The Marshall County Drainage Board approved a variance, conditional on State Health Department approval to place a portion of a septic field in the right-of-way of the Lelmer Arm of the Berger Ditch during their meeting Monday morning.
Jordan Shupp told the board he intends to re-open the traditional full-service meat market at the corner of 12B and Beech Road. The plan is to place a septic field to the east of the main structure with a perimeter drain. The septic field trenches would go into the ditch easement about 12 feet and the perimeter drain would be an additional 10 feet for a total of 22 feet. A 16 foot addition on the west building would also encroach into the ditch easement about 3 to 6 feet.
County Surveyor Craig Cultice recommended reducing the easement from 75 feet to 65 feet for the building addition and for the septic, he recommended approval of the construction of that portion of the septic system in the drain easement with the understanding that the county will not be held liable for any damage that may occur to the septic system or the perimeter drain during the maintenance of the ditch.
The County Drainage Board unanimously approved the variance a recommended by the County Surveyor.
The Drainage Board also granted INDOT permission to work on the Somers Arm of the Blad Rodgers Ditch north of US 30 and west of Rose Road. Coltice said the ditch is in pretty bad shape and needs to be cleaned. The ditch itself lies within the state’s right-of-way. After contacting the State, Coltice said they are willing to do the work if the county gives them permission to work in the drainage easement.
The Drainage Board was happy to authorize the state’s request to work in the county’s righ-of-way on the Somers Ditch.
The surveyor also highlighted this summer’s brush treatment. The contracted out about 32 miles between two different contractors at a cost of approximately $.32 cents a foot. In comparison, to dip a ditch or clean a ditch is about $1 per foot and to de-brush a ditch is as much as $5 a foot.
