Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
Taxes were raised on two drains Thursday during the county drainage board meeting.
The Joshua Garber drain has a watershed of 412 acres and is northeast of James Lake.
Drainage supervisor Mark Montel explained that drain levies of 63 cents per acre brings in $279.42 per year to maintain the 2.75 miles of tile and open ditch. Property owners with less than an acre are charged $5.
Each drain has its own account. Money is "borrowed" from the general drain improvement fund, if necessary, for maintenance. The Garber drain "owes" the general fund $6,674.
Montel said it will take three years with no expenditures for the Garber account to repay the general account.
"When there is a four-year balance, $9,000, collection stops for that year," said board member Ron Truex. He said any ditch that has been in debt for three to five years is being reviewed. He said 30 drains are in debt and the board will consider proposed increases on various drains for the rest of the year.
Board members approved raising the rate to $5 per acre, with a $25 minimum, to collect $2,150.10, after hearing from property owners Sherman Bryant and Junior Keppen. Bryant and Keppen were in favor of the increase.
Rates for the John Pyle drain, which runs from CR 650W and Crystal Lake Road southeast to CR 350S, west of Ind. 15, were increased to $1.25 per acre, with a $25 minimum. Money collected will be $10,165 per year.
Property owners in the 4,850-acre watershed are paying 31 cents per acre ($5 minimum) which means $2,521 annually.
The Pyle drain has 18.3 miles of tile and open ditches. The account has been in debt nine years.
"There is more work we would've liked to have done on the Pyle (drain)," Montel said, adding that about 3,000 feet of open drain is cleared each year.
Again, property owners agreed to the increase. Don Stiver and Martha Perry attended the meeting.
The county's global positioning system is used for display purposes during the meeting, with an image of the watershed projected onto a screen. The watershed and tile and ditch locations are drawn over the aerial view. Drainage board secretary Sue Gladieux operates the computer, "zooming" in and out of the image.
Perry indicated a "blowout" where tile collapsed or is clogged on a neighboring property.
Montel said problems should be reported to the surveyor's office. In most areas, repairs cannot be made until crops have been harvested.
Stiver said he repaired a county tile several years ago and has yet to be repaid.
Gladieux said since the 1980s, such work must be pre-approved by the surveyor or given to an approved contractor.
Drainage board members, in addition to Truex, are Don Goon, Dorris Harrold, Eldon Watkins and Maurie McDaniel. The next meeting is Sept. 22 and the rate increases for the Plunge and Shatto drains will be considered.
