Stevens County approves multiple drainage petitions, assigns outlet fees into County Ditch 1

At a public hearing on county drainage petitions, the Stevens County Board of Commissioners approved several requests to construct private drainage outlets that discharge into County Ditch 1 and recorded outlet fees and assessed benefit amounts as shown on the hearing record.

County staff opened the hearing by describing notices and engineering exhibits. The petitions covered multiple landowners and parcels in township sections identified in the hearing packet; hearing materials and plans were prepared by Houston Engineering and included benefit calculations per the watershed and benefit maps.

Scott (county staff) summarized the projects and the benefit calculations for each petition. Public comment included objections from landowner Gene Anderson, who said downstream channels and informal pump systems have evolved over decades and warned that increased drainage without coordinated maintenance would shift costs and burdens onto downstream landowners. Contractor and project representatives—Paul Wolf, a tile contractor involved in design—said the proposed routings were selected to minimize impact to already‑patterned farmland and to route flow to existing public ditches where possible.

After the public comment period the board took separate motions on the petitions. The board approved findings and ordered outlet fees as recorded on the meeting record for each petitioner. Examples recorded in the hearing transcript include:

- Petition by Elizabeth Golombekki (as recorded): outlet fee $585; amount benefited listed as $2,340. - Petition by Julian (Jolene) Amborn (as recorded): outlet fee $420; amount benefited $1,680. - Petition by Roger Amorin (as recorded): outlet fee $765; amount benefited $3,060. - Petition by Jason and Jody Snell (as recorded): outlet fee $615; amount benefited $2,460. - Petition by the Bachman Family Trust (as recorded): outlet fee $990; amount benefited $3,960.

Each motion was made and seconded on the record; the clerk recorded voice votes with “aye” and the chair announced the motions carried.

Why it matters: The approvals grant private projects the right to outlet into County Ditch 1 and assign the outlet fees and benefit amounts that will be charged to petitioners; downstream landowners and others raised concerns about cumulative maintenance obligations and the long‑term condition of receiving ditches.

What’s next: Per standard practice, petitioners will proceed with any construction under the county permit process and are responsible for the costs identified; county staff will track the filings and any required follow‑up on public ditch maintenance or further petitions.