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Council presses for Drain Commissioner meeting as $3 million Higbee Drain petition moves forward
Summary
Councilors were warned the Higbee Drain petition could cost about $3 million with the city’s share roughly $1 million and potential individual property assessments; members asked the Drain Commissioner to present details and the manager said he will invite the office to explain assessments and scope.
Charlotte City Council spent a sizable portion of its meeting pressing for clarity on the Higbee Drain petition, which the city manager said totals roughly $3,000,000 and would likely require the city to cover about $1,000,000 of that cost.
City manager (City manager) told the council the project is broken into three parts — adjustments to the water system, street and right-of-way work with extensive impervious surface, and a roughly $500,000 airport-related piece — and that the council’s share would be about $1,000,000. "This is something the council actually petitioned the Drain Commission," the manager said, noting the petition dated from 2021 and that once a petition is in motion "it's out of your hands" in many respects.
Several councilors said the city has not planned for a large assessment. One councilor warned that in other townships property owners faced assessments they could not afford, recounting a local case where a young family faced a $40,000 drain assessment that risked losing their home. Another councilor told the meeting the council's support for the project "would hinge on [the Drain Commissioner] being here to present it," adding, "You can't get the drain commissioner to show his face anywhere." Those comments were voiced as the council urged the Drain Commission to provide detail on how assessments would be derived.
Manager and council members discussed financing options, including a 15- to 20-year bond to spread costs and suggested pursuing Aeronautics Bureau funds to offset the airport portion. The manager recommended inviting the Drain Commissioner or staff to a future meeting or work session to walk the council through the scope, cost allocation and assessment methodology.
The manager said he would contact the Drain Office to request a presentation to the council. No formal vote was taken on the project at this meeting; councilors instead requested additional information and expressed concern about immediate budget exposure and homeowner impacts.
