Board approves consent waiver and debates tiered assessments for County Road 60 reconstruction

The Drain Board approved a consent waiver for work connected to a County Road 60 drainage reconstruction request and then held a lengthy discussion about the larger reconstruction project, assessment methodology and next steps. After technical map and tile-layout explanations from staff, the board voted to approve the consent waiver for Zebulon Greggs with a favorable recommendation from the surveyor’s office.

Board members then debated whether to phase the large reconstruction to address immediate road flooding, the appropriate pipe size given a very flat grade, and how to apportion costs. Members referenced an earlier estimate of about $700,000 from 2021/22 and discussed a current figure cited in the meeting at roughly $770,000, noting additional costs potentially billed to third parties. The board discussed using a tiered assessment (factoring land use, soil type, commercial vs. agricultural benefit) under the statutory language cited in the meeting as "36-9-27-12," and set a target follow-up on Aug. 6 to obtain a new estimate and determine whether to extend or reopen the hearing. "From what I read, it sound[ed] like you had the right to ask the surveyor to apply a tiered assessment," a board member said while discussing statutory options. The board also agreed to organize site-walks with limits on how many members may attend without posting under open-meeting rules.