(Spirit Lake)– A continuation of a public hearing into plans for a drainage project in Terril and the surrounding area was held this (Mon.) morning.
The project has sparked considerable controversy, mainly due to significant costs that would be passed on to landowners as well as property owners in roughly the north half of the town of Terril.
Four options were identified during last week’s hearing, with a fifth one, consisting strictly of an open ditch, being presented this (Mon.) morning. A high pressure natural gas pipeline that runs through that area is complicating the plans. The latter option has an estimated cost of $450,000, however it, too, would be impacted by the pipeline and would not benefit the town of Terril, even though residents on the north side of town would still be assessed.
While there’s been concern over possible litigation stemming from the pipeline, one property owner said the company knowingly built over the drainage district’s easement and that under Iowa code, the drainage district should be protected…
“I think it’s ridiculous as well that we would cave at all to what they want to do. I mean if it’s like if they come and ask okay, we’re going to come fix this pipeline south of my house, if they have an easement I can’t say no, I can’t go park a bulldozer right over it and say good luck. You don’t have that option. So I don’t understand why we would give them that option to basically disregard an existing easement that’s there. And it would only come back and hurt us in the future if, say, we have to replace another tile.”
Following further discussion, supervisors voted 5-0 to approve the latter option with the $450,000 estimate.
