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Farmers press supervisors over drainage assessments; county staff cite ISG contract and $52,000 assessment
Summary
Residents said large drainage assessments and timing of drainage statements are causing hardship; county staff explained a $70,800 ISG contract for surveys and design work and said a $52,000 assessment was calculated to cover ISG work and outstanding warrants.
Multiple residents raised citizen concerns about drainage-assessment bills and the timing of drainage statements on property-tax bills. A farmer described receiving a total bill example of $66,000 with half of that listed as drainage and said he had to mortgage the farm to pay; he asked who the ditch trustees are and why assessments arrive when they do.
County staff explained the background: an ISG contract (approved in October) was for surveying, plans and specifications and was valued at about $70,800. Staff said projected work for the current year from that contract is roughly $35,000 and that there was about $17,000 in prior outstanding warrants for the ditch, leading staff to propose a $52,000 assessment this year to cover both ISG work and the outstanding balance. Staff said assessments are apportioned according to benefit to parcels and described a process by which landowners can petition to run their own drainage district under the code.
