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County accepts CD56 Branch 22 improvement, starts warranty period and authorizes final payment
Summary
Blue Earth County accepted the engineer's final report for County Ditch 56 Branch 22 on Aug. 5, authorized final payment to the contractor and began warranty periods for tile and open ditch work; the engineer reported the project was substantially complete with final project cost projected at about $288,737.
Blue Earth County’s drainage authority accepted the engineer’s final report and ordered final payment for the County Ditch (CD) 56 Branch 22 improvement at a public hearing on Aug. 5, concluding construction and initiating warranty periods for tile and open‑ditch work.
Craig Ossison, county ditch manager, opened the hearing and summarized the legal notices and jurisdiction. Chris Adams, construction project manager for ISG, recommended acceptance and final payment after reviewing the construction timeline, pay to date and measured damages. “It is the engineer’s recommendation that Celli Construction has successfully completed the work in accordance with plans and specs,” Adams said.
Adams told the board the contract was awarded in April 2024, construction occurred primarily between May and June 2024, and substantial completion was reached on June 11, 2024. A televising inspection on July 11 found sediment in a newly constructed pipe that was ultimately traced to an existing main; the contractor jet‑cleaned the pipe after harvest and again after winter work and staff concluded the pipe was operating according to plans and specifications.
Adams reported a projected total project cost of $288,737, slightly above the final engineer’s report (FER) estimate of $284,809, with pay to date and retainage amounts discussed. He said measured damages totaled 11.87 acres versus an estimated 10.62 acres. The acceptance, the engineer said, also triggers a three‑year warranty for tile work and a one‑year warranty for open ditch work.
The board voted to accept the draft findings and orders approving the engineer’s acceptance report and to issue final payment to the contractor. The motion carried with an affirmative vote; no roll‑call vote by name was recorded in the hearing transcript.
Why this matters: acceptance confirms the county’s determination that the contractor fulfilled contract obligations, moves final payment and starts statutory warranty periods that preserve the county’s rights for remediation if defects emerge.
Next steps: the county will process final payment to the contractor, begin the warranty monitoring period and maintain as‑built records and GPS data for inspections and future maintenance.
