Wright County trustees, sitting as drainage trustees, voted to deny a petition to include privately constructed tile into Joint Drainage District 111‑3 and to return the petitioners’ bond. The vote followed legal guidance that reclassifying a single lateral would require reclassification of all laterals in the district under Iowa Code and that the resulting expense would be borne by the district rather than by petitioners.

Trustees considered an engineering estimate to televise and inspect the existing tile. An estimate presented from Henninger Construction for televising portions of the tile came in at $33,760 for what an engineer described as multiple access points and roughly 6,360 feet of tile to be surveyed; a spot-check option (800‑foot segments) and a private-option (leave tile private) were also discussed.

The county’s drainage attorney (Eric Eady was referenced by trustees) advised that Iowa Code procedures for lateral reclassification would obligate the board to follow the same procedure for other laterals in the district, potentially requiring a district‑wide reclassification and substantial assessments. Trustees were told that the legal view was the petition should be stopped and that the cost would not fall on the petitioners but on existing district landowners.

Trustees discussed alternatives including a mutual drainage district under Iowa Code 468.142 or private mutual agreements among neighboring landowners to share repair and outlet costs. The board directed the auditor/clerk (Courtney) to notify the petitioners of denial, return the bond check, and refrain from appointing an engineer or initiating classification at this time.

Chairman Rasmussen and the trustees concluded the action with a recorded motion and unanimous vote to deny the petition and return bond funds. The trustees advised petitioners of options to pursue a private mutual drainage agreement and recommended consulting a drainage attorney for next steps.

Next steps: County staff will send written notice to petitioners describing the denial, return their bond, and reference the applicable Iowa Code section; trustees will not proceed with an engineer appointment or classification absent further, separate action.