By: Donovan W. Mann – [email protected]
Dakota City, IA – The project in Drainage District 7 Sub two is official finished following two public hearings.
On Monday, June 7, during a meeting of the Humboldt County Board of Supervisors, these two hearings were held. As previously reported, they were for the reclassification of DD 7 Sub 2 and the completion hearing for a project in the district.
Project Engineer with Bolton and Menk, Inc. Colin Klingbeil was present to present project details during the hearings. This was a relief tile project due to the current tile in place being 110 years old. In 1990 a tile was put in to the north but did not help cover the land to the south.
The estimated cost for the project as a whole was set at $100,000. The actual cost was around $95,000 according to the engineer.
As part of the reclassification of DD 7 Sub 2, Klingbeil worked with two county drainage commissioners that had no relation to the district. This is to assure the fairness of the reclassification when establishing the maintenance schedules and costs that are charged to the land owners in the area.
The engineer says there are multiple factors that play into what each parcel is charged during a maintenance schedule for a district tile or other facility. This includes level of soil drainage and proximity.
Klingbeil and the two Humboldt County drainage commissions were able to reach an agreement on the methodology during private meetings. They then decided upon six assessment schedules to be used for payment of future maintenance and other costs.
Following the hearing for the reclassification of DD 7 Sub 2 the board approved the reclassification. They also agreed to a 70 percent reduction to a portion in the north of the district based on drainage value. A $500 reduction to a small portion in the southeast of the district due to the contractor closing the trench before proper information could be recorded was also approved.
No written or verbal complaints on the project were received by the office of the county’s drainage clerk. The supervisors closed the completion hearing and closed the books on this project.