Wallsburg council debates who must fix filled ditches, seeks state help for storm drainage

At a Sept. 5 Wallsburg Town Council meeting, council members and residents spent more than an hour debating recurring storm‑drainage failures, filled-in ditches and who is responsible for maintaining the town’s 66‑foot right‑of‑way.

The discussion matter-of-factly centered on safety and costs: residents described repeat flooding and soft road segments that “will be worse come spring” if not addressed, and council members said the town must decide whether to require permits and to enforce setbacks where private landscaping or fills block historic drainage routes.

Council member Scott Larson said the town’s right‑of‑way is 66 feet and noted that “it’s the town’s right of way that people will put their lawn or plants or whatever in there,” adding that “we can't just allow people to fill it in.” Council member Terry Issel and several residents pressed that approach: “If they put grass out into the road right away…the…