Drainage trustees deny petition to reclassify lateral, approve inspections and invoices
Summary
Acting as drainage trustees, Wright County supervisors denied a petition to reclassify a lateral in JDD 11-3, instructed staff to notify petitioners and return bonds, and approved drainage work-order inspections and invoices for attorney and engineering work.
In a separate drainage-trustees session, the Wright County Board of Supervisors considered a petition to reclassify lateral 5 in Joint Drainage District 11-3. Trustees reviewed Iowa Code 468.412 on reclassification of benefited lands and the drainage attorney's advice that reclassification of a single lateral would likely require bringing a neighboring county (Franklin County) into the discussion.
Trustees voted, on a motion by Supervisor Ellis, not to appoint an engineer and to deny the petition; staff were directed to write petitioners with the trustees' conclusions and to return bond payments. The motion carried.
Trustees also reviewed a work order for Drainage District 159-8 involving a possible plugged tile and discussed contractor scope (digging down for inspection, televising if requested) and options for repair. Consultants recommended removing and replacing plugged or perforated tile with non-perforated tile and extending replacement 10 to 20 feet on either side of the fence line depending on tree size; the trustees discussed district responsibility limited to the existing main and landowner responsibility for private laterals.
Finally, trustees reviewed and approved four drainage-related invoices for attorney and engineering services (amounts and districts were read into the record) and then adjourned the drainage session.
