11/22/13 Monday morning the Marshall County Drainage Board opened maintenance bids for two projects. J.D. Excavating was awarded both projects with the low bids.
Work on the Suseland Drain in Center Township includes the installation of 717 feet of 15 inch dual walled corrugated title replacing the current tile. Bids were: $15,885 from Langfeldt Excavating, $14,471 from Hunter Transit, low bid from J.D. Excavating of $11,200. A bid from Stone Excavating was not read due to the fact that they failed to include the required 5% bid bond.
The second maintenance project was for work on the Harris Arm of the Milner-Seltenright Ditch in North Township. Work includes de-brushing and cleaning approximately 6060 feet of the ditch staring at 6B Road and extending upstream. All trees and brush on both sides of the ditch are to be removed except select trees requested by property owners. The material is to be burned and buried. Bids were: $23,950 from Langfeldt Excavating, $22,400 from Sawyer Excavating and low bid of $16,800 from J.D. Excavating.
Surveyor Larry Fisher told drainage board members that a public hearing will be held in December to raise the assessment on the Elmer Fletcher Ditch. There are 750 acres in the watershed and are currently paying $1.25 an acre. That increase was placed in 1986. Fisher said anytime a project is done the drain goes into the red. He is proposing to increase the assessment to $2.50 an acre.
Fisher is also proposing an assessment increase for the Ben Overmyer Drain after the first of the year. The current assessment is $1 an acre and was set in 1980. The watershed needs to be reworked before they determine the new assessment.
In final business Board member Kevin Overmyer asked to have the DNR contacted about Dixon Lake. He said the water level is rising and thinks that maybe a beaver dam by the Yellow River is blocking the water flow.
