Board awards Little Black Creek dredging to low bidder and starts process for drainage rate hearing

The Grant County Drainage Board reviewed bids to dredge and clear a segment of Little Black Creek and voted to accept the low bid from Extreme Excavating LLC at approximately $20,349.

Staff said the Little Black Creek maintenance fund currently holds about $18,282 and is expected to collect roughly $3,000 in the next collection cycle; the board noted that wash‑out repair items were bid separately and that contractors will be paid when funds are available. Board members discussed short‑term stabilization of wash‑outs versus larger repairs and emphasized that some wash‑outs will require separate bids once digging reveals their true extent.

Following the contract award, the board debated raising county drainage rates to generate more reliable maintenance funding across multiple ditches (Long Branch, Jefferson, Little Black). A motion was approved to initiate the formal process for a public hearing on rate changes and to begin with a $5‑per‑acre proposal as a starting point for discussion; the motion does not finalize rates but moves the process forward to public notice and hearing.

The board also discussed outreach to watershed landowners and the need for a watershed map and surveyor input before setting any final rate. The award and the decision to open a public hearing process aim to balance immediate maintenance needs with a transparent, countywide funding solution.