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Residents press Benton County on ditch maintenance as county seeks cleanup quotes
Summary
A resident's public comment about persistent flooding on County Ditch 7 prompted the board and ditch authority to schedule field inspections, request contractor quotes for buffer‑strip cleanup on CD3, and coordinate with Excel over power‑line clearing and stump grinding.
Frank Leot pressed the Benton County Board of Commissioners for action on County Ditch 7, saying the problem has persisted for years and asking county staff to inspect his property and identify who made the decision that he was a "benefactor" of ditch maintenance. "I want answers. They've been playing this game for like seven years with county ditch seven," Leot said during the open‑forum segment.
At the separate ditch‑authority meeting, drainage staff described maintenance needs on CD3, noting only one side of a buffer strip had been cleared during a past maintenance cycle and that the power company (Excel) told staff it would "make ready for removal" by providing about 10 feet of clearance around lines. Adam, acting for the drainage authority, said the county attorney advised that maintaining the buffer is the drainage authority's responsibility and that the county cannot force Excel to remove trees but welcomed any assistance Excel offers.
Commissioners asked staff to solicit competitive quotes for removing cut trees and associated debris, and to include options for stump grinding to grade. Commissioners also asked staff to seek cost estimates from contractors experienced working near power lines and to arrange on‑site inspections with landowners when feasible. "Let's get some quote," one commissioner said, asking for estimates with not‑to‑exceed figures and alternates that assume Excel will cut trees in place and make them removable.
Staff shared a National Wetlands Inventory map and explained limits on assessments where designated wetlands are present along CD7 and Mayhew Creek, noting that if standing water reaches mapped upland areas the property could be considered benefited differently. Commissioners directed staff to arrange site visits, contact contractors (H2O and others) for estimates, and report back with quotes and a proposed timeline for cleanup.
The ditch authority approved moving forward to solicit quotes for cleanup and to schedule inspections; no formal budget appropriation beyond routine drainage‑system funding was made at the meeting.
