Monday morning the Marshall County Drainage Board conducted a public hearing on the petition request to establish a regulated drain along Donnybrook on 2B Road in German Township.
This issue has been on the drainage board for several months and at the March meeting the board learned that the proposed route was not acceptable to the affected property owners so they selected an alternative that was considered during Monday’s meeting.
The request for a regulated drain was made by Chris Waidner who told the board that the current drain tile is under his garage and is beginning to collapse in his back yard.
During the public hearing several spoke on the project. Mr. Waidner said he felt the drainage was most beneficial to the county roadway and the residents shouldn’t be responsible to cover the cost of the project. He was also opposed to the 75 foot setback and commented that none of his property will feed into the drainage pipe.
Adjacent property owner, Robert Bowen said he too feels the drain is helping to protect the county roadway from standing water and that the 75 foot easement would diminish and devalue his property. He said, “I shouldn’t have to pay for a project that will cause a devaluation of my property.”
The County Drainage Board has no record of the drain every being installed or of any work having been done by the County Highway Department to create the inlets on both sides of 2B Road.
Verl Miller who also lives on 2B Road said other private tiles are feeding into the drain and that those properties, although outside the watershed should also pay into the assessment since they are receiving a benefit of the project.
Lamar Reichert who owns property on the north side of 2B Road said a mutual drain was put in by three farmers before Donnybrook was developed. He also said he told the family that built the home that Chris Waidner is living in that there was a drainage tile on his property but the guy didn’t care.
After further discussion amongst drainage board members the board voted to deny the petition request to establish a regulated drain.
