Worth County supervisors approve reclassification for Drainage District No. 1

The Worth County Board of Supervisors, acting for Drainage District No. 1, voted unanimously Feb. 2 to approve an engineer‑recommended reclassification and annexation schedule for the district.

Jacob Hagan, an AgriVia engineer, told the public hearing the reclassification divides the district into one‑acre squares and assigns each acre a score based on three factors: bringing the outlet nearer, relieving overflow (using five soil‑type scores), and affording an outlet (slope, infrastructure and proximity). Hagan said those scores determine how drainage benefits — and therefore assessments — are apportioned among properties.

During the hearing, landowner Roger Harris asked whether a landowner outside the district could construct a private main to the ditch; Hagan responded that a property must be annexed into the district to connect. Landowner Brenda Tenold‑Moretz provided maps for the engineer’s review. Worth County Conservation, represented at the meeting by Conservation Director Jim Hanson, asked the board to consider reduced assessments for conservation land uses, citing Crescent Swamp Lodge as an example; Hagan said lands remain in the recommended schedule and that the schedule will be updated to reflect any amendments or future projects.

After discussion, Supervisor Mark Smeby moved and Vice‑Chair A.J. Stone seconded approval of the reclassification as amended; the board voted 3‑0 (Smeby, Stone and Chair Enos Loberg voting yes) to adopt the schedule. The public hearing was closed and the meeting adjourned at 10:02 a.m. CST. The minutes were attested by the drainage clerk (the transcript shows inconsistent spellings of the clerk’s name; this article uses the name as first listed in the meeting minutes).

Attendees listed in the minutes included Chair Enos Loberg, Vice‑Chair A.J. Stone, Supervisor Mark Smeby, Auditor Jacki Backhaus, drainage clerk Chesley Doty, AgriVia engineers Jacob Hagan and Tyler Bauman, Conservation Director Jim Hanson, and landowners Roger Harris, Roger Dahlby, Darin Dahlby, Gene Severson and Brenda Tenold‑Moretz. Participants joining by Zoom included Drainage Attorney Ryan Buske, DD‑1 Commissioner Nathaniel Julseth and Kris Kenison of the Northwood Anchor.