Allen County Commissioners, Cory Noonan, Brian Winegardner and Beth Seibert discuss the Hutchinson and Baughman ditch projects at Thursday morning’s meeting.
Precious Grundy | The Lima News
LIMA — State funding will lessen the cost for property owners in the completion of a long-planned drainage project north of Lima.
Allen County Commissioners approved the grant funding from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources for the Baughman Ditch Project on Thursday.
“It is a drainage project that was petitioned over 20 years ago that has not gotten anywhere because it is a very expensive project,” said Beth Seibert, Allen County Commissioner. “The County Engineer obtained grants of now a total of over $2.5 million dollars. The Engineer’s office was able to obtain state and federal monies and brought it in to create some wetland pockets for detention to help with the drainage. When we go to the final hearing on this we are hoping to reduce the cost to citizens.”
The Baughman watershed Ditch Project will be located in American Township.
Winegardner weighed in on the project.
“We just approved an amendment to the grant last week,” added Brian Winegardner, Allen County Commissioner. “This is another portion of the grant that would help offset the cost.”
In addition to the Baughman Ditch Project, Allen County Commissioners accepted a bid and will enter into a contract with Slusser Contracting for the Hutchinson Petitioned Ditch Project.
The project will be located in Jackson Township. Allen County Engineer estimated the cost of the ditch construction at $108,820. The bid for the project was accepted at $78,900.
“Their bid came in at $30,000 under our estimate which will result in substantial savings on the watershed project,” said Nathan Davis, Assistant Drainage Engineer. “Slusser is a contractor that we work with frequently on our ditch maintenance program. Looking forward to getting the project started once the weather cooperates.”
Seibert said according to the Ohio Revised Code ditch projects are petitioned by community members and paid for by landowners who will benefit from the project.
“The County Engineer has to find the total area that receives rain and that is called the watershed,” added Seibert. “Then we identify who owns the property in the watershed and we notify them by mail that we will have a viewing (of the project).”
Landowners later receive payment assessments in the mail based on the acreage of the landowners.
Reach Precious Grundy at 567-242-0351.
