Board assumes private tile jurisdiction and raises Snyder-Caruthers assessment to $17 per acre

On Oct. 20, 2025, the Marshall County Drainage Board took two formal actions on the Snyder-Caruthers watershed: it assumed jurisdiction over a privately owned plastic tile drain that landowners petitioned for county maintenance, and it voted to place a portion of the Caruthers ditch on the county collection schedule for maintenance.

Staff presented two petitions: one asking the county to assume responsibility for a 5-year mutual plastic tile located in the North Half of Section 7, T34N R2E (Millertown Township) and a second petition to add 65.8 acres to the existing Snyder-Caruthers watershed by placing part of Caruthers ditch on collection (bringing total watershed acreage up to about 285 acres when added to the existing 219-acre watershed). Staff reported that the prior assessment was $5 per acre with a $5 minimum and that maintenance expenditures over the last eight years totaled $9,006.56. By taking the additional acreage and the ditch into collection and increasing the rate to $17 per acre with a $20 minimum, staff projected anticipated annual collections at approximately $5,097 — an amount staff said would meet projected maintenance needs.

During the public hearing, property owners described long-standing maintenance challenges at specific locations. Sharon Rosinski of 4057 Olive Road said her parcel did not experience standing water and questioned whether it was fair to assess properties that do not appear to benefit directly; board members explained that even land that is currently draining successfully benefits from watershed-wide maintenance. Roger Norris, who said he is the majority owner of the open-ditch portion proposed for collection, described difficulty maintaining the ditch and asked for county assistance. The board also received several written letters from landowners asking for county action or for consideration of adjacent segments in a future petition.

The board first voted to assume jurisdiction over the private tile; the motion carried by voice vote. The board then voted to accept the petition to place the specified portion of Caruthers ditch on collection and adopted the advertised rate increase to $17 per acre with a $20 minimum, recording the finding that the benefits outweigh the costs. Both motions passed by voice vote.

Ending: The board authorized county staff to proceed with work on the private tile and to administer the newly added portion of Caruthers ditch under the new assessment; staff said work will be scheduled as funds permit and that petitioners may submit additional requests to extend maintenance coverage in adjacent areas.