Carver County, sitting as ditch authority, adopts special assessments for County Ditches 6, 9 and 10

Sitting as the County Ditch Authority, the Carver County Board adopted three special assessments following redeterminations of benefits for County Ditches 6, 9 and 10.

David Frishman, county ditch administrator, told the board the redetermination process produced a recommended $63,176 total cost for County Ditch 6; the board approved a special assessment for that amount and authorized that any individual assessment above $250 may be spread over five years with a 4% interest rate. Commissioner Fahey made the motion and Commissioner Lynch seconded; the motion passed on a voice vote.

For County Ditch 9 the viewers’ report included buffer-strip payments (one rod, 16.5 feet, on either side of the ditch) that had not previously been paid. Frishman said the buffer-strip payments for CD9 totaled $67,600 and the redetermination-of-benefits costs were $23,629, producing a recommended assessment of $91,229. The board adopted that assessment and the same payment-spread option (assessments over $250 may be spread over five years at 4%). Frishman said property owners whose buffer payments had already been made in past decades would not receive duplicate payment; the letter to property owners will specify individual amounts and prepayment options.

For County Ditch 10 the viewers’ report showed earlier buffer-strip payments had already been paid, and Frishman recommended a $19,177 special assessment to cover redetermination costs. The board approved a $19,177 assessment with the same spread and interest provisions.

Mike Wanas, ditch inspector and manager for the Soil & Water Conservation District, explained that the buffer requirement and associated compensation stem from ditch law (cited in the meeting as statute 103E) and that one rod equals 16.5 feet; he distinguished that statutory ditch-buffer compensation from more recent statewide buffer laws enacted for public waters.

Frishman said the county will send letters to affected property owners within 30 days with each owner’s specific assessment and the option to prepay before year-end to avoid interest; unpaid assessments over $250 would be placed on a five-year payment plan with 4% interest. The board also discussed a planned April workshop with the ditch attorney and other staff to set a policy for future ditch maintenance, inspection cadence and repair assessments. Frishman said redeterminations of benefits are infrequent and this update for these systems likely will not be repeated for 15–25 years, though annual maintenance assessments may occur as needed.

All three motions were approved on voice votes: motions were made by Commissioner Fahey and seconded by Commissioner Lynch for each ditch action.