Board sets Feb. 19 hearing to consider one-time assessment to clear John Ketchum drain deficit

DeKalb County surveyor staff told the drainage board on Jan. 15 that the John Ketchum drain currently sits with a negative maintenance balance and recommended a one-time assessment to clear the deficit and allow the drain to be transferred to the City of Auburn.

Unidentified Speaker 9 reported the drain has a remaining negative balance of $9,958.91 and proposed a one-year, one-time collection to retire that balance so the drain can be transferred. Staff outlined proposed per-acre rates in the assessment model: an agriculture base rate of $27.51 per acre, a residential rate of $55.02 per acre (though there are no residential parcels within the drain), and a commercial rate of $82.52 per acre, with the bulk of the collection expected to come from commercial parcels.

Board members discussed timing and the tax-collection cycle; staff recommended holding the hearing on Feb. 19 to stay within the 30–40 day window for notices and to allow collections to be processed in March. The board moved, seconded and set the hearing for Feb. 19 at 9:00 a.m.

Unidentified Speaker 9 said the one-time collection would allow the county to pay down the negative balance and proceed with transferring the drain to the City of Auburn if approved at the hearing.