Commissioner Proceedings

June 8, 2020

The Lake of the Woods County Board of Commissioners met in special session on Monday, June 8, 2020 at Lake of the Woods County Government Center in the Commissioners’ Room. 

CALL TO ORDER

Chair Jon Waibel called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m. and the Pledge of Allegiance was recited with the following members present: Commissioners: Joe Grund, Jon Waibel, Cody Hasbargen.  Commissioner Ed Arnesen was present by phone. Absent: Commissioner Buck Nordlof. Also present were: County Auditor/Treasurer Lorene Hanson, County Engineer AJ Pirkl, and County Land and Water Planning Director Josh Stromlund.

APPROVAL OF AGENDA

Motion

Motion was made by Commissioner Joe Grund, seconded by Commissioner Cody Hasbargen and carried unanimously to approve the agenda.

REVIEW OF COUNTY DITCHES

Fund Balances/Loans/Assessment

The Board reviewed county ditch fund balances, loans and assessments.

Review Open Petitions

The Board placed the open petition for Ditch 28 on the next regular board meeting agenda for 6/23/2020.

Review Needed Repair

The Board reviewed repairs that are needed to county ditches. 

OTHER

Inventory/Assessments

County Engineer, AJ Pirkl, discussed his recommendations with the Board.

County Ditch 1

Assessment: The current level of assessment is fine, presently surveying with funding through One Watershed, One Plan.

Projects: 1) Major slope repair on the south side of CSAH 8 from CSAH 2 going west about a mile.  Rough estimate of $300,000.  Looking at 2022 construction with the majority paid by One Watershed One Plan. 2) Repairing of sidewater inlets by One Watershed One Plan.

County Ditch 2

Assessment: The current level of assessment is fine.

Projects: Minor ditch cleaning and brushing.

Judicial Ditch 6

Assessment: Potential ditch to add assessments, this ditch should start assessing around $5,000 per year.

Projects: Ditch cleaning and water quality improvements, along with winter brushing and summer spraying.

Judicial Ditch 7

Assessment: Possible use of CSAH funds, this ditch should start assessing around $2,000 a year.

Projects: Winter brushing, summer spraying, and minor ditch cleaning.

Judicial Ditch 13

Assessment: The majority of this ditch runs along HWY 72 and is in MNDOT ROW. Assessing this ditch is not recommended.

Projects: None

Judicial Ditch 16

Assessment: The current level of assessment is fine.

Projects: 1) 2020 Brushed out the segment between Section 6 and 5 and 31 and 32 of Wabanica Township, and also cleaned out about a mile in spring of 2020. 2) Additional brushing along CSAH 4. 3) Potential major ditching project along CSAH 4. 4) Future brushing and ditch cleaning projects.

Judicial Ditch 17

Assessment: The majority of this ditch services public land.  The majority of the ditch that services private ownership runs along CSAH 1 and can be maintained with CSAH funds.  Assessing this ditch is not recommended.

Projects: 1) Cleaning out and re-shaping of the ditch along CSAH 1. 2) Last year cleaned out a part of the ditch along the Stoney Road and this could be continued.

Judicial Ditch 20

Assessment: The majority of this ditch is along HWY 72 and in MNDOT ROW, due to its location and public ownership, it is not recommended to assess this ditch.

Projects: None

Judicial Ditch 22

This ditch was not looked into due to shared ownership with Roseau County.

Judicial Ditch 23

Assessment: The majority of this ditch services public land.  The majority of the ditch that services private ownership runs along CSAH 2 and CSAH 14 and can be maintained with CSAH funds.  There is a portion along TR185 and TR60 Krull Trail that could be cleaned out with these funds if we assessed.

Projects: Cleaning out and re-shaping of the ditch along CSAH 2.

Judicial Ditch 24

Assessment: The current level of assessment is fine.

Projects: 1) Large portion flows into Zippel Bay, Water quality and sediment reduction projects should be the goal to minimize and reduce the need for future dredging. 2) Divert water away from Zippel to the east of 53 intersection.

Judicial Ditch 25

Assessment: Due to its location and public ownership, it is not recommended to assess this ditch.

Projects: None

Judicial Ditch 26

Assessment: The current level of assessment is fine.

Projects: 1) Cleaning of a north-south interceptor line in 2018, 2019, and going to be continuing that in 2020. 2) Future projects include ditching project by commissioner corner and/or along TR 159 and TR 158.

Judicial Ditch 27

Assessment: Due to its location and public ownership, it is not recommended to assess this ditch.

Projects: 1) Future projects would be takeoff for CSAH 7 going north.  This can be done with CSAH funding. 2) There is the ditch along Whalen Road that could use some attention.  May have to consider alternative funding sources.

Judicial Ditch 28

Assessment: It is recommended to increase the assessment on this ditch system.  Plenty of work and projects to be done on this system.  

Projects: In 2020, JD28 two stage ditch reshaping, cost for the project is $226,115.50, of which the county had committed $75,000 (non-state funding) to.  The remaining amount will be covered by a grant.  

Judicial Ditch 30

Assessment: Due to its location and public ownership, it is not recommended to assess this ditch.

Projects: Work on this ditch system along CR77 is going to be required in the next few years, will need to figure out a funding source.

Judicial Ditch 36

Assessment: Due to its location and public ownership, it is not recommended to assess this ditch.

Projects: This is an offtake for the Whalen Road going north, a $5,000 project for a culvert is required here plus some additional beaver trapping and dam removal.

Judicial Ditch 45

Assessment: Due to its location and public ownership, it is not recommended to assess this ditch.

Projects: None

Judicial Ditch 62

This ditch was not looked into due to shared ownership with Roseau County.

RECESS

With no further business before the Board, Chairman Jon Waibel called the meeting to recess at 7:55 p.m.

Attest: June 23, 2020

______________________________ _________________________________

County Auditor/Treasurer, Lorene Hanson Chairman of the Board, Jon Waibel