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Wright County trustees receive multiple drainage engineers' reports, approve levies, change order and new beaver‑removal procedures
Summary
Trustees received an engineers' tentative plan for Joint Drainage District 162‑7 and a DD169 tile improvement report estimating $1.257 million in work, authorized pre‑classification, approved levies and 10‑year spreads for assessments, accepted a DD62 change order raising the estimate to $100,000, and adopted new beaver‑removal and trapping forms requiring preapproval and GPS/photo verification.
Wright County drainage trustees on Thursday received engineers' reports for several drainage projects, directed preliminary classification work on a joint district, approved assessment levies and spreads, and adopted new beaver‑removal and trapping procedures intended to standardize emergency removals and bounty payments.
In a conference call with Humboldt County trustees, the board received the tentative engineers' report for Joint Drainage District 162‑7 (project E25138) and authorized the county engineer to prepare a pre‑classification so a formal hearing can be scheduled. The motion to receive the report and direct pre‑classification carried.
Engineer Agribia presented the DD169 tile improvement report, describing a proposed extension of the district main to Buchanan Avenue and two added laterals. Agribia said the estimated project cost is $1,257,000, which averages about $884 per acre for affected landowners. "Our total estimated cost we have at $1,257,000, which that comes out to the cost per land owners we've estimated $884 per acre on average," the engineer said.
Trustees received the DD169 report as a tentative plan and discussed annexation of two parcels for later reclassification; no final approval of construction was given at this meeting. The board also reviewed and approved a slate of joint‑district levies and inter‑county assessment shares and set eligible spreads for listed districts at 10 years.
On project management, trustees approved change order #1 for DD62, a partial cleanout of approximately 2.5 miles on the lower end of that open ditch. The office presented an original estimated cost of $82,443 and a revised project estimate of $100,000; the board approved the change order and instructed contractors to halt and seek approval if work becomes extensive.
Drainage administrator Courtney Strange presented new beaver dam removal work‑order and beaver trapping/payment forms designed to protect outlet flow and to document removals and bounty payments. The forms require preapproval for removals that could affect district outlets, GPS coordinates, time‑stamped photos, and post‑harvest landowner verification. "No preapproval equals no payment," Strange said, explaining staff will require landowner sign‑off and documentation before issuing bounty payments.
Next steps: pre‑classification work will proceed for Joint Drainage District 162‑7 and trustees will schedule public hearings as required; staff will implement the new beaver‑removal and trapping process and monitor its operation before proposing any refinements.
