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Board schedules hearings, proposes $6.50 per-acre rate for Gollan Sitka watershed
Summary
The Marshall County Drainage Board voted to advertise a proposed assessment of $6.50 per acre with a $10 minimum for the Gollan Sitka watershed and scheduled public hearings in October and November; staff said long-term maintenance needs for the large watershed average $30,000–$40,000 annually.
The Marshall County Drainage Board voted to advertise a public hearing and proposed assessment rates for the Gollan Sitka watershed, a large, multi-parcel system shared in part with Kosciusko County.
Craig Hall, representing drainage staff, told the board the watershed covers roughly 5,003.85 acres with Marshall County responsible for about 89 percent and Kosciusko County for about 11 percent. Staff figures in the meeting packet show 231 parcels, 9.2 miles of open ditch, 7.2 miles of drain length and combined annual collection for the two counties of about $12,171; staff said the watershed is currently nearly $17,000 in the red.
Hall said maintenance expenditures over the prior 10 years totaled $305,004.34 and estimated average future maintenance costs between $30,000 and $40,000 per year. Staff presented rate options and recommended advertising a rate that would produce roughly $35,000 annually; the board voted to advertise $6.50 per acre with a $10 minimum and set public hearings for the October and November drainage board meetings.
Why it matters: Because the watershed is large and historically has required substantial maintenance (including brush treatments and tile work), staff said a higher assessment is needed to build a reserve sufficient to bid multi-mile ditch cleanings every 4–5 years.
Board discussion: The board discussed cost-per-foot estimates for cleaning — staff said bids for the 9.2 miles of ditch could run in the $2–$3 per foot range, and that cleaning every 4–5 years would be an ideal cadence. Board members asked about break-even timing for rebuilding reserves; staff said it could take multiple years before the account reaches a level to fund large cleanings without borrowing from other county funds.
Vote: The motion to advertise the $6.50-per-acre rate with a $10 minimum for public hearing carried at the meeting; staff will mail notices and hold hearings as advertised.
Ending: The board instructed staff to include the watershed notices with the other hearing materials and said a final rate decision will follow the public hearings.
