIN TRUNK WILL BE TAKEN OUT OF SERVICE.
IT WILL NO LONGER BE CONSIDERED TO BE FUNCTIONAL.
IN OUR REPORT WE DID INCLUDE A TABLE SHOWING HOW WE DETERMINED THE SIZES, INCLUDING THE DRAINAGE AREA TO EACH AND WHAT THAT MEANS FOR A DRAINAGE COEFFICIENT.
AGAIN WE LOOK AT BOTH EXISTING CONDITIONS AND EXISTING CONDITIONS, MEANING HOW IT WAS ORIGINALLY CONSTRUCTED VERSUS PROPOSED CONDITIONS.
ONE UNIQUE ASPECT OF THIS PROJECT IS THE FACT THAT IT ALL FITS INTO A LAKE THAT DOES HAVE SOME BOUNCE TO IT, AND WE ARE LIMITED BY THE GRADE ON THE SYSTEM.
THERE ARE I SHOULD SAY THE LAND ALONG THE SYSTEM IS RELATIVELY FLAT, WHICH MEANS THAT TILE ALSO HAS TO BE FAIRLY FLAT.
AND BECAUSE OF THIS, WE'RE KIND OF COMPROMISED BETWEEN YOU KNOW, GETTING GRADE ON THE SYSTEM AND THEN HAVING THE WATER BACKING UP INTO THE END OF THE PIPE FROM SWAN LAKE. SO IF WE LOOK AT YOU KNOW, WATER LEVELS THAT WE TOOK DURING OUR SURVEY, WE FOUND THAT THE WATER LEVELS YOU KNOW, ARE ACTUALLY UP INTO THE BOTTOM OF THE EXISTING PIPE, AS YOU CAN SEE SHOWN ON THE PHOTO HERE.
SO WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO IS MATCH THAT ELEVATION OR SLIGHTLY LOWER WITH THE NEW PIPE KNOWING THAT WE HAVE A BIGGER SIZE, BUT, KNOWING THAT WE CAN'T REALLY CAN'T LOWER THAT PIPE ANY LOWER TO GET.
GRADE BECAUSE OF THE ELEVATION OF THE LAKE.
AND BECAUSE OF THOSE LIMITATIONS, WE DO HAVE.
SOME AREAS UPSTREAM THAT ARE, THAT HAVE SHALLOW COVER.
AND ONE OF THOSE IS JUST NORTH OF 460TH LANE.
ON THAT FIELD THE COVER IS FAIRLY MINIMAL OVER THE PIPE AS IT IS, WE GENERALLY NEED TO. HAVE A MINIMUM OF THREE FOOT COVER OVER THE PIPE BOTH TO PREVENT PIPE BEING DAMAGED BY. TILLAGE EQUIPMENT AND TO PROVIDE ENOUGH MATERIAL THERE TO KEEP THE PIPE FROM FLOATING. UP.
PARTICULARLY IF YOU WERE TO GET SOME RAINS THAT CAUSE WATER TO GET IN THE PORES OF THE.
LAND THAT DOES TEND TO TRY TO CAUSE PILING TO PUSH UP IF YOU DON'T HAVE ENOUGH COVER.
SO WHAT WE'RE PROPOSING HERE IN THIS CASE IS TO BRING SOME SOIL INTO THIS AREA, OVER THE PIPE AREA, AND THEN FEATHERING IT OUT TO EITHER SIDE TO PROVIDE THAT ADEQUATE COVER OVER THE PIPE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DON'T HAVE ISSUES WITH THAT PIPE FLOATING OR BEING DAMAGED IN THE FUTURE.
ANOTHER AREA THAT WAS OF CONCERN IS SOUTH OF 460TH LANE.
IN THE PRELIMINARY ENGINEERS REPORT, WE HAD RECOMMENDED CONVERTING THIS AREA FROM
[00:55:05]
TILE TO OPEN CHANNEL. AFTER VISITING THE SITE AFTER THAT PRELIMINARY ENGINEER'S REPORT AND THEN TALKING WITH THE LANDOWNERS, WE HAD CONCEPTUALIZED A FEW DIFFERENT ALTERNATIVES IN THIS AREA.AND THE ALTERNATIVE WE LANDED UPON WAS TO REALIGN THE PIPE OVER TO THE WEST PROPERTY LINE ACROSS 460TH LANE AND THEN ALONG THE TOWNSHIP ROAD RIGHT OF WAY BACK OVER TO THE CURRENT MAIN TRUNK ALIGNMENT.
AND SO BY REALIGNING THE DRAINAGE SYSTEM IN THIS AREA, WE CAN AVOID HAVING SHALLOW COVER AREA THAT EXIST IN THIS AREA WHERE WE'RE ALREADY SEEING A NUMBER OF FAILURES. AND I DID CREATE A SHORT REPORT AFTER VISITING THE SITE ON THE FAILURES THAT I NOTICED OUT HERE, SOME OF THOSE FAILURES WERE ON THAT MAIN TRUNK, WHICH AGAIN, WE'RE PROPOSING TO REPLACE THE FUNCTION OF WITH THIS IMPROVEMENT. WE ALSO DID FIND SOME SIGNIFICANT FAILURES ALONG BRANCH TWO IN THIS PROPERTY, WHERE BRANCH TWO IS GOING THROUGH THE WETLAND AREA THAT HAS A VERY MINIMAL COVER ON IT. AND SO WHAT WE'RE RECOMMENDING AS PART OF THE IMPROVEMENT IS TO CRUSH AND DECOMMISSION THE PIPE THAT'S SHOWN KIND OF IN THAT CREAM COLOR ON THE GRAPHIC.
THAT WOULD BE THE AREA WHERE THE MAIN TRUNK WOULD NO LONGER BE NEEDED TO CONVEY WATER.
AND THEN THE GREEN LINES ON THE MAP THAT IS WOULD IT BE CONSIDERED B BRANCH TO AT LEAST THE PORTION THAT'S GOING DIAGONALLY FROM NORTHWEST TO SOUTHEAST? THAT CONNECTS CURRENTLY UP INTO THE MAIN TRUNK, WHICH GOES DIAGONALLY TOWARD THE NORTHEAST.
AND WHAT WE PROPOSE HERE, BECAUSE THAT BRANCH TWO STILL NEEDS AN OUTLET, WE WOULD CONTINUE TO HAVE FLOW GO THROUGH BRANCH TWO IN THE MAIN TRUNK.
BUT WE DO NOTE THAT SEPARATE FROM THE IMPROVEMENT, A REPAIR DOES NEED TO OCCUR IN THIS AREA.
I'LL DISCUSS NOW THE OVERALL BENEFIT OF THE PROJECT.
WE HAVE IDENTIFIED THAT THE PROJECT WILL REDUCE MAINTENANCE COSTS INTO THE FUTURE, AND NOW THERE'S A SIGNIFICANT MAINTENANCE NEED, AS I JUST MENTIONED HERE ALONG THE DRAINAGE SYSTEM.
AND PUTTING A NEW TILE IN WILL REDUCE THAT MAINTENANCE COST FOR QUITE A LONG TIME.
IT WILL INCREASE DRAINAGE FUNCTION NEAR THE PROJECT AND THOSE PROPERTIES THAT ARE SERVED BY THE PROJECT AREA IT WILL REDUCE SEDIMENT DELIVERY TO TO THE LAKE, WHICH IS IMPORTANT TO NOTE, ESPECIALLY AS WE TALK ABOUT ENVIRONMENTAL CONSIDERATIONS. IT'S ONE OF THE THINGS WE NEED TO LOOK AT IS WHAT THE EFFECT OF THE PROJECT WOULD BE ON WATER QUALITY.
AND THIS SHOULD PROVIDE AN IMPROVEMENT IN WATER QUALITY DOWNSTREAM BECAUSE WE ARE GOING TO HAVE FEWER OF THOSE TILE FAILURES THAT SEND SEDIMENT DOWNSTREAM.
AND THEN WE WILL HAVE REDUCED THE DURATION OF CROP FLOODING.
AND THAT'S AGAIN, ONE OF THE MAIN PURPOSES OF THIS PROJECT IS TO REDUCE THAT CROP FLOODING.
THAT'S REALLY FOR SMALLER RAINFALL EVENTS, SMALLER AND MORE FREQUENT ONES.
SO WE'RE ADDRESSING, YOU KNOW, RAINFALLS THAT, YOU KNOW, RANGE, YOU KNOW, ANYWHERE FROM YOU KNOW, A 10TH OF AN INCH UP TO TWO AND A HALF OR THREE INCHES.
WHEN YOU START TO GET MORE THAN THAT, THEN YOU KNOW, THESE TILES AREN'T DESIGNED TO HANDLE, YOU KNOW, TEN YEAR OR 100 YEAR RAINFALL EVENTS.
WE DID LOOK AT SOME OTHER ALTERNATIVES.
AND THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE'RE REQUIRED TO DO UNDER THE STATUTE. SO WE LOOKED AT, WELL, WHAT HAPPENED IF WE DIDN'T DO AN IMPROVEMENT, WE COULD, YOU KNOW, ESSENTIALLY DO NOTHING, WHICH IS DOES NOT MEET THE PROJECT PURPOSE AND IS NOT SUSTAINABLE.
COULD ALSO DO A REPAIR, WHICH REPAIR UNDER THE STATUTE MEANS YOU'RE REPLACING THE EXISTING TILE WITH THE EQUIVALENT SIZE TILE THAT PROVIDE A SIMILAR CAPACITY. LOOKING AT THAT, THAT ALSO DOESN'T SOLVE SOME OF THE ISSUES HERE WITH THE CURRENT TILE AS IT IS BEING UNDERSIZED.
OTHER ALTERNATIVES CONSIDERED WERE A STORAGE ALTERNATIVE WE LOOK TO SEE.
COULD THERE BE STORAGE ADDED TO THE LANDSCAPE THAT COULD PROVIDE A.
DUAL FUNCTION OF REDUCING TILE SIZE DOWNSTREAM AND POTENTIALLY REDUCING PROJECT COSTS AND PROVIDING IMPROVED WATER QUALITY DOWNSTREAM? LOOKING AT SUCH AN ALTERNATIVE, THERE REALLY ISN'T A PLACE THAT WOULD FIT THIS WHERE WE COULD DAYLIGHT THE TILE AND NOT REDUCE THE FUNCTION THAT'S CURRENTLY PROVIDED
[01:00:01]
BY THE DRAINAGE SYSTEM.AND SO FINALLY, THE ONLY ALTERNATIVE WE CONSIDER THAT REALLY IS FEASIBLE TO MEET THE NEEDS OF THE LANDOWNERS IS THE PREFERRED ALTERNATIVE, WHICH IS THAT HALF INCH DRAINAGE COEFFICIENT ALTERNATIVE THAT WE ARE RECOMMENDING.
IMPORTANT THING TO NOTE. THAT THERE CAN BE OTHER BMPS THAT CAN BE PURSUED OUTSIDE OF THE SCOPE OF THE IMPROVEMENT PROJECT.
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE'RE ENCOURAGED TO CONSIDER BY THE DNR AND SOMETHING THAT WE DO HAVE TO LOOK AT UNDER THE STATUTE OF WHETHER OR NOT THINGS CAN BE DONE IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE PROJECT. AND CERTAINLY WOSCOPS AND OTHER WATER QUALITY ITEMS CAN BE COMPLETED, BUT IT REALLY DOESN'T FIT OR MAKE SENSE TO DO IT IN CONJUNCTION WITH THIS PROJECT.
SOME OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL CONSIDERATIONS THAT WE ARE REQUIRED TO LOOK AT UNDER THE STATUTE INCLUDE WHETHER THE OUTLET IS ADEQUATE.
IN THIS CASE, WE'RE SOMEWHAT FORTUNATE HERE THAT THE OUTLET IS A LARGE WATER BODY, SWAN LAKE. AND SO BECAUSE OF THAT LARGE WATER BODY, THE EFFECT OF THE PROJECT IS VERY MINIMAL.
WE DID MODEL THIS AND THE MAXIMUM INCREASE THAT WE COULD PROVIDE TO THE LAKE.
WITH A MAX FLOW EVENT, IT WOULD BE ONLY THREE HUNDREDTHS OF AN INCH AGAIN, BECAUSE THAT LARGE SIZE OF THE LAKE COMPARED TO OUR DRAINAGE AREA.
SO THE OUTLET WE HAVE DETERMINED IS ADEQUATE.
I MENTIONED REGARDING THE MAIN TRUNK OUTLET ALREADY SOME OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL CONSIDERATIONS THAT WERE REQUIRED TO LOOK AT WE HAVE TO LOOK AT THE POTENTIAL FOR EFFECT ON WETLANDS OF THE PROJECT.
WE DID REVIEW THE NATIONAL WETLAND INVENTORY AND DID AN AERIAL REVIEW OF THE PROJECT AREA.
THERE ARE SOME WETLANDS THAT ARE LOCATED WITHIN THE PROJECT AREA.
HOWEVER THIS PROJECT DOES NOT HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO PROVIDE WETLAND IMPACT.
THAT WOULD BE EXEMPT OR ARE CONSIDERED A LOSS UNDER THE STATUTE.
PART OF THE REASON THAT WE'RE ABLE TO AVOID WETLANDS IS THE FACT THAT WE ARE DOING THE REALIGNMENT AROUND THAT ONE LARGE WETLAND COMPLEX SOUTH OF 460TH LANE.
THAT CERTAINLY WILL HELP WITH AVOIDING WETLAND IMPACTS.
ONE IMPORTANT THING TO NOTE IS THAT WE DO CONSIDER IMPACTS UNDER WETLAND CONSERVATION ACT AND THE CLEAN WATER ACT, HOWEVER, THE LANDOWNER THEMSELVES ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR SWAMP BUSTER COMPLIANCE, SO THEY NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE CONSIDERING WHETHER OR NOT THEY HAVE WETLANDS ON THEIR PROPERTY THAT ARE NONEXEMPT IF THEY ATTACH ONTO THE DRAINAGE SYSTEM AND PROVE THEIR OWN PRIVATE LATERALS.
ANOTHER THING WE LOOKED AT IS WATER QUALITY.
AGAIN, I ALREADY MENTIONED EARLIER THAT WE WILL BE IMPROVING WATER QUALITY DOWNSTREAM BY THE FACT THAT WE'RE HAVING A REDUCED SEDIMENT LOADING. WE ALSO DO NEED TO CONSIDER WATER QUALITY DURING CONSTRUCTION.
WE HAVE PREPARED A STORMWATER POLLUTION PREVENTION PLAN.
I SHOULD SAY. WE WILL BE PREPARING THAT AS WE ARE COMPLETING OUR FINAL PLANS THAT WILL GO TO BID, AND WE WILL NEED TO OBTAIN A CONSTRUCTION STORMWATER PERMIT TO ENSURE THAT WE DON'T HAVE SIGNIFICANT SURFACE WATER DISRUPTION GOING DOWNSTREAM.
I MENTIONED EARLIER THE WETLANDS THAT WE DO SEE IN PURPLE HERE, THE WETLAND AREAS THAT ARE ADJACENT TO IN THE PROJECT.
AND THERE ARE AGAIN, SOME OF THOSE PARTICULARLY SOUTH OF 460TH STREET, WHICH WILL BE AVOIDING WITH OUR PROPOSED REALIGNMENT.
OTHER ENVIRONMENTAL CONSIDERATIONS ARE REQUIRED TO LOOK AT FISH AND WILDLIFE RESOURCES. AND AGAIN, BECAUSE THIS IS A TILE SYSTEM THAT IS IN UPLAND AREAS, WE WILL NOT HAVE A SIGNIFICANT EFFECT ON FISH AND WILDLIFE.
THE, THE SYSTEM AS IT IS SHALLOW WILL HAVE LITTLE OR NO IMPACT ON SHALLOW GROUNDWATER.
WE'RE NOT PROPOSING TO PUT THE TILE SUBSTANTIALLY DEEPER THAN WHAT IT IS RIGHT NOW. OVERALL ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT IS THAT IT WILL HAVE NO LONG TERM ADVERSE IMPACT ON THE ENVIRONMENT CONSIDERING ALL THE OTHER FACTORS THAT WE'VE LOOKED AT.
AND THEN WE'RE ALSO REQUIRED TO CONSIDER WHETHER THERE'S A EXTERNAL FUNDING AVAILABLE TO DO I GUESS AUGMENTATIONS ALONG THE DRAINAGE SYSTEM TO ASSIST WITH WATER QUALITY.
[01:05:02]
WE DID HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH THE NICOLLET COUNTY SWCD AND THEY'VE INDICATED THAT THERE IS FEDERAL AND STATE COST SHARE THAT IS AVAILABLE FOR WATER QUALITY PRACTICES, BUT THOSE ARE AVAILABLE THROUGH COMPETITIVE PROCESSES.AND SO WE WOULD ENCOURAGE LANDOWNERS TO CONSIDER ENGAGING WITH THE SWCD AND THE POTENTIAL FOR DOING PRACTICES, WHICH, YOU KNOW, BOTH COULD HAVE THE BENEFIT OF PROVIDING BETTER WATER QUALITY DOWNSTREAM, BUT PRESERVING THE SOIL ON THEIR OWN PROPERTY AND AVOIDING GETTING SEDIMENT INTO THE DRAINAGE SYSTEM. BUT ALL THESE PRACTICES DO REQUIRE VOLUNTARY PARTICIPATION.
SO WE HAVE REVISED OUR OPINION OF PROBABLE CAUSE FROM THE PRELIMINARY ENGINEER'S REPORT GIVEN MODIFICATIONS THAT WE'VE MADE AND OTHER CONSIDERATIONS.
AND CURRENTLY NOW WE'RE ESTIMATING THE TOTAL PROJECT COST TO BE $903,123.
AGAIN, THIS IS JUST AN ESTIMATE.
THE TRUE COST WON'T BE KNOWN UNTIL IT GOES TO BID.
WE ALSO REVIEWED WHETHER OR NOT THERE ARE SOME, SOME OF THE PORTION OF THE REPAIR COSTS CAN BE ATTRIBUTED TO, I SHOULD SAY, SOME OF THE PORTION OF THE PROJECT COSTS CAN BE ATTRIBUTED TOWARD THE NEED FOR REPAIR. WE LOOKED THEN AT WHAT THE COST TO REPAIR THE DRAINAGE SYSTEM TO THE ORIGINALLY ESTABLISHED CONDITION.
AND WE ESTIMATE THAT AT $640,000 PLUS CHANGE.
AND WE DO RECOMMEND THAT THAT AMOUNT BE CONSIDERED AS A SEPARATE COST AND IMPROVEMENT PROCEDURE, MEANING THAT IF THERE ARE EXISTING BENEFITS ON THE DRAINAGE SYSTEM, THOSE, THE COST OF THE REPAIR CAN BE ATTRIBUTED TO THOSE EXISTING BENEFITS AND THE IMPROVEMENT, ADDITIONAL COSTS BEYOND THAT CAN BE CONSIDERED TO THOSE THAT ARE BENEFITED BY THE PROJECT IMPROVEMENT.
AND MR. BEHRENS WILL GIVE YOU MORE DETAIL ON THAT DURING HIS DISCUSSION.
WE DID ALSO IDENTIFY WHERE AREAS HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO BE DAMAGED.
BY THE WORK BEING COMPLETED WE'RE ASSUMING THAT THOSE DAMAGES WOULD OCCUR OVER A THREE YEAR PERIOD THE FIRST YEAR BEING A TOTAL LOSS, ANOTHER TWO YEARS BEING A HALF LOSS ON THE PRODUCTION OF THE CROPLAND IN THAT AREA.
WE DID IDENTIFY THEN DAMAGED ACREAGE IN HERE AND WITHIN OUR PROJECT ESTIMATE ESTIMATED THE COST OF THOSE DAMAGES.
WE DID RECEIVE A FEEDBACK LETTER OR ADVISORY REVIEW FROM THE MINNESOTA DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES ON NOVEMBER 3RD, 2025.
THAT REPORT PROVIDED NO SUBSTANTIVE COMMENTS THAT WOULD REQUIRE ADDRESSING FURTHER AND THOSE WILL BE READ OFF IN THE RECORD AFTER MY PRESENTATION IS COMPLETED.
WE DO RECOMMEND THEN THAT THE PROJECT IS NECESSARY, THAT IT'S FEASIBLE AND PRACTICAL AND THAT THE, THE BOARD ORDER THE PROJECT AS WE HAVE PROPOSED.
JUST ALSO NOTE, AS I INDICATED EARLIER THAT THERE ARE REPAIRS NEEDED ON THAT BRANCH.
TWO OUTSIDE OF THIS IMPROVEMENT PROJECT THAT WE ARE RECOMMENDING THAT BE REPAIRED OUTSIDE OF THE PROJECT, BUT THOSE COULD BE DONE WITHIN THE SAME CONSTRUCTION CONTRACT.
THEN WE ARE ANTICIPATING FOR A SCHEDULE, SHOULD THE BOARD ORDER THIS PROJECT THAT WE WOULD COMPLETE THE FINAL BID PACKAGE OVER THE NEXT TWO MONTHS, THEN PUT IT OUT FOR BID, WHICH COULD BE OPENED ROUGHLY IN THE MARCH 2026 TIME FRAME. AND THEN THIS WOULD ALLOW FOR A SUMMER SLASH FALL CONSTRUCTION SCHEDULE. AND THAT'S ALL I HAD FOR THE MOMENT.
I CAN ADDRESS ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE BOARD AT THIS TIME.
ANY QUESTIONS? MR. CHAIR, I HAVE ONE JUST IF YOU GO BACK, I DON'T REMEMBER EXACTLY WHAT IT WAS, BUT THERE WAS A WHERE YOU WERE GOING TO REALIGN THE THE MAIN TRUNK LINE.
YEAH. RIGHT THERE. YOU'RE GOING TO REALIGN THE MAIN TRUNK, BUT BRANCH TWO JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE I THINK, I THINK IT'S ADDRESSED, BUT MAKING SURE THAT BRANCH TWO DOESN'T, THAT'S NOT GETTING CUT OFF.
I MEAN, THAT WILL THAT'S NOT GOING BACK TO THE MAIN LINE THAT'S GOING TO GO THROUGH THE
[01:10:02]
EXISTING AREA. YEAH. CORRECT.SO THE DIAGONAL PORTION OF THAT BRANCH TWO THAT'S LABELED AS BRANCH TWO ON THE MAP HERE.
THAT WILL CONTINUE TO FLOW, THAT WILL CONTINUE TO BE PART OF THE PUBLIC DRAINAGE SYSTEM AND WILL GO INTO THAT PORTION OF THE MAIN TRUNK WHERE IT'S CONNECTING IN THE MIDDLE OF THE SCREEN THERE.
AND THEN WE'RE KIND OF JOGS NOW OVER TO THE NORTH AND EAST.
THAT WILL CONTINUE TO BE PART OF THE PUBLIC DRAINAGE SYSTEM.
AND, AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO GO UNDER 460TH STREET, WHERE WE'LL RECONNECT UP TO OUR NEW TILE LINE.
THE ONLY PORTION THAT WE WOULD BE ABANDONING OR, AND DECOMMISSIONING WOULD BE THAT KIND OF CREAM COLORED LINE THERE.
WE'RE RECOMMENDING THAT, THAT BE CRUSHED ENTIRELY SO THAT WE DON'T HAVE ON THAT PORTION POCKETS THAT DEVELOP CONSIDERING HOW SHALLOW IT IS AND HOW MANY FAILURES ARE ALONG IT ALREADY.
OTHER AREAS WHERE WE'RE GOING TO BE ESSENTIALLY ABANDONING THE OLD PORTION OF THE DRAIN TILE WE'LL CRUSH PERIODICALLY.
IN ORDER TO AVOID HAVING BLOWOUTS OCCURRED IN THOSE AREAS WHERE YOU KIND OF LEAVE THAT LARGE CAVITY, BUT WE YOU KNOW, THAT WILL ESSENTIALLY BE ABANDONED IN PLACE.
OKAY. YEAH. WELL, THAT ANSWERS KIND OF MY SECOND PART OF MY QUESTION WAS A LITTLE CONCERNED ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WE'VE HAD SITUATIONS BEFORE ON PREVIOUS PROJECTS WHERE WE LEFT THE OLD PIPE TILE IN PLACE AND IT BECAME A PROBLEM FOR WASH INS AND STUFF. SO THAT, THAT WON'T, THAT'S, THAT'S GOING, THAT'S ADDRESSED IN THIS REPAIR.
WE'RE GOING TO CRUSH THAT SUBSTANTIALLY SO THAT WE DON'T HAVE THOSE CONTINUED FLOWS OR WASHOUTS ON THAT PROPERTY THAT THE LANDOWNER WON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT SETTLING ON THOSE.
YEAH, WE'RE GONNA, WE INTEND TO CRUSH IT, YOU KNOW, TYPICALLY IT'S INTERVAL EVERY IN BETWEEN LIKE A EITHER A, YOU KNOW, 2 TO 400 FOOT INTERVAL, WE WOULD GO IN AND CRUSH IT.
A LOT OF TIMES WHAT WE'LL DO IS WHEN WE HAVE KNOWN LATERALS WHEN WE'RE CONSTRUCTING THAT CONNECTION TO THAT LATERAL AT THAT LOCATION WILL CRUSH CAP THE PIPE PUT CONCRETE IN THERE SO THAT IT CAN'T CONTINUE TO WASH THROUGH.
THEN, YOU KNOW, YOU ESSENTIALLY END UP WITH 200 FOOT SEGMENTS ALONG THERE THAT BREAK THAT UP AND REDUCE THE LIKELIHOOD THAT YOU'RE GOING TO GET A COLLAPSE AND BLOWOUT.
OKAY. WELL, JUST KIND OF WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT WAS ADDRESSED AND THAT THE THE, THE LANDOWNERS KIND OF ARE AWARE OF HOW THAT'S GOING TO FLOW AND MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE OKAY WITH THAT.
I MEAN, IT SOUNDS LIKE I'M SURE IF THEY, THEY'LL, THEY'LL EXPRESS THAT HERE IF THEY HAVE CONCERNS. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR CHRIS? I DON'T HAVE A QUESTION. I JUST WANT TO MAKE A COMMENT ABOUT THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN US IMPROVING DRAINAGE INFRASTRUCTURE AND ITS POSITIVE EFFECT ON WATER QUALITY IN SWAN LAKE. YOU MAY HAVE NOTICED THAT SWAN WAS LISTED AS ONE OF THE TEN HEALTHIEST LAKES IN MINNESOTA, AND SO COULD YOU JUST SPEAK TO HOW THAT WORKS EXACTLY? SURE. SO YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE BIGGEST PROBLEMS THAT WE HAVE WITH THESE OLD DRAIN TILE SYSTEMS AND YOU KNOW, THE EFFECTS THEY HAVE DOWNSTREAM ARE THE FACT THAT YOU KNOW, YOU GET THESE TILE COLLAPSES THAT LIKE WE SEE IN THIS PROPERTY HERE WHERE YOU'RE GETTING TONS AND TONS OF SEDIMENT THAT ARE WASHING DOWNSTREAM.
THAT'S SEDIMENT CARRIES PHOSPHORUS WITH IT BY REPLACING THE TILE ALONG THE DRAINAGE SYSTEM THAT'S GOING TO ELIMINATE MOST OF THOSE TILE COLLAPSES.
IN THIS AREA. AND THAT'LL PREVENT A LOT OF THAT SEDIMENT THAT IS WASHING DOWNSTREAM.
AND WE'LL HAVE, AGAIN, THE SIDE BENEFIT OF PROVIDING BETTER WATER QUALITY. ONE OF THE OTHER THINGS THAT WE DO ALSO IS AS WE'RE INSTALLING NEW TILE INTAKES, A LOT OF THE OLD INTAKES ARE FLUSH WITH THE GRADE LEVEL, AND THAT CREATES ANOTHER SOURCE FOR SEDIMENT TO COME THROUGH, ESPECIALLY IN THE SPRING OF THE YEAR WHEN YOU HAVE TILLAGE GOING ON.
WHAT WE DO WITH OUR TILE INTAKES IS WE LEAVE THEM PROUD ABOUT SIX INCHES.
AND SO YOU KNOW, THE PROVIDES AN AREA FOR THE WATER TO COLLECT ON THEIR DRAIN IN THERE, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE THESE ARE PERFORATED AND YOU STILL GET THE SAME FUNCTION, BUT YOU DON'T HAVE THAT SEDIMENT THAT'S WASHING DIRECTLY INTO THE TILE INTAKE.
[01:15:02]
THANK YOU. I THINK IT'S JUST IT'S WONDERFUL FOR THE PUBLIC TO KNOW THAT THERE DOESN'T HAVE TO BE A COMBATIVE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN AGRICULTURE AND THE ENVIRONMENT.THEY CAN WORK TOGETHER COOPERATIVELY TO, TO IMPROVE BOTH SECTORS.
SO I ALSO WANT TO THANK THE FARMERS FOR ALL OF THEIR WORK ON WATER QUALITY.
YEAH. THANK YOU. CHRIS, YOU HAD JUST MENTIONED SOMETHING THAT CAUGHT MY EAR. YOU SAID MOST OF THE TILE IS GOING TO BE REPLACED.
DOES THAT MEAN THAT SOME WILL REMAIN THERE AND IS IN CONDITION TO MOVE WATER? WE WILL BE REPLACING ALL THE TILE ALONG THE MAIN TRUNK, BUT THE BRANCHES AND AGAIN, I BELIEVE THERE'S LIKE 5 OR 6 PUBLIC TILE BRANCHES. THOSE WILL REMAIN, THEY AREN'T BEING PROPOSED AS PART OF THE IMPROVEMENTS. SO IF WE YOU KNOW, AGAIN, HAVE REPAIRS THAT NEED TO BE DONE ON THOSE TILE BRANCHES. WELL, YOU KNOW, THE DRAINAGE WILL CONTINUE TO NEED TO BE MAINTAINING THOSE BRANCHES.
AND THOSE WOULD BE THE AREAS THAT STILL COULD HAVE SOME SUSCEPTIBILITY TO BLOWOUTS.
YET GIVEN THE FACT THAT THEY'RE A HUNDRED PLUS YEARS OLD.
SO THEY'RE THE SAME AGE AS THE MAIN.
CORRECT. OKAY. YEAH. FOLLOW UP ON JACK'S QUESTION.
YOU KNOW. SO THOSE BRANCHES ARE STILL PART OF THE NOT THEY'RE NOT THE LANDOWNER BRANCHES.
THOSE ARE THE PUBLIC. PUBLIC COUNTY BRANCHES ARE NOT BEING ADDRESSED AT THIS TIME.
AND, AND WHY ARE THEY NOT BEING ADDRESSED AT THIS TIME? AND IN TERMS OF PART OF THIS PROJECT, RATHER THAN WAITING TO DO THEM LATER, THEY AREN'T AREN'T BEING ADDRESSED BECAUSE THEY WEREN'T INCLUDED WITHIN THE PETITION.
AND SO BECAUSE OF HOW THE STATUTE IS WRITTEN, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE'RE CONSIDERING THE WORK SCOPE OF THE WORK AS PART OF THE IMPROVEMENT, WE'RE LIMITED TO YOU KNOW, WHAT THE SCOPE WAS ASKED FOR IN THE PETITION, UNLESS WE'RE OTHERWISE DIRECTED TO LOOK AT SOMETHING OF A LARGER SCOPE.
SO CAN WE EXPECT TO PROBABLY SEE A PETITION TO REPROVE, IMPROVE OR REPLACE THOSE BRANCHES LATER? IT'S CERTAINLY POSSIBLE.
I MEAN, WE IT'S NOT AT ALL UNCOMMON FOR SYSTEMS LIKE THIS TO SEE MULTIPLE REQUESTS FOR IMPROVEMENT AS THE MAIN TRUNK GETS DONE OVER THE NEXT LANDOWNERS COME IN SAYING, I'D LIKE MY BRANCH DONE.
AND WE DO ARE AWARE OF SOME LANDOWNERS THAT ARE POTENTIALLY EVEN CONSIDERING DOING A.
AN IMPROVEMENT PRIVATELY AND REQUESTING ABANDONMENT OF THE TILE.
BUT I'M NOT SURE WHERE THAT IS IN STATUS.
ANYTHING ELSE FOR CHRIS? IF NOT, WE'LL MOVE ON AND JACKIE KOPET WILL READ THE DNR ADVISORY REPORT. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. AS MR. OTTERNESS REFERRED TO, THE DNR IS REQUIRED TO.
SUBMIT A DNR REPORT AND WE ARE REQUIRED TO READ IT VERBATIM INTO THE MINUTES.
IT'S DATED NOVEMBER 3RD, 2025.
NICOLLET COUNTY DRAINAGE AUTHORITY, 501 SOUTH MINNESOTA AVENUE, SAINT PETER, MINNESOTA 56082.
AND THE SUBJECT IS FINAL ENGINEER'S REPORT FOR IMPROVEMENT OF NICOLLET COUNTY DITCH 60.
ONE MAIN TRUNK. THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO REVIEW THE PROPOSED NICOLLET.
COUNTY DITCH. NUMBER 60 ONE MAIN TRUNK IMPROVEMENT.
THIS LETTER CONSTITUTES THE COMMISSIONERS FINAL ADVISORY REPORT IN ACCORDANCE WITH MINNESOTA STATUTE 103.301.
ON BEHALF OF THE COMMISSIONER OF THE MINNESOTA DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES, DNR, AS REQUIRED UNDER MINNESOTA STATUTE 103 E301, THE DNR FINDS NUMBER ONE.
THE DETAILED SURVEY REPORT IS COMPLETE, AND THE PLAN APPEARS TO CONFORM TO THE GENERAL REQUIREMENTS OF MINNESOTA STATUTE 103 E.
NUMBER TWO, THE DETAILED SURVEY REPORT IS IN.
AN ACCEPTABLE PLAN IS AN ACCEPTABLE PLAN TO DRAIN THE PROPERTY AFFECTED.
NUMBER THREE, THE COMMISSIONER DOES NOT APPROVE OR DISAPPROVE THE PLAN.
WE DO RECOMMEND THAT THE DRAINAGE AUTHORITY ENSURE THE PROPERTY.
THE PROJECT IS CONSISTENT WITH THE NICOLLET COUNTY WATER PLAN NUMBER FOR THE PROPOSED DRAINAGE APPEARS TO BE OF PUBLIC BENEFIT OR UTILITY UNDER THE ENVIRONMENTAL LAND USE AND
[01:20:06]
MULTI-PURPOSE WATER MANAGEMENT CRITERIA IN SECTION 103.015 SUBDIVISION ONE.NUMBER FIVE, THE COMMISSIONER DETERMINES THAT A SOIL SURVEY IS NOT REQUIRED FOR THIS PROJECT. THE PRELIMINARY PLAN PLANS INDICATE SEDIMENT REMOVAL IS PROPOSED AT THE SYSTEM OUTLET INTO SWAN LAKE.
BASED ON THE PROVIDED PLANS, IT APPEARS THAT WORK MAY BE CONDUCTED BELOW THE O. W OF SWAN LAKE AND MAY REQUIRE A PUBLIC WATER WORKS PERMIT AND OR AUTHORIZATION. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION REGARDING THIS WORK, INCLUDING SPECIFIC LOCATION PROPOSED DEPTH AND DIMENSIONS OF THE AREA TO BE EXCAVATED AND THE LOCATION OF THE LEGAL DITCH TERMINATION.
ONCE THIS INFORMATION IS RECEIVED, A DETERMINATION CAN BE MADE WHETHER A DNR PUBLIC WATERS PERMIT WILL BE REQUIRED FOR THIS ACTIVITY.
IN REVIEW OF THE REPORT, A PROPOSED REROUTE OF THE MAIN TRUNK 60 ONE SOUTH OF 460TH LANE, WAS NOTED IN PLANS AND DESCRIBED ON PAGE FOUR AND FIVE.
NO ADDITIONAL INFORMATION HAS BEEN PROVIDED TO DETERMINE IF THIS REROUTE AND GENERAL PROXIMITY TO THE WETLAND BOUNDARIES WILL IMPACT THE HYDROLOGY OF THE WETLAND BASIN.
IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT THE DRAINAGE AUTHORITY COLLABORATE WITH THE WCA LGU TO ASSESS POTENTIAL IMPACTS ON THE WETLAND BASIN.
PLEASE SEND THE RESPONSE TO THIS LETTER AND OR REVISED FOR OUR MEETING MINUTES.
FINDING OF FACTS AND ANY ORDERS ISSUED BY THE DRAINAGE AUTHORITY REGARDING THIS PROPOSED IMPROVEMENT TO THE DNR WHEN THEY BECOME AVAILABLE.
IN ADDITION, PLEASE NOTE THAT OUR AGENCY CONTINUES TO SUPPORT THE USE OF THE OFF CHANNEL STORAGE SOLUTIONS SUCH AS WETLAND RESTORATION OR SIMILAR WATER RETENTION BASINS OR IMPOUNDMENTS TO HELP REDUCE FLOODING AND EROSION AND IN SOME CASES, PROVIDE NATURAL RESOURCE AND ECOLOGICAL ENHANCEMENTS.
THE DRAINAGE AUTHORITY SHOULD CONTINUE TO PURSUE OPPORTUNITIES TO RETAIN SURFACE WATER RUNOFF WITHIN ITS EXISTING DRAINAGE SYSTEMS WHENEVER AND WHEREVER POSSIBLE.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION OF THIS REPORT.
PLEASE SUBMIT THE ABOVE NOTED DOCUMENTS OR ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS LETTER TO THE REGIONAL DRAINAGE EMAIL WHICH IS REGION FOR DRAINAGE.
DNR@STATE.US. SINCERELY, ETHAN JENSEN E W, OUR NORTHERN DISTRICT MANAGER. ELECTRONIC COPIES TO HAYLEY BYRON, DNR REGIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT ECOLOGIST. ALAN GLEISNER, DNR AREA HYDROLOGIST.
JACKIE KOPET NICOLLET COUNTY, PROPERTY AND PUBLIC SERVICES DIRECTOR.
NATE HENRY, NICOLLET COUNTY A AND COUNTY DRAINAGE INSPECTOR.
SETH GREENWOOD, NICOLLET COUNTY PUBLIC DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS.
CHRIS OTTERNESS, HOUSTON ENGINEERING.
THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. WITH THAT, AT THIS TIME, I'D LIKE TO CALL UP MARK BARRETT WHO'S TO LEAD YOU TO PRESENT HIS REPORT, PLEASE.
GOOD MORNING. I'M MARK BARNES.
I'M ONE OF THE VIEWERS THAT WORKED ON THIS PROPOSED IMPROVEMENT.
I'M A MEMBER OF THE MINNESOTA VIEWERS ASSOCIATION.
THERE'S 4 OR 5 OF US THAT WORK TOGETHER.
WE'VE GOT A GROUP THAT DOES THIS VIEWING.
WE'RE ALL MEMBERS OF THE MINNESOTA VIEWERS ASSOCIATION.
THERE'S 5 OR 6 TRAININGS A YEAR YOU CAN GO TO.
TO BECOME ACCREDITED, THERE'S 3 OR 4 DIFFERENT GROUPS THROUGHOUT THE STATE THAT DO THIS VIEWING.
SO WHETHER IT'S OUR GROUP OR ONE OF THE OTHER GROUPS IN THE STATE, THE PROCESS WOULD BE SIMILAR ON HOW THEY DETERMINE BENEFITS.
YOU'VE HEARD IT BEFORE, BUT THERE'S FIVE ITEMS THAT ARE USED TO DETERMINE BENEFITS. OBVIOUSLY, HOW MANY ACRES YOU'VE GOT WITHIN THE WATERSHED, YOUR SOIL TYPE, YOUR LOCATION RATE, WHERE YOUR PROPERTY IS PHYSICALLY AWAY FROM THE COUNTY, OPEN DITCH OR COUNTY TILE.
WHETHER OR NOT YOU'VE GOT COUNTY TILE ON YOUR PROPERTY AND THE EFFICIENCY OF THE SYSTEM.
THOSE FIVE ITEMS COME TOGETHER TO DETERMINE A BENEFIT VALUE FOR EVERY PARCEL WITHIN THE SYSTEM. WE DIVIDE YOUR BENEFIT VALUE BY THE TOTAL BENEFITS IN THE SYSTEM TO GET YOUR
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PERCENT OF TOTAL BENEFITS.SO WHEN THERE'S A REPAIR, WHETHER IT'S $1,000 REPAIR OR A $10,000 REPAIR, OBVIOUSLY IT ALL HAS TO BE PAID.
EACH PARCEL PAYS THEIR PERCENT OF TOTAL BENEFITS ON THAT REPAIR.
WE BUILD A BOOK LIKE THIS ON EVERY SINGLE SYSTEM THAT WE WORK ON, SO THAT ANY LANDOWNERS THAT WANT TO KNOW WHAT HOW WE BROKE OUT THEIR PARCEL OR ACRES OR SOIL TYPE LOCATION, WE'RE HAPPY TO SHOW THEM WHAT WE DID ON THEIR PARCEL OR THEIR NEIGHBOR'S PARCEL. WE DID A REDETERMINATION ON THIS DITCH BACK IN AND 18.
SO WE HAD ALL THE INFORMATION THERE ON THIS IMPROVEMENT, PROPOSED IMPROVEMENT. WHAT WE DO, WE UPDATE THE BENEFITS.
DETERMINING BENEFITS. WE LOOK AT AVERAGE CORN YIELD, AVERAGE BEAN YIELD, AVERAGE SALE PRICES INPUTS.
AND THAT THAT'S HOW WE DETERMINE OUR BENEFIT NUMBER OR VALUE FOR THE DIFFERENT SOIL TYPES.
SO WITH THIS WE UPDATED OUR BENEFIT NUMBERS TO TODAY'S BENEFIT NUMBERS BECAUSE WE'RE THE PROJECT IS POSSIBLY GOING ON NOW.
YOU CAN'T USE 6 OR 7 YEAR OLD INFO AND VALUES FOR TODAY'S PROJECT.
ALL THE PARCELS THAT WE LOOK AT, WE TREAT THE SAME.
WE HAVE INFORMATIONAL MEETINGS FOR LANDOWNERS, SO IF THEY'VE GOT ANYTHING UNIQUE ABOUT THEIR PARCEL OR TILED IN OR TILED OUT OF THIS SYSTEM. THEY LET US KNOW AT THAT TIME.
AND THEN WE ADJUST THEIR NUMBERS ACCORDINGLY.
AS YOU'VE HEARD ON THIS SYSTEM, IT WAS ESTABLISHED IN 1916.
THE COST OF CONSTRUCTION IN 1916 WAS $5,600 FOR THIS.
LIKE YOU HEARD CHRIS SAY, THERE'S ABOUT 300FT OF OPEN DITCH.
THERE'S ABOUT 3.2 MILES OF COUNTY TILE.
THERE'S 734 ACRES WITHIN THE WATERSHED OF THIS COUNTY DITCH 60 ONE.
WITH THESE UPDATED BENEFIT NUMBERS THAT THE VIEWERS USED AND DETERMINED, THERE'S 1,067,000 WORTH OF BENEFITS ON THIS SYSTEM.
ALL OF THIS INFORMATION THAT I'VE GOT, I HAND IT OUT AT THE FRONT.
SO YOU'VE GOT IT. ALSO, AS CHRIS TALKED, ALSO THE PROJECT COST IS ESTIMATED TO BE 903,000.
THE REPAIR PORTION OF THAT COST IS 640,000.
THE IMPROVEMENT PORTION OF THE COST IS 262,000.
ON AN IMPROVEMENT LIKE THIS, THE REPAIR PORTION IS PAID FOR BY EVERYONE WITHIN THE WATERSHED. THE IMPROVEMENT PORTION IS PAID FOR BY ONLY THE PARCELS THAT BENEFIT FROM THE IMPROVEMENT. IT HAPPENS IN THIS PROJECT.
THEY'RE IMPROVING THE WHOLE MAIN TILE SO EVERYONE WITHIN THE SYSTEM BENEFITS FROM THE IMPROVEMENT. SO EVERYONE'S HELPING PAY FOR THE REPAIR COST.
EVERYONE'S HELPING TO PAY FOR THE IMPROVEMENT COST AT A DIFFERENT DEGREE.
WE LOOK AT EFFICIENCY OF THE SYSTEM, THE SYSTEM HAD A 10TH OF AN INCH COEFFICIENT ORIGINALLY, AND IT WAS PROBABLY LESS THAN THAT BECAUSE IT WAS OLD AND TIRED AND CRACKED. WITH THE IMPROVEMENT, THAT MAIN WILL HAVE A HALF INCH COEFFICIENT.
SO WHEN WE DO OUR SPREADSHEETS WITH OUR NUMBERS, WE'VE GOT AN EFFICIENCY BEFORE THE IMPROVEMENT.
WE'VE GOT AN EFFICIENCY AFTER THE IMPROVEMENT.
THAT'S WHERE OUR INCREASED BENEFITS COME INTO PLAY.
WE HAD 1,067,000 OF BENEFITS BEFORE THE IMPROVEMENT.
WITH THE PROPOSED IMPROVEMENT, WE WOULD HAVE $1.6 MILLION WORTH OF BENEFITS.
SO WE'VE GOT A 537,000 WORTH OF INCREASED BENEFITS WITH THIS PROPOSED PROJECT.
THE ESTIMATED COST OF THE PROJECT IS 262,000 FOR THE IMPROVEMENT PORTION OF THE PROJECT BY DUTCH LAW. THE INCREASED BENEFITS HAVE TO OUTWEIGH.
THE IMPROVEMENT PORTION OF THE PROJECT.
WE'VE GOT 275,000 OF BENEFITS ABOVE AND BEYOND THE IMPROVEMENT PORTION OF THE COST.
IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT THE VIEWERS DO NOT CARE IF THIS PROJECT PASSES OR NOT.
WE DON'T ADJUST NUMBERS TO TRY TO MAKE PROJECTS PASS.
[01:30:01]
WE'VE WORKED ON THEM. YOU DO THE NUMBERS AND THE SPREADSHEETS AND THEY DON'T PASS AND IT DIES. SO IT MAKES NO DIFFERENCE TO THE VIEWERS.BUT WE HAVE TO PUT NUMBERS TO IT THAT ARE FAIR TO EVERYONE.
THAT MAKES SENSE THAT WE CAN DEFEND.
AND WITH THIS PROPOSED PROJECT AND WITH THE BENEFIT NUMBERS WE'VE GOT BENEFITS ABOVE AND BEYOND THE IMPROVEMENT PORTION OF THE COST.
THERE'S A READER'S DIGEST VERSION.
I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT HAVE.
SPECIFIC QUESTIONS. ALL RIGHT.
THANK YOU. THANKS FOR YOUR WORK.
ALL RIGHT. AT THIS TIME, WE'LL NOW OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARINGS TO TAKE TESTIMONY. IF ANYONE WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS THE DRAINAGE AUTHORITY, PLEASE STEP FORWARD. GIVE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS AND MAKE YOUR COMMENTS.
THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. DEAN ZIMMERMAN WITH THE LAW FIRM.
GUSTAFSON AND HUNTER. I'M THE PETITIONER'S ATTORNEY ON THIS, AND I JUST WANTED TO, TO PROVIDE A FEW BRIEF COMMENTS AND, YOU KNOW, CERTAINLY ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THE BOARD MIGHT HAVE OF ME, BUT I JUST WANTED TO GIVE A LITTLE BIT OF THE, YOU KNOW, THE LEGAL BACKGROUND, WHAT THE BOARD SHOULD BE CONSIDERING HERE ON THIS IMPROVEMENT. AND IT'S IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER THE IMPROVEMENT HERE IS YOU KNOW, YOU'RE SITTING, SITTING HERE KIND OF EVALUATING THE EVIDENCE TO TRY AND DECIDE SHOULD YOU KNOW, DOES THIS PROJECT MEET THE STATUTORY CRITERIA? AND IF IT DOES, YOU KNOW, THAT PROJECT SHOULD GET MOVED, MOVED AHEAD AND APPROVED.
AND I'M SURE THAT THE YOUR COUNTY ATTORNEY HAS KIND OF PUT THIS TOGETHER IN YOUR BOARD PACKET FOR THE CONSIDERATION FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION ALREADY.
BUT THERE'S GOING TO BE BASICALLY SIX THINGS YOU'RE GOING TO BE LOOKING AT.
AND, AND IF THESE ARE ESTABLISHED OR, YOU KNOW THE EVIDENCE SHOWS THAT THESE ARE ALL ESTABLISHED IN THE PROJECT SHOULD MOVE FORWARD. AND THE FIRST IS, YOU KNOW, HAVE THE, THE SURVEY REPORT AND VIEWERS REPORT AND PROCEEDINGS BEEN MADE ACCORDANCE WITH THE CHAPTER. I THINK MISS KOPET AND THE, AND THE COUNTY ATTORNEY HAVE DONE A NICE JOB OF MAKING SURE THAT ALL THE NOTICES HAVE GONE OUT, THAT WE FOLLOWED THE PROPER PROCEDURE UNDER THE DRAINAGE CODE TO GET US TO THIS POINT. THE REPORTS HAVE AS THEY'RE MADE OR AMENDED.
ARE THEY COMPLETE AND CORRECT? YOU'VE HEARD FROM BOTH THE VIEWER AND THE THE PROJECT ENGINEER SHOWING THAT THAT KIND OF METHODICAL WAY THEY'VE GONE THROUGH AND, AND YOU KNOW, DONE THE FULL ENGINEER'S REPORT ADDRESSING ALL THE, THE REQUIREMENTS THAT THE STATUTE HAS IN THERE.
AND I THINK THOSE ARE ALL COMPLETE AND CORRECT.
THE THIRD ITEM ARE THE DAMAGES AND BENEFITS.
HAVE THEY BEEN PROPERLY DETERMINED? NOW MR. BEHRENS GAVE KIND OF THE, THE, AS YOU AS YOU SAID, THE READER'S DIGEST VERSION OF IT, BUT YOU KNOW, THAT IS KIND OF THE STANDARD WAY THAT VIEWERS HAVE, HAVE USED TO APPROXIMATE BENEFITS TO BASICALLY SAY, HOW MUCH VALUE IS THIS PROJECT ADDING TO THE LANDOWNERS? HOW MUCH ADDITIONAL BENEFIT IS IT PROVIDING TO THOSE LANDOWNERS? BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE CROPS FLOODED OUT.
THEY'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE YOU KNOW, AREAS WHERE THEY CAN'T GET IN IN THE SPRING TO PLANT A CROP, THAT TYPE OF THING.
AND THAT PROCESS HAS, YOU KNOW, COME UP WITH THIS, THIS DETERMINATION, THIS FIGURE.
I DID WANT TO ASK JUST A CLARIFICATION THERE.
JUST SO I UNDERSTOOD IT WAS THE TOTAL BENEFITS 275 OR WAS THE BENEFITS OVER AND ABOVE THE COST? 275. I CAN GIVE YOU A SHEET HERE.
275 OVER AND ABOVE THE IMPROVEMENT PORTION OF THE COST.
OKAY, SO IT'S SOMEWHERE IN THE 500 537,000 OF INCREASED BENEFITS.
I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT I UNDERSTOOD THAT NUMBER.
NUMBER RIGHT. SO SO ANYWAYS, WE'VE SHOWN THAT WE'VE GOT A SYSTEM THAT IS SEVERELY UNDERSIZED. I MEAN 1/12 OF A DRAINAGE COEFFICIENT, YOU MIGHT AS WELL NOT EVEN HAVE TILE AT THAT POINT.
SO WE'VE GOT A VERY UNDERSIZED SYSTEM THAT WE ARE GOING TO BE PROVIDING SOME MAJOR IMPROVEMENTS. SO WE'VE GOT, YOU KNOW, OVER A HALF $1 MILLION WORTH OF BENEFITS HERE. AND THAT BRINGS US TO NUMBER FOUR.
DO THE, DO THE COSTS EXCEED THE DAMAGES OR EXCUSE ME, DO THE BENEFITS EXCEED THE COSTS AND THE DAMAGES? AND, AND WE'VE GOT THE NUMBERS THERE THAT WHEN WE, WHEN WE FACTOR OUT THE, THE REPAIR PORTION, THE STUFF THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE ANYWAYS, AND THINK ABOUT WHAT WE'RE ADDING TO JUST MAKE THAT BIGGER.
THAT, THAT THOSE COSTS OF OVER A HALF MILLION DOLLARS OF BENEFITS EXCEED THE COSTS OF, OF ABOUT $262,000 FOR THIS PROJECT.
AND OBVIOUSLY THIS PROJECT WILL BE OF PUBLIC UTILITY AND BENEFIT.
[01:35:04]
I THINK COMMISSIONER HELGET POINTED OUT, YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOT SOME, SOME REAL BENEFITS IN THE WATER QUALITY TO SWAN LAKE.GETTING RID OF THIS TILE SYSTEM THAT'S IN A, IN A NEED OF REPAIR IS CONTRIBUTING TO WASHOUTS AND BLOWOUTS AND SEDIMENT INTO THE LAKE AND THAT TYPE OF THING.
AND THAT'S BESIDE THE REAL SIGNIFICANT DRAINAGE BENEFITS FOR THESE FARMERS.
AND THEN FINALLY, IS THE DRAINAGE PROJECT PRACTICABLE? WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT A NUMBER OF THESE ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS AND OTHERWISE. I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY IT'S PRACTICAL IN THE SENSE THAT IT CAN BE BUILT.
AND IT MEETS ALL THESE OTHER CRITERIA THAT MR. OTTERNESS WENT THROUGH IN HIS REPORT LOOKING AT THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT.
THE IMPACT OF FISH AND WILDLIFE, GROUNDWATER YOU KNOW, THE CONSIDERATION OF, OF OTHER ALTERNATIVES.
THIS WAS THE, THE, THE BEST, MOST FEASIBLE, MOST COST EFFECTIVE WAY TO REALLY IMPROVE THE, THE DRAINAGE FOR YOU KNOW, FOR THESE, THESE LANDOWNERS I DID WANT TO ADDRESS JUST COMMISSIONER ZINS HAD A, HAD A KIND OF A QUESTION ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WHY DIDN'T WE INCLUDE THE, THE BRANCH PROJECT OR THE BRANCHES RIGHT NOW? SOME OF THAT IS KIND OF A COST CONSIDERATION FOR LANDOWNERS WHEN THEY'RE THINKING ABOUT HOW MUCH OF A PROJECT TO DO, HOW MUCH TO SPEND RIGHT NOW.
AND ONE OF THE OTHER ASPECTS OF THIS IS OFTENTIMES I'VE DONE THIS ON A NUMBER OF DITCHES, I THINK A COUPLE OF NICOLLET COUNTY, BUT YOU KNOW, THROUGHOUT THE STATE WHERE WE'VE GOT, YOU KNOW, MAYBE A BRANCH THAT USED TO SERVE FIVE LANDOWNERS NOW JUST SERVES TWO AND THOSE TWO LANDOWNERS GET TOGETHER AND SAY, WELL, WHY DON'T WE JUST AGREE TO DO THIS SO WE DON'T HAVE TO PAY FOR THE ENGINEERS AND PAY FOR THE LAWYERS AND GO THROUGH THIS PROCESS? SO WE CAN TAKE THAT, THAT BRANCH PETITION TO ABANDON IT, HAVE A, HAVE A DRAINAGE EASEMENT AGREEMENT BETWEEN THOSE TWO LANDOWNERS, AND THEN THEY GO AHEAD AND MAKE THOSE REPAIRS AND THEN IT'S OR MAKE THOSE IMPROVEMENTS BY THEMSELVES AT THEIR OWN COSTS.
AND THEN IT'S NOT A, IT'S NOT A PUBLIC SYSTEM TO TAKE CARE OF ANYMORE.
SO THAT'S A POSSIBILITY THAT THAT HAPPENS ON SOME OF THESE BRANCHES ON THIS SYSTEM.
AND IT'S ALSO A POSSIBILITY THAT SOME OF THOSE LANDERS DOWN THE ROAD SAY, WELL, WE'D LIKE TO. PETITION FOR A PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT OF OUR OF OUR BRANCH LINE DOWN THE ROAD. BUT BECAUSE WE'VE.
NOW IMPROVED THE MAIN LINE, NOW WE'VE GOT THE CAPACITY THAT EITHER ONE OF THOSE THINGS CAN HAPPEN. DOWN, DOWN THE ROAD.
SO THAT'S ALL I'VE GOT KIND OF FOR MY COMMENTS.
THE COMMISSIONERS HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OF ME, JUST ANY QUESTIONS FOR MR. ZIMMERMAN. OKAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
THANK YOU. OKAY. DOES ANY OF THE LANDOWNERS WANT TO MAKE ADDITIONAL COMMENTS? IT'S DONE. OKAY. ALL RIGHT.
IF. THAT IF NOT, WE WILL GO AHEAD AND CLOSE THE PUBLIC TESTIMONY PERIOD.
WE'LL MOVE TO BOARD DISCUSSION.
SO I'LL JUST OUTLINE KIND OF WHAT THE NEXT STEPS ARE.
SO IN YOUR PACKET, THE BOARD WILL DISCUSS THOSE SIX ITEMS THAT MR. ZIMMERLI DID REFER TO.
AND IF IN FACT YOUR ANSWERS ARE, ARE YES, YOU CAN MOVE FORWARD IF IN FACT, ANY OF THEM ARE. NO, YOU WOULD HAVE TO DISMISS IT.
OR IF THERE'S YOUR OTHER OPTION, IF THERE'S ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION THAT YOU MAY REQUIRE BEFORE MAKING THAT DECISION.
SO AFTER YOUR DISCUSSION ABOUT THOSE SIX ITEMS, IF IF IF IT IS TO DISMISS OR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, YOU'LL NEED TO MAKE THAT MOTION. IF IT IS TO APPROVE, I WOULD BE LOOKING FOR A MOTION TO AT THE BOTTOM KIND OF OUTLINES THAT IN ORDER TO ADOPT TO INCLUDE ALL THE ITEMS, THE F E R, THE VIEWER'S REPORT ALLOCATION OF SEPARABLE MAINTENANCE ORDER THE PROJECT AS REPORTED AND DIRECT MYSELF TO PREPARE FINDINGS FOR THE NEXT SCHEDULED AUTHORITY MEETING.
SO I WILL LET YOU TALK ABOUT YOUR DISCUSSION ON THOSE SIX ITEMS. THANK YOU. WE'LL MOVE INTO THOSE BOARD DISCUSSION ITEMS. THE FIRST ONE IS WHETHER THE DETAILED SURVEY REPORT AND VIEWERS REPORT HAVE BEEN MADE, AND OTHER PROCEEDINGS HAVE BEEN COMPLETED UNDER THIS CHAPTER. WE CAN ALL AGREE THAT'S CORRECT. OKAY. WHETHER THE REPORT'S MADE OR AMENDED ARE COMPLETE AND CORRECT.
WE'RE COMFORTABLE WITH THOSE. OKAY.
WHETHER THE DAMAGES AND BENEFITS HAVE BEEN PROPERLY DETERMINED.
THOSE APPEAR TO BE DONE CORRECTLY, WHETHER THE ESTIMATED BENEFITS ARE GREATER THAN THE TOTAL ESTIMATED COSTS, INCLUDING THE DAMAGES.
[01:40:02]
AND THAT WAS DEMONSTRATED FOR US.OKAY. WHETHER THE PROPOSED DRAINAGE PROJECT WILL BE PUBLIC, BE OF PUBLIC UTILITY AND BENEFIT, AND WILL THE PROMOTE THE PUBLIC HEALTH.
AND I THINK WE AGREE. THAT'S CORRECT.
FINALLY, WHETHER THE PROPOSED DRAINAGE PROJECT IS PRACTICABLE AFTER CONSIDERING THE ENVIRONMENTAL, LAND USE AND MULTI-PURPOSE WATER MANAGEMENT CRITERIA IN SECTION 103.015 SUBDIVISION. ONE AGREEMENT THERE.
SO IT PASSES ALL OF THOSE CRITERIA.
SO THAT BEING SAID IS THERE A MOTION TO ORDER AND ADOPT THE ITEMS LISTED THERE? THE SDR REPORT REVIEWERS REPORT THE ALLOCATION OF SEPARABLE MAINTENANCE ORDERS.
THE PROJECTS ARE AS REPORTED AND DIRECT THE SWD DIRECTOR TO PREPARE THE FINDINGS IN ORDER FOR THE NEXT SCHEDULED DRAINAGE AUTHORITY MEETING.
MR. CHAIR, I'LL MAKE THAT MOTION THE SECOND.
I'LL SECOND IT. OKAY. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? I DO HAVE A QUESTION, MR. CHAIR. IF I COULD AND AND MAYBE THE DNR COULD ANSWER THIS.
MAYBE THE ATTORNEY FOR THE LANDOWNERS COULD ANSWER IT.
MAYBE COMMISSIONER HELGET BROUGHT IT UP AS A PART.
BUT I'M JUST WONDERING, DOES THE SIZE OF SWAN LAKE MINIMIZE THE EFFECT OF FERTILIZER AND PESTICIDES USED IN THE SYSTEM AS THE DITCH EMPTIES INTO THE LAKE? IN OTHER WORDS, HOW MUCH IS THE WATER IN THE LAKE COMPROMISED BY FERTILIZER AND PESTICIDES USED ON TODAY'S FARM COP PRACTICES? FARM CROP RAISING PRACTICES.
COMMISSIONER KOLARS. I COULD TRY TO ANSWER THAT.
IT'S A VERY COMPLEX QUESTION YOU ASKED THERE.
BECAUSE THE INTERACTION BETWEEN PESTICIDES AND FERTILIZER AND THE SOIL AND THE WATER AND WHAT HAPPENS DOWNSTREAM, IT IS HIGHLY COMPLEX.
IT'S SOMETHING THAT I WOULD SAY AT THE SCALE THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT THERE, WE SIMPLY DON'T HAVE MODELS TO IDENTIFY THAT.
THAT SAID YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU HAVE A LARGE WATER BODY, THE LARGER THE WATER BODY, THE MORE RESILIENT IT IS TOWARD TAKING ANY OF THE POLLUTANTS THAT WOULD BE ON THE LANDSCAPE, EITHER MAN MADE OR NATURAL AND YOU KNOW, DISPERSING THEM, DILUTING THEM. SO I THINK THE SIZE OF SWAN LAKE DOES PROVIDE THE ABILITY FOR THAT DILUTION. BUT YOU KNOW, CERTAINLY IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT LANDOWNERS ARE CONSCIOUS ON THEIR OWN PROPERTY OF DOING GOOD CONSERVATION PRACTICES TO ENSURE THAT WE DON'T CREATE PROBLEMS DOWNSTREAM AT SWAN LAKE OR FURTHER DOWNSTREAM. THE IMPROVEMENT OF THE TILE SYSTEM REALLY ISN'T GOING TO CHANGE THOSE OUTCOMES OTHER THAN THE FACT OF WHAT I MENTIONED BEFORE ABOUT REDUCING THE AMOUNT OF SEDIMENT GOING DOWNSTREAM.
BUT WITH REGARD TO THE OTHER ITEMS, I DON'T SEE THAT THE TILE IMPROVEMENT REALLY HAS AN EFFECT ON IT. IT'S SOMETHING THAT REALLY IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE LANDOWNERS TO BE GOOD STEWARDS OF THEIR LAND.
AND I KNOW THAT COMMISSIONER HELGET HAD MADE THAT POINT.
I HAVE ANOTHER QUESTION, MR. CHAIR, IF YOU DON'T MIND.
WHAT IS TODAY TODAY'S TILING MADE OF MOSTLY.
I WOULD SAY PROBABLY 95% OR MORE IS POLYETHYLENE.
OKAY. AND IF THIS SYSTEM'S 100 YEAR OLD CONCRETE RIGHT TILE DISINTEGRATES OR FAILS AFTER 20, 50, 100 YEARS.
HOW LONG DOES THIS NEW TILE LAST? DO WE HAVE A SENSE OF THAT FOR FUTURE FARMERS AND PEOPLE WHO INHERIT THIS LAND DOWN THE ROAD? THAT'S ANOTHER GOOD QUESTION.
I MEAN, CERTAINLY PLASTIC TILE HASN'T BEEN AROUND FOR 100 YEARS, SO WE DON'T HAVE CASE STUDIES TO SHOW THAT LIFESPAN.
THAT SAID, I THINK THE EXPECTATION IS THAT THE TILE WOULD BE LASTING IN THAT 75 TO 100 YEAR TIME SPAN OR MORE, BUT WE JUST DON'T HAVE THE PERIOD OF RECORD TO VERIFY THAT. I FIGURED YOU DIDN'T.
I DIDN'T KNOW IF THERE WERE PEOPLE PREDICTING THAT IT WAS GOING TO LAST LONGER OR BE MORE
[01:45:04]
DURABLE. I'M SURE THAT THERE PROBABLY OUR PEOPLE IN THE PLASTIC PIPE INDUSTRY WOULD SUGGEST THAT. I DON'T KNOW THAT ANYBODY REALLY KNOWS THE ANSWER.THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR.
THANK YOU. ANY OTHER ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS? I WOULD BET, JACK, THERE ARE PEOPLE ON THIS SYSTEM THAT THINK THIS TILE SHOULD HAVE BEEN REPLACED 30 YEARS AGO.
CERTAINLY. YEAH. MR. CHAIRMAN, COULD I JUST CLARIFICATION SO THE MOTION WOULD BE TO APPROVE THE ENGINEER'S FINAL SURVEY REPORT AND THEN RECOMMEND THE ITEMS THAT ARE THE FIVE ITEMS THAT ARE LISTED THERE.
CORRECT. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT.
JUST AS A FOLLOW UP TO THAT, YOUR CLARIFICATION, DO WE NEED TO MAKE A SEPARATE MOTION WITH REGARD TO BRANCH TWO? YES, I WOULD I WOULD RECOMMEND THAT WE COMPLETE THIS PART AND THEN WE CAN HAVE THE PRESENTATION ABOUT THOSE REPAIRS AND ACT ON THAT SEPARATELY.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. ALL RIGHT.
SO WE HAVE A MOTION. YES, WE DO HAVE A SECOND.
ALL RIGHT. SO ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE.
AYE. AND THEN DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO DO THE BRANCH TWO REPAIR.
I'LL MAKE THAT MOTION. SECONDED.
IF THERE THE VERY LAST PAGE OF THE PACKET SHOULD HAVE THE MEMO FROM MR. OTTERNESS REGARDING THE REPAIR AND YES, IT WOULD BE A SEPARATE MOTION, BUT MR. OTTERNESS, IF YOU WANT TO PRESENT OR, OR GO THROUGH THAT REPAIR PROCESS.
SURE. AGAIN, SINCE WE VISITED THE SITE AND I DID NOTE THE DEFICIENCIES ALONG THE DRAINAGE SYSTEM WE'VE ATTEMPTED TO ESTIMATE ROUGHLY WHAT THE AMOUNT OF TILE WOULD BE THAT WOULD NEED TO BE REPAIRED, BUT IT'S I WOULD SAY A BIT OF A GUESSTIMATE BECAUSE YOU KNOW, IT'S HARD TO SEE HOW BAD THE CONDITION IS OF THE PARTS YOU'RE ATTACHING.
AND SOMETIMES WHEN YOU ARE START TO WORK ON ONE OF THOSE TILES THAT IS IN BAD DISREPAIR, ESPECIALLY IN THE, IN AN AREA LIKE THIS WHERE IT'S A SHALLOW WETLAND, YOU COULD YOU KNOW, START DIGGING BACK AND THEN THE NEXT SECTION BREAKS AND THE NEXT SECTION BREAKS. SO I'VE TRIED TO BE GENEROUS WITH THE AMOUNT OF QUANTITY I'M ESTIMATING, BUT YOU KNOW, WE DO RECOMMEND THAT THAT WORK BE ADDED ON TO THE CONTRACT WITH THE IMPROVEMENT PROJECT TO TRY TO GET EFFICIENCY OUT OF WHAT WE'RE DOING AND ALSO TO PROVIDE LESS DISRUPTION, YOU KNOW, GOING IN MORE THAN ONE TIME TO A SINGLE PROPERTY LIKE THAT. SO OVERALL, IT'LL PROVIDE A CHEAPER PRODUCT AND A BETTER PRODUCT TO DO IT IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE REST OF THE REPAIRS.
MR. CHAIR, IF I MAY QUESTION, JUST TO CLARIFY WITH MR. OTTERNESS, THE REPAIR IS SEPARATE, OBVIOUSLY, FROM THE IMPROVEMENT. SO THE REPAIR IS ALSO SEPARATE FROM THE IMPROVEMENT IN TERMS OF THE COST BENEFIT ANALYSIS.
CORRECT. SO WHETHER OR NOT THAT THE THE REPAIRS CONTINUE TO ESCALATE IN COST BEYOND WHAT YOUR GENEROUS ESTIMATE WOULD BE, THAT'S NOT GOING TO ANY ANY IN ANY WAY IMPACT THE COST BENEFIT ANALYSIS FROM THE IMPROVEMENT PROJECT.
AM I CORRECT IN THAT STATEMENT? THAT IS CORRECT. ONE MORE THING, JUST TO CLARIFY AGAIN, SAY IT OUT LOUD. SO I MEAN, BUT IT IS A REPAIR SO IT NEEDS TO BE DONE.
IT HAS TO BE IT'S NOT NECESSARILY A IF IT NEEDS TO BE DONE, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, WHAT NEEDS TO BE REPAIRED NEEDS TO BE REPAIRED.
YES, IT NEEDS TO BE DONE REGARDLESS OF WHETHER IMPROVEMENT WOULD OCCUR.
I MEAN, IF THE IMPROVEMENT HAD BEEN VOTED ON, THEN WE WOULD STILL BE RECOMMENDING THAT THESE REPAIRS BE NEEDED.
AND BUT IT CERTAINLY IS EVEN MORE IMMINENT THAT THEY NEED TO BE DONE SO THAT YOU DON'T SEND A BUNCH OF SEDIMENT DOWN IN THIS BRAND NEW TILE THAT YOU CONSTRUCTED.
CORRECT. SO WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND TO GO AHEAD WITH THE BRANCH TWO REPAIR.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. OKAY.
MOTION IS APPROVED. ALL RIGHT.
THANK YOU, EVERYONE, FOR ALL OF YOUR WORK.
AND WITH THAT, I WOULD ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO ADJOURN.
MOVE IT. ALL. 30 MEETINGS.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.