Nobles County commissioners order property owner to disconnect tile

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WORTHINGTON — Nobles County commissioners on Tuesday voted to require a property owner to disconnect recently placed tile because it routes water into a ditch system in which the owner does not pay benefits for service.

Nobles County Public Works Director Stephen Schnieder said the drainage tile — installed in the south half of the southwest quarter of Section 7, Indian Lake Township — drains approximately 20 acres of land.

Aaron Nystrom appeared before the board as a representative for his mother, Jean, who owns the parcel. He said the outlet on the west end of the farm is poor and doesn’t work. In his first attempt at tiling, he routed new tile line from that area of the parcel to County Ditch 25, which does serve the eastern portion of the Nystrom land.

“I had no idea I was going across the ditch system lines,” Nystrom told commissioners.

Schnieder said these infractions happen often, but because there is a process of law for adding tile drainage into a ditch system, he recommended commissioners authorize the tile be disconnected and that the Nystroms go through a process to have the land added into the ditch system and await a redetermination of benefits.

“The benefitting property owners help pay for the upkeep and maintenance of the ditch system,” said Schnieder. If Nystrom was allowed to keep the tile operating, he would be receiving benefits without paying into the ditch system.

Nystrom said he was only about 10 to 15 percent into completing the project. The county’s decision that he disconnect the tile lines will likely mean that the tile would be directed to a wetter area of the field, which will likely result in a loss of farming a couple of additional acres of land.

“We don’t like this anymore than anybody else,” said Schnieder. “In the statutes, this is the recommended action.”

In other action, the board:

* Approved a vehicle allowance for Schnieder of $425 per month for use of his personal vehicle for business. The vehicle allowance will take the place of keeping a county-owned vehicle.

* Was presented with a couple of options for the organizational structure of a combined health and human services agency. Commissioners are expected to take action on the options at the May 17 Nobles County Board meeting.

* Approved a conditional use permit for Brian Gengler, Adrian, to construct a 120-foot diameter, open concrete manure storage facility in the northwest quarter of Section 33, Larkin Township.

* Approved filling a vacancy for a facilities maintenance supervisor; and approved the hiring of a summer worker for the Nobles County Library for approximately 150 hours at $8 per hour.

* Offered support for a resolution that would streamline solid waste permitting in the state. A bill is currently making its way through both the House and Senate that, if approved, could save the typical landfill approximately $1.3 million over a span of 40 years.

* Approved a parade permit and temporary road closure of County State Aid Highways 11 and 30 in the city of Ellsworth from 5 to 6 p.m., June 11 for the town’s Family Fun Days celebration.

* Welcomed students from Adrian, Ellsworth and Worthington who visited the board meeting as part of County Government Day.

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