Blue Earth County accepts two ditch projects, authorizes final payments

The Blue Earth County Board of Commissioners on Aug. 5 accepted engineer reports for two drainage improvement projects and authorized final payments and warranty periods. The actions followed presentations from ISG engineers and comments from the public.

Engineer Chris Adams of ISG summarized the County Ditch 56 Branch 22 work and recommended acceptance, saying the work "was substantially completed... as of 06/11/2024," and noting site-specific issues that were corrected, including sediment removal and private tile connections. Adams reported measured damages of about 11.87 acres versus an estimated 10.62 acres and a projected total cost of roughly $288,737, with a small overrun in granular foundation and additional private tile connections.

Following public comment on unrelated local drainage issues, the board voted by voice to accept the engineer's findings for CD 56, order payment of remaining retainage and begin warranty periods.

Engineer Jacob Mueller of ISG told the board the County Ditch 79 improvement project "has been completed," recommending abandonment of replaced lines, payment of damages and start of warranty protections. Mueller reported the project was substantially complete in December 2024; paid-to-date amounts and a remaining pay request were presented, and measured damages were about 28.33 acres versus the estimated 27.54 acres.

The board moved and approved the draft findings and orders for CD 79 by voice vote and directed final payment to the contractor. The hearings open warranty periods (three years for tile work, one year for open ditch work) and allow the drainage authority to release remaining retainage and pay damages as shown in the engineer reports.

The board signaled staff would follow up on a separate Rapidan resident complaint about repeated basement flooding that was raised during the public comment period but noted that issue was not part of the CD 56 acceptance hearing.