July 23, 2014 at 2:10 p.m.
Increases in drainage rates approved (11/28/05)
Jay County Drainage Board
By By MARY ANN LEWIS-
In an effort to bring three watershed funds out of the red, the Jay County Drainage Board agreed this morning to raise the assessments in those watersheds.
Public hearings on increasing rates in three watersheds were held, with residents in the D.V. Flesher Watershed expressing the only opposition.
Brad Daniels, Jay County Surveyor, explained today that the Flesher watershed is currently running more than $9,000 in the red; the W.H. Hodge has a negative balance of about $3,100; and the J.J. Jaqua watershed, which includes the XPLEX Extreme Competition Park, has an negative balance of about $15,000.
The hearing for the W.H. Hodge watershed increase received no written or verbal oppositions, as did the Jaqua watershed, but Glen Miller, who owns four acres in the D.V. Flesher watershed district, opposed the board’s decision to increase the rates.
“I don’t want nothin’ raised,” Miller told drainage board members Milo Miller, Gary Theurer, and Faron Parr. “I can’t afford it.”
Glen Miller asked the board to consider dropping all maintenance fees and allowing him to clean the ditch himself.
Drainage board attorney Brad Burkett advised Miller to petition landowners in the watershed, and after receiving more than 50 percent approval from those owners, to approach the drainage board about having the watershed vacated.
After discussion on the proposed increase, the board — with Miller’s approval — agreed to raise the annual rates on the watershed’s 2,184 acres and 56 plots to $1 per acre, up from 74 cents, and to $20 per plot, up from $5.62.
On the Hodge watershed, the board agreed to a 50 percent increase on the 85 acre area, taking assessments $3 from $2 per acre. Miller recommended keeping the plot assessment at $20 for the four plots that drain into the watershed.
Rates for the Jaqua watershed, which includes 1,122 acres and 19 plots, will increase to $2 from $1 per acre and to $20 per plot from the current rate of $12.50.
All increases will take affect with the May 2006 installment of taxes.
“I don’t like it, but ...,” Milo Miller said about the need for the increases.
In a related matter, Paul Osterholt, who has acreage in the Little Salamonia Watershed, asked the drainage board if money was available to clean the Bickel Ditch.
Daniels told the board he thought the money was available for the work, and Miller instructed Daniels, “if it needs to be done, do it.”
Also this morning, Jay County Highway Superintendent Ken Wellman told the board of a drainage concern by Kelley Dixon along county road 300 West, between county roads 350 West and 450 West.
Wellman said surface water runs from surrounding farmland, then stands on Dixon’s property. He said the culvert under the roadway was in good condition and letting as much water flow as possible, while Daniels explained that the side ditches are also allowing the water to flow.
“It’s out of our hands,” Daniels said. “We need to have the landowners take a look at it.”[[In-content Ad]]
Public hearings on increasing rates in three watersheds were held, with residents in the D.V. Flesher Watershed expressing the only opposition.
Brad Daniels, Jay County Surveyor, explained today that the Flesher watershed is currently running more than $9,000 in the red; the W.H. Hodge has a negative balance of about $3,100; and the J.J. Jaqua watershed, which includes the XPLEX Extreme Competition Park, has an negative balance of about $15,000.
The hearing for the W.H. Hodge watershed increase received no written or verbal oppositions, as did the Jaqua watershed, but Glen Miller, who owns four acres in the D.V. Flesher watershed district, opposed the board’s decision to increase the rates.
“I don’t want nothin’ raised,” Miller told drainage board members Milo Miller, Gary Theurer, and Faron Parr. “I can’t afford it.”
Glen Miller asked the board to consider dropping all maintenance fees and allowing him to clean the ditch himself.
Drainage board attorney Brad Burkett advised Miller to petition landowners in the watershed, and after receiving more than 50 percent approval from those owners, to approach the drainage board about having the watershed vacated.
After discussion on the proposed increase, the board — with Miller’s approval — agreed to raise the annual rates on the watershed’s 2,184 acres and 56 plots to $1 per acre, up from 74 cents, and to $20 per plot, up from $5.62.
On the Hodge watershed, the board agreed to a 50 percent increase on the 85 acre area, taking assessments $3 from $2 per acre. Miller recommended keeping the plot assessment at $20 for the four plots that drain into the watershed.
Rates for the Jaqua watershed, which includes 1,122 acres and 19 plots, will increase to $2 from $1 per acre and to $20 per plot from the current rate of $12.50.
All increases will take affect with the May 2006 installment of taxes.
“I don’t like it, but ...,” Milo Miller said about the need for the increases.
In a related matter, Paul Osterholt, who has acreage in the Little Salamonia Watershed, asked the drainage board if money was available to clean the Bickel Ditch.
Daniels told the board he thought the money was available for the work, and Miller instructed Daniels, “if it needs to be done, do it.”
Also this morning, Jay County Highway Superintendent Ken Wellman told the board of a drainage concern by Kelley Dixon along county road 300 West, between county roads 350 West and 450 West.
Wellman said surface water runs from surrounding farmland, then stands on Dixon’s property. He said the culvert under the roadway was in good condition and letting as much water flow as possible, while Daniels explained that the side ditches are also allowing the water to flow.
“It’s out of our hands,” Daniels said. “We need to have the landowners take a look at it.”[[In-content Ad]]
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