Board grills staff on $1.8 million drainage project that affects four houses

Director Lance Hines questioned staff about resolution 4, asking why the city hired a particular firm when another engineering firm had a separate $29,000 contract for surveying. Staff explained that Volcker (the contracted firm) is the only firm able to provide both right-of-way acquisition services and the other needed survey services for this particular scope; boundary surveys were contracted separately to Craft and Tall.

Staff provided a funding breakdown for the project: $1,000,000 from ARPA funds, about $300,000 from the 2022 bond program, and $1,000,000 being contributed by the core engineers — putting the total project cost at about $1.8 million. Staff said four properties are directly involved and that the project focuses on clearing and snagging the ditch area to alleviate drainage issues.

Hines asked whether the expenditure would remove those properties from the floodplain or floodway and whether property owners had an obligation to clear snags themselves. Staff said they did not have an immediate answer and would follow up with additional detail.

"So we're gonna spend all this money...are we gonna will these houses then be out of the flood plain or flood way, or are they still gonna have to buy flood insurance?" Hines asked. Staff said they would provide more information later.

Staff characterized the work for the project as drainage clearance and acquisition services intended to alleviate flooding but did not confirm changes to federal floodplain designation.