County staff: Miami Conservancy District retooling assessment formula could shift costs across counties

A county staff update described efforts by the Miami Conservancy District (MCD) to modernize the formula it uses to assess property owners for the maintenance and capital needs of levees and dams constructed after the 1913 Great Miami River flood.

Martin, a county staff member who has been attending MCD meetings, told commissioners the district is examining whether the century-old assessment method — which is based on flood depths from the 1913 event — still reflects modern risks and benefits. He said the examination grew out of substantial assessment increases some businesses and communities experienced following recent reassessments in nearby jurisdictions.

“Traditionally they assess properties by going back to the 1913 flood,” Martin said, describing a calculation that assigns a percentage based on how much water that historical flood put on a property. Martin said MCD is considering whether to account more directly for indirect benefits — such as protection of regional infrastructure and well fields used by communities farther from the river — when apportioning costs.

Martin told the board the Conservancy District’s reassessment discussions have highlighted potential tensions between suburban, urban and farm communities about who should bear costs. He said engineering firms and county representatives are trying to identify “what is the immediate risk and what are items that are indirect benefit of having this levee system,” and that reaching consensus on a new formula will likely be difficult.

Martin noted the MCD is governed in part by a group of judges representing affected counties and that the court of nine judges reviews financial modeling periodically. He also reminded commissioners that Warren County itself owns property that is assessed and therefore the county will feel any assessment changes.

The update was informational; no county decision or action was taken at the meeting. Martin said the topic is ongoing, with meetings roughly every two months, and that further conversation will be needed to reconcile the district’s capital needs with equitable cost distribution across counties and property types.

Background and implications Under the current approach, assessments fund maintenance and capital improvements for dams and levees built after the 1913 flood. If MCD adopts a new formula that expands the pool of assessed beneficiaries, some property owners who have not historically paid assessments could face new charges. Conversely, a modernized formula could shift or reduce burdens for some current payers.

The county will continue to monitor MCD deliberations and report back when specific proposals or votes require a formal county response.