Supervisors accept petition to improve DD 80 laterals in Sections 28 and 29; appoint engineer

The Kossuth County Board of Supervisors voted to accept a petition for improvement in Drainage District 80 covering two laterals—Lateral 70 in Section 29 and Lateral 10 in Section 28—and appointed an engineering firm to perform the preliminary evaluation.

County staff explained the petition came from a landowner with ownership stake in the district and that under the Code of Iowa the trustees must appoint an engineer to examine feasibility and prepare preliminary designs and cost estimates. Staff said a single owner’s signed petition is sufficient to initiate the evaluation phase; the engineer will evaluate acres, existing capacity and preliminary elevations to recommend sizing and costs.

Supervisor Kyle (mover) made the motion to accept the petition and appoint Goldman Bank (engineer). The motion was seconded by Haas. The board approved the appointment by voice vote; a roll-call tally was not recorded in the public transcript.

Staff estimated the engineering evaluation phase typically costs “$10,000 to $30,000” and said the engineer’s report will trigger the next statutory steps, including notice to landowners and the remonstrance (objection) period described in the drainage law. County staff noted the petitioner appears to own a significant portion of acres impacted and that remonstrance thresholds depend on statutory acreage and population calculations.

The board’s action begins the formal evaluation process; any later decision to construct improvements would require additional engineering reports, notices to landowners and, if the project proceeds, formal assessments against district parcels.