County crews cut trees on disputed land at Indian Creek watershed site; landowner says he will file claim

A heated exchange at the Van Buren County meeting followed reports that county road crews clearing brush at Indian Creek Watershed Site 15 had tracked onto neighboring land and removed trees that a landowner says sat wholly on his property.

County staff said crews were assigned to cut roadside brush and, while acting on staff direction and a foreman’s on-site instruction, inadvertently tracked onto the adjacent parcel where a boundary fence runs. The landowner (first appearance as an affected party in the record) said photos showed roughly 312 feet of trees cleared and hauled off his property and told the board, in strong terms, that the county "fucked up" and that he planned to file a claim with county insurance for the damage.

Staff apologized for the error, conceded crews had tracked onto the land, and said the foreman and operator had left the site after being told they were on the wrong side of the fence. Because the correct boundary location is disputed in places, the county agreed to pursue a retracement survey to establish the official boundary line. The board asked staff to accept a written claim and advised the landowner on the county’s insurance claim process; supervisors emphasized the need for written documentation of completion and asked staff to notify landowners in writing about any work orders or notifications to avoid future misunderstandings.

Supervisors also discussed historical survey records, prior parcel transfers related to watershed construction, and the need to coordinate construction and maintenance with clear written permissions when work might approach disputed boundaries. The county closed the item by directing staff to accept a formal claim and to begin steps to determine liability and next remedies based on insurance and survey results.