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Surveyor raises JP Ensley lateral for possible maintenance, board weighs combining with Frank Yard
Summary
The surveyor’s office asked the board to consider bringing the JP Ensley lateral onto maintenance or combining it as a lateral to the larger Frank Yard drain; staff estimated about 2,800 feet of tile and proposed a base rate that would generate about $5,324.84 annually for maintenance.
During the DeKalb County Drainage Board’s Dec. 18 meeting, the surveyor’s office asked the board to revisit the JP Ensley lateral, which is not currently on maintenance, and presented options including placing it on maintenance, vacating it, or making it a lateral to the Frank Yard drain (a joint drain involving Noble County).
Surveyor’s staff estimated roughly 2,800 feet of tile in the stretch under discussion—about 1,400 feet of 8-inch tile and about 1,500 feet of 10-inch tile—and proposed a base rate of $11.12 to fund maintenance. That rate would establish an annual funding amount of $5,324.84 for a watershed measured at about 282.99 acres.
Speakers noted logistical and equity concerns with combining the lateral into the Frank Yard watershed because the Frank Yard account currently funds multiple laterals and some upstream landowners may pay for maintenance that primarily benefits downstream fields. One board member said combining the lateral would require a joint process with Noble County and recommended discussing the issue with the surveyor in the adjacent county before proceeding.
The board did not take formal action during the meeting. Several members volunteered to contact landowners and neighboring county staff to gather input and determine whether to set a hearing or otherwise advance the matter at a future meeting.
Why it matters: Placing a lateral on maintenance or combining it with a larger drain changes which landowners pay assessments and how quickly repairs can be made. The board sought additional information and landowner input before scheduling a hearing or making a formal decision.
