02/19/13 The Marshall County Drainage Board had a full agenda Monday morning. Maintenance bids were opened for projects on the BF Mattingly Ditch and the E Fletcher Ditch. A new bidder from Koscuckio County, Kolesiak Construction from Akron was the low bidder on both projects with bids of $11,700 and $7,800.
A public hearing was held concerning notice to raise the assessment on the Outlet Arm. The proposal was to increase the assessment from the original establishment in 1982 of 40 cents an acre up to $1.00 per acre with a $5 minimum. County Surveyor Larry Fisher said the Outlet Arm is used to drain several ditches in the 9,973 acre watershed which lies primarily on the east side of Walnut Township.
A few people spoke out against the increase including Ryan Cassidy who has property on 14th Road. He said his property doesn’t have any flow that goes through it to the drain. Bruce Wakeland has a 40 acre woodland in the watershed and objected to the increase noting that his forest doesn’t get any benefit from the drain. He also had report from the NRCS with soil types and slopes indicating that a minimal amount of water if any leaves his property. The final speaker was Don Mahoney who agreed with the need for an increase but objected to the amount of the increase.
After listening to comments during the public hearing and having a couple of questions answered the Marshall County Drainage Board motioned to increase the maintenance fee from 40 cents to $1.00 because the benefits exceed the cost.
The Drainage Board also approved an increase in the maintenance assessment for the Gall-Unsicker-Craig Drain from $1.25 an acre up to $2.25.
