Commissioners authorize contingency steps as easement talks continue to meet funding deadlines

County legal counsel and sanitary engineering staff briefed the commissioners on two unresolved easement negotiations connected to a Blueprint Phase II sanitary project and asked for the board’s authority to proceed with appropriation filings if negotiations cannot be reached.

"This would allow us to get them underway to meet those funding deadlines if we absolutely had to," Bill Dano of the prosecutor’s office said, describing the need to certify appropriations or demonstrate progress on easement acquisition to satisfy funding requirements tied to forgiveness or grant conditions. Staff said negotiations remain active and that in many cases property owners and attorneys have been engaging to settle outside of court.

Commissioners sought assurances that they would be notified before any court filing; staff said they can set notification processes but cautioned some funding deadlines (including certification steps required by securing agencies) demand quick administrative action. Officials emphasized the objective is to preserve funding eligibility rather than force contested litigation.

Next steps: The board authorized contingency administrative steps (as described by legal counsel) to be used only if negotiations fail; staff will notify the commissioners in advance of any filing and will return with updates on any required appropriations.