County Commission - Regular Meeting

That doesn't help. Where are you, sir? I know. Can is there a way to share some Treasures call a special meeting today for uh the

county commission. We'll start off with please. I allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for it stands one nation under God indivisible with liberty and justice for all.

Good morning everybody. First thing that we have today on the agenda is bid discussion. I guess uh Jason, you want to go ahead and start this off? Good morning. I um brought the uh paperwork that I had sent out to the contractors involved in the bidding process for you guys to look through. I've sent all this to Daniel. That's a review for him. Um other than that, I brought all the bids. I don't really know um what we're actually speaking on. I'm assuming it's the the vote after the letter confusion. So, I'll jump in. Uh just so just to give a a summary of where we're at. Uh last week, bids were or the the bids were voted on by the commission. Uh there was some additional information that was considered by the commission, specifically a letter from Lindstöm, uh the contractor who won the bid that came in after the bidding process was completed and uh Jason had forwarded that on to the commission. After discussion with Jason, um I was able to look into kind of bidding processes, rules, laws. uh there's not a specific century code that requires us to follow a specific bidding process. The concern here is that we offered a sealed bid process to contractors to promote a um I guess a I mean a blind bidding process to make sure that the process is fair and so that contractors who come here to the county know that the process is going to be respected. uh which is why the letter coming in

afterwards and being considered by the commission was a concern to me. Um after being able to look into it uh it it does appear that that would uh expose uh the commission to liability if we didn't correct it now uh just so that it can be a completely fair process. So, my recommendation to the commission is to withdraw that last uh that last resolution accepting Lindstöm's bid and either restarting the process as Jason uh requests or if the commission wants to move forward with one of the basic bids that were presented before or just completely scrap the project and move on from here. But my recommendation is to uh with resend the contract given to Lindstöm last week and proceed as Jason recommends.

You have a recommendation? Yeah, I think that um in light of the letter like I stated last week when we were here in the meeting that it did come in 5 days after the bid process. I shared that information with the board that day before we voted and I also um did have it included in the agenda packet. I don't know who all gets that. So we could have you know I didn't know that. So so I was looking at the dollars and cents of this letter as a savings when it came in and that's the only reason I even presented it to the end of the packet. I So what's the recommendation?

My recommendation on this is to start the process over at a later date. We'll continue with the renovations inside right now that we're working on and then we will move on. We'll get the ceiling in. So, and I just have too much going on with the water issues right now. I can't spend time on it. I would suggest that we move on with this. Everything that is left to do to that facility is included in one bid. So, we don't have any confusion. That way, the contractors have a fair bid at the whole thing. Yeah.

So that there is then we don't have to worry about something coming in afterwards or whatever whatever we have to do to the facility to complete the project whatever is to complete the project. I would suggest it's all together. Yeah. And that way if a contractor doesn't want to do something they want to do one thing well that's their choice you know like the repairs to the roof for

Right. No correct I understand. Um there are well so just to be clear then the plumbing and electrical those things are going to be separate. Is that going to be something we want the contractor to provide or can I decide that just can we take separate quotes for those things or we want to do like a general and let them handle it? I think I think Commissioner Vul just means we want to know everything that needs to be done in a facility before we proceed with another contract so we don't have these things occurring. Not that it all needs to be brought in the same bid, just that we need to have everything identified at once. Okay, that makes sense. Basically, you're So, go ahead. Basically, you're the general contractor, right? Well, that's what I was wondering. Yeah,

because

just so it's cut and clear on what we're bidding on and that part because I think when these bids first came in here the very first time without putting it out to a sealed bid, there was some confusion and we granted one of the bids because it was clearcut and the other ones were not. So that's why we opened it up to a sealed bidding process in the first place. And there has been confusion in this process. Uh and whatever the reasons for the confusion were uh I intend to sit down so that we can have a policy in place that can be followed so that there isn't confusion in the past. If there's different information and bids that are submitted, those won't be considered in the future. other things that will be established and will be sent out to contractors and will be public knowledge so that the public can interact with the process uh to address these concerns moving forward.

Um well, I'm going to give you these because I these are all the seal bits. Let's not today. Not today. You don't you don't need these if we're if the commission wants to scrap it. uh or to resend the motion from last week. Um but we can send out the the information from the bids themselves if we're going to not do anything with the project for the time being. So the if the commission wants to review that, they certainly can. But unless the commission wants that today, I don't know that it's relevant to today's determination. Okay. The one thing question I do have. So we honored the the walls and the ceiling, correct?

Correct. So, is there a deadline for that? Because without the form, can you actually finish the walls? Um, I guess that'd be better question for the contractors. I feel I mean I've seen many buildings a floor poured in or a floor jack hammered on and a new floor poured inside of a building that has walls. So, I would say yes. But the biggest thing we have to address is the roof because that's where all this started was because the roof was leaking, right? And that's where, you know, that's led us down this road. They don't want to put insulation in which Kate.

And I also want to clarify that this is just the floor contract. This this is not about this the walls, the ceiling, none of that other stuff. It was just a question.

Yeah. No, I just wanted to clarify Yes. Was a commission feel. I guess in view of the facts that Mr. Hall brought forward to us. I would like to make a motion that we would resend the former or the past motion we had to continue on with what we have start with all the right uh information.

I'll second that. And so to clarify uh what you mean commissioner notice is to resend the contract given to Lindstöm for the floor that was passed last week. Yes, that is the motion you're

or the resolution that you're identifying. Okay. So we have a motion and we have a second. All those in favor by saying I I oppose same sign. Motion carries to resend and move on with a new bid process with moving on to the next item of business roadwater discussion. Everybody's favorite topic. Thank you guys. So, I'll start this again. I gave you guys maps of each um township. There's no county roads on here as they're not overtopped yet. Everything in pink is where we've either had a wash out or an over topping or damage already so far this spring. The ones in Solomon are very bad. Um just side note, those are huge wash outs up there. We have Ramsey County 4 at Fox Lake. We got about a 6 inch um free span yet there on the side of the road before it's ready to top from the east going west. I have been out there myself twice this weekend and had a road foreman out there yesterday checking those elevations to make sure that uh we don't over top the road there. And the same thing down by the Frith Farm of County 2. That road is also about ready to top over from east going west. And visiting with Mr. Aronson this morning he said we're seeing some cutting action now from the waves on the east side along four the problem with four going over if that goes over we lose all the township roads in that area and then backpedaling all the way to last fall there's serious amount of water damage and pressure in Ontario Township and as you guys know there's been people

trying to get emergency permits and things to drain some of this water off of Fster Slooh That would definitely help in the Doyan situation on four and all those township areas over there. The Ontario situation. I'm not really I brought uh met with BJ Roarer and Jeremy Nichols and we went to KLJ and sat and visited with Paul about different options of draining water there. Assuming that's how the water boards here. I don't know if they've met with them yet or not, but I know that's where the conversations were headed. I kind of stepped out of that one once it became a for now. I mean, I'm following it, but I went back to focusing on roads and other things. So, that's what I know. You guys have any questions for me? I do have a contractor who's available to install a covert on Fox Lake. We did emergency locates on that on Saturday. I really think we need to get a on that one. I think we need to get a covert on from let that go from east to west. The culvert that is in there was put in there when they did the grade rays. The top of the pipe is 12 and a half ft from the from the top of the road. So it's 12 and 1/2 ft deep to the top of the pipe and it's about 15 and 1/2 ft to the invert level.

So it's really deep. Fox Lake is Yeah. Right. I agree. um that that one's actually I think I don't know if it was known it as that but the offensers is a slew I still call but anyway but uh it's 130 feet long as well because it's the footprint of the road has gotten so big from the grade raises over the year so we won't obviously go that deep this lake out here is a smooth too it should it should right I agree that is natural way

right so I think what we need to do there on Fox Lake to get. We're not going to get rid of the water. Obviously, it's just going to move it from one side to the other. But the west side is about four and a half times bigger than the east side. So, we can take about a foot and a half off of the east side and put about six inches more on the west side just to equalize it. The west side, I know there's a way to drain that, too. I haven't looked into it. I just found out this morning. I took a phone call at 7:00 saying that there's a way to take that water to the snag and clear that was done last year up by the Schneider farm somehow. I haven't seen that information yet, but now

it goes from I I was told it goes west out of Fox and then north up towards Schneider. Now, I don't know if this is accurate information. This is one of the land owners called me this morning. I haven't looked at anything. I just I just got the call before I walked in here. So, I'll have to look at that with Mr. Bjornson and see if that's accurate. Or maybe Mr. Fith can look that up. I don't know. But we should look at that as an option, too. But the first thing we got to do to save the crossing is get a culvert in there. I can't hardly leave this going on the table, but we were talking about fish dock out there. Some people go fishing totally underwater now.

Yeah. Yeah, they don't need a dock. They don't need a ramp right now. They back right off the road. Yeah, pretty much. Wow. Yeah, I was out there yesterday and there wanders right up to the road on four. It is. Y I got a couple calls with my angle faster as high as I've ever seen it and it's flowing flowing to the west, right south of Ricks there and flows around down to the south and then back around behind his

Yeah, I know where it go. It's his bends and his bends are in water and then it goes back to the to the north there and kind of surrounds that area. Now Todd, is it is it touching Doug Burge Road off of Highway County 4? It's not touching that road yet.

Okay. Sure. The waves is what's going to

the culvert that was put in there way back when the water was running at some point. It's still there. There never was there. Okay. Explain to me where where went to the next.

Yeah. No, it's a lot of that saturation from this fall. Pardon me. A lot of that is from I think from saturation this fall. There's there's nowhere for the water. It's just sitting. Right.

Well, the six and eight that we took on was probably what we could handle. Now we're taking on another three plus the snowfall. So th this is the Roarville. I got some pictures yesterday from uh Trevor Strum who was out there flying some drone images. Send me those and then I was out there as well. Um, and I don't know if Tre is Trevor here. Yeah, there you are. Um, so these are the is the area around and then

Yep. About 20 years ago, there was a dyke put up over here to prevent some water coming across and uh would have damaged Ramsey number three over there. And over the years that has just grown exponentially, there's certainly a need to continue with that. Because Ramsey three is a vital vital four is four is too. You know they're all they're all vital. Yeah. Because they can't monkey around. That's for sure.

But they uh I'd rather protect them prior to them going under than have wash out and then Oh, absolutely.

Hoping that FEMA comes through and and gives us money. I don't think there's going to be any FEMA relief. Um, so the work that's being done is is being privately done. I certainly wouldn't mind if uh where Jason go and maybe if Mr. Borenson could go out and just verify the integrity of that, making sure that we will remain protected of number three and the township roads to the south west of that. Yeah, we we were out there last fall, but we haven't been out there this spring at all. The concern I have here, Jeff, with the four

is if it's starting to wash, even if it doesn't top the road, we're going to see the road blow up with all that water there with the loads that are going to the elevator. I mean, it's just going to happen. And we all know how expensive it is to fix a road that little black top road. You can see how how close it is to Ramsey for there. This was how late how long Friday? This was yesterday was higher now. Well, the same, but the wind action has taken it against the shoulder there. Hey, you got that strong north or northeast wind this morning about some. So, this is uh Box Lake. That's the stick that Jason's got up there. Yeah,

you can see how close the water is. That's on the east side. And this was yesterday afternoon or so. So, it's it's right there

and it's saturating the shoulder. It's it's saturating the roaded. We need to get some of that water out of there. And like I say, I did the emergency call on that one. So, we can and I've talked to um well, the first one I called was close. I was with them when I got the call on it and as long as we allow them to haul it back up there, they said they'd stab a pipe in if we need one in. So where do you put the water without creating concerns for other residents other than are sitting in here? Just so you guys all understand, right? Not that we don't have a concern of moving the water, but if we move the water, are we going to affect other infrastructure and other uh property? Like how do we do it to create it equal? Like how do we do that? so that we can take some of the water off the infrastructure and not create a mess of the whole thing.

Yeah. And I I get I get that. I I think we're not as worse off or we're not as bad off as we were then, but we're trying to prevent that so that we're not trying to fix all these roads all over again, you know? So that by a few years

that's what um uh Shanees called me this morning and that's what he had informed me that that will actually go west and north and get into the Yeah. into the snag and clear that was done last year. So I don't know. I mean we have to get the process going on it of course but um to get that done. The problem we have right now is we can't get the water from the east side of the road because our culver's failed in the road there. So we're going to have to put a culvert in and then but at the same time we should be trying to figure out how to get rid of the water because we're just like Wayne just said we're just going to move it from there to there and then it's going to sit again. So, we need to get it going. If it'll go to the cleanout, that would be ideal. I mean, for everybody involved, then it's gone. Then it isn't impacting. Well, it is impacting because it's going to come to the lake at some point.

But that saves a lot, but a lot slower process. Like, it's not going to just blow up like it did overnight here. All right. Right. If something like this were to blow out, then it's going to get create a catastroph and it's just going to blow out 10 15 other infrastructures and then we're really in trouble. I mean, I think that's what we're here to try to avoid. The other problem,

I get I get we all want to move water, right? But sitting here today, I think we're trying to protect infrastructures by moving some water just so that we're all under the not under the impression that we're going to drain this and create more issues downstream, right? I think we're here to try to protect what we have because if we have is it county four go under, that's going to make a real mess for all of you guys. Well, and then if you put three on top of that, if you lose both those roads and they are reaching the whole northern part of the county like they had to way back. Yeah.

Yeah. You're going all the way to State One to get north or Highway 20. That's what I was going to say, too. If that other dyke fails and that floods three, I mean, I know it's a lot of ifs, but they've been that that's that's a homemade dyke. They're just I don't know. How do we Can you come up to the here so everybody can hear you please?

I get it and go get it up. up. Last I noticed that was too low. I looked at this. And so last two feet cannot handle that right now. It just can't. And so we're now watching this thing and just like everybody, you guys are all making great points and they're all accurate. This thing came up a lot more than what we thought was gonna come up. And out in our area, we drain the bigger sloohs,

right? Well, now these big sling for the next big saloon and that's what I'm dealing with here. So, I had a couple Ontario people come over and told them I need to raise this again and that's what you had pictures of. I was out there yesterday and I raised and I doubled the width and I raised them about two feet. I would walk between one and two feet up the boys in the air with the they walk underneath me where that water that I that I ft high. So if that was to go there's no stop. I couldn't get it. I would not stop that thing if it let loose. So when I when Jeff came out last yesterday to see what I was doing these pictures I bought some time when I this is not and when I'm I'm hoping this thing will hold until at least summer when nothing right now I stand because when I down in the but I do have where I think they'll hold and I'm hoping if the weather cooperates, we still have a bunch of people that we had taken out many years ago. I think I drive here and duck them over the edge and put some fence post just to break the waves because coming from the east if I'm in a 40 mph wind just what you guys talked about number four it'll come right into but I said that's what I that was the reason I did

that that cannot there's no place where it all damage It just there's no outlet. It just is going to go to the next big sloop and it's it's a bad situation right now. That's what I was but that's what I was trying to prevent. I know I'm the only part of the state water,

but I'm just doing one down because we have quite a chunk of land south of this water. this and then I mail that's water I can't access any of that I have and to think that you're covering semi up across the field this spring and what you guys talked about where you got six inches of rain we were at 14 and then last higher numbers and we're talking this morning this spring. We're not only dealing with snow, but we're dealing with the frost. Those those deal, we're still dealing with all the moisture in the ground from miles. Everybody falls because we work. And so I think there's a lot of not just surface water. I believe there's a lot of ground water still drying up and flowing into these.

And so I thank you for that. I just wanted to let you know that's what I was up to.

I think you've done really some some good work out there. I'm a little concerned with the the stuff to the south of it's not as high as it what we see in the picture here. And hey, if we get some some significant wave actions to the south of there where it's a little lower, I think that's where you could pro possibly have a blowout and then it would would rush down. So, um I'm not sure if there's any way that you can get down that way and and secure some of that shoreline, but um you know, that would that would certainly take out several township roads before it got to Roarville and take out the Roarville road ramp.

I guess question for the waterboard. Is there something that we have like working on to try to fix some of this? Have we been trying to like I know we've been doing some snake and clears and the snake clears that we have been doing. Is that to help relief any of this? So there is a new proposed snake and clear that's going to be taken a look at I think coming up in May. Um if that potentially goes through and gets passed um that could potentially relieve some of the water in this area and hopefully provide some freeboard and some space for additional storage for the upcoming years. Um but you know that's a ways in in the making. So there's a lot of hurdles to to step across before we get to that point.

What township is this in then? It would be Ontario and then it would go to the north is at Nunan. Yeah. So to put the picture into perspective, last week we did elevations on that. The east side of that dyke water is over 5T higher than the No. Yeah. Yeah. The west side. So that road he's talking about to get that only north south road that cuts off at his farm. It' be under four four and 1/2 ft of water to that dyke. Let's go. Yeah. And it tells you and it just goes from there.

So we did run elevations on a lot of this last week just to see where we were at. Um not only because of the impact downstream, but what effect they were having upstream. So we're having to hold the water. So it's we're holding water somewhere else back back.

My question is what's the option? Do we try to go out the Schneider way that was talked about this morning or is that the what is the easiest and probably most proficient way of doing it without getting all of us in trouble? That's that's another thing that we got to look at. Like I get this could be an e it obviously is an emergency thing, but how are we going to move the water to protect the infrastructure that we have without putting us all at risk? It will I mean my question for all you guys that's what we're looking for right to save some of the infrastructure and hopefully we can get some of these snag and clearance through to help prevent this in the future.

I'd ask Mr. Jagger if he any idea on any emergency declarations that we could be or should be declaring at this time to give us that opportunity to do something temporary.

Good morning everybody. Um I did reach out to the state. Um as we know FEMA does not really exist as it used to. So we can file for a declaration. um it's x amount of dollars per um per population and I I have not been able to open up that email yet. Um I'm pretty sure we have hit that number. If not, we're really really close. So it might be uh a great option. Yeah. um the public assistance grant or declaration. I had to pull it up. It might be a great idea to to uh file for a declaration. So, I'll type that up. I'll get it ready. Um I know I was going to meet with um Jason today. We probably can calculate we have a fair number invested in damage already. So, What's what's the cut off number for state emergency? You know,

like 1.5 million or something like that. And that's what you're talking about is applying for the governor to declare an emergency if we if we can.

Yeah. The commission has the ability to to declare a local emergency that only lasts for seven days uh and then it expires uh that then the state would have to step in. If there's not a plan in place right now for the commission to act, I I would suggest waiting until there is a plan in place and then the commission can complain that 7day emergency to get started on the process if we're still waiting on the governor to respond to that request or if they deny it because of whatever reasons. So, we put in a we would put in a request and wait for their response to get the seven days.

No. No. So the the request to the state is for the governor to declare an emergency. The governor has much larger emergency powers. We have a local emergency plans in place that the commission can declare e an emergency on. You as the chairman declare the emergency and that that can only last for seven days by statute. Theoretically, the governor steps in at that point if the if the emergency is warranted by this according to the state and they continue it from there.

Uh it looks like the last emergency for this this kind of flooding was in 23 24 when a lot of counties had declared similar emergencies.

Uh this may be happening all over the state at this point. This may be coming down the pipeline. I don't know. But uh without a plan in place, I I I suggest waiting to formulate that plan. Uh we meet next week uh for the first meeting of May. Uh hopefully there's a plan in place that uh the highway department and the water board can have to present to the commission uh to make that decision. I just don't want a declaration to be declared today and not have a plan in place to actually help anything at this point. because then we're just burning time, right? So that would give you that would give you time to put whatever you need together and give the water more time.

Yep. It's just how are we going to save what we have? I mean,

so here's something too to keep in mind. Um it's we are very unique to this problem right now. It's not affecting anywhere else in the state, especially in the northeast region, excuse me. Um so the governor's it's going to take a lot for the for the state to say yes this this is an issue. Um we we're we're unique with the water issue or you know the this whole area was very unique. So it's going to be a little troublesome but you're absolutely right Blaine. What do we do now? And um meeting with Ontario Township about this thing. I think this was a great idea. We need to keep our infrastructure solid because the people behind me are the ones using these roads um every day for their livelihood. So, I wish I had a magic wand to answer all these questions. Um

do you think it would be prudent to declare an emergency county emergency to allow some emergency man measures to take place in between now and next week? Absolutely. you know, um because if we wait a week on some of this water, it may be too late. I do got to see if we hit are hitting our numbers though, or else we're we're only going to be opening our funds a little bit more if there is even available funds. Yeah. Because if if we go to I understand what you're saying. Yeah. I understand what the public's saying is we want to save what we have. We don't hit that money threshold, which is government for you, right? Correct.

You don't hit that money threshold, then we're really screwed because then it's just going to come out of Ramsey County taxpayers. My my understanding it probably won't get done if if we don't. Right. Right. I mean, I get it. All you guys said out there, like I don't want these roads to go under just as much as anyone else, but I want to also do it correctly. I mean, you guys agree with that? like we do this correctly so that now here we sit because we didn't do it correctly and then what and we're not going to get the water off in the first place because we didn't if we don't follow the protocol then we won't get any funding at all correct

then we won't be able to fix anything there it will sit we'll be driving all the way around and I don't think any of us want to do that

it's it's tough to say that we got to I want to go with it. What I want to do and and what Bismar wants to do are probably two different things.

I do want to clarify that I I'm not I'm only suggesting the commission wait until there is a plan in place to actually address the issues. If there's a plan in place now and we can satisfy the the emergency declaration requirements for funding another for the dollar amount that's being done, then it Ramsey County should move. But I just I wanted to clarify that it's separate than the application for an emergency that Mr. Jagger would be submitting to the governor. So it if there is a plan in place, the Ramsey County has the ability to declare its own emergency. It's just for a limited period of time. If there's a plan, then it should be executed as soon as possible as long as we have everything satisfied

because like I was talking to some of the folks, if we were able to pump some of the water, would that help like just move some water just to keep it off the infrastructures? But then if we do that, does that throw us out of the loop of collecting that? Great question. Um, let me dive a little bit deeper in. I think we'll probably have some more conversation as a commission. Um, probably waterboard. Uh, maybe they can give you some answers for Bismar too where we

Yep. Um, yeah, I guess it's just finding out numbers right now is I guess the only part where I can go. Um, I'll meet with Jason. We'll figure out where we're at on a rough estimation if that works for you, Jason. Okay. Um, and we'll go from there. If we hit the if we hit the threshold, we might as well at least apply for the disaster and then at least it opens some some more avenues for our protection. So, last clarification I have, the chairman of the commissioner can declare the emergency declaration. It doesn't have to be done by the commission as a whole. That is correct. And so,

so they have everything put together. We hit the threshold. He could call and then I could declare it. Yes. Yep. And so just so that's clear. Yeah. So it's clear to the commission and the public. This doesn't have to wait till next week to come back before the commission. Correct. Just my question is the commissioner's here. You guys would be good with that? Yep. like we get something together, we get the threshold, then we declare it. I'll track you down. What are the people that all right?

Yeah. Because I mean, be honest with you guys, we're just sitting here to try to help you guys, but we also want to do it so that it's not costing you more. But I think we're trying to make sure and I believe you guys are working. We are one big weather disaster. I just you know what I like I said what I did yesterday but it was not a fix in that water I got one road because of that but the person who is closest to that I've checked with them they do not have water in the basement I don't know people do and they gave me the blessing to do this but um just understand it's going to get worse before it gets going right now. We don't get a 10 mph wind when they come that night. It was earlier this week when that damn thing came up at the middle of the night. The only thing that ripped up that night was that it was still over. It was still nice to work because it came on and I just I saw the flag so I thought and then the next morning just like the lake came off because they were so much and um just understand this ain't going to naturally get better. It's there's we're not seeing

we haven't even started the raining season. Exactly. But I just I just want to make sure everybody understands it could go downhill real fast if we were to get another situation. They're not forecasting that. But they al and we can be happy that we did not get the winter that they were forecasting. If we' have got two feet of snow, we have another discussion here. And so you can just understand that there's a lot of sitting around and you guys have done a good job today. So, in the meantime, what do we do until we get this week out for information or whatever?

Well, it could be earlier depending on if Chris finds out information and then he could contact me and I could declare it and we still got time.

Oh, yeah. I don't I don't know. I don't think there's anything we can do right now. It's it's a it's a game. We want to call it that. I ran across the two feet and I frost. So as far as any major retreat until that's another thing when we do it, let's do it right. I don't want to do it halfass if you want to call it that. And then we're going back and doing this again anyway, you And I think in the past I think there was a lot of things that we have not done to its potential that we could have done and then it creates this for instance the covert that you're talking about you know maybe the cover should have been bigger it should have been lower you know things like that it's instead of just putting a patch on it put a fix on it

well that one's gonna get patch well I that but with with the idea to Yes, I get that. And there is times when we do that, but there has to be a fix in the future. Has to be. Otherwise, we're just going to be here every week talking about it.

Well, and I think it with the with the limited area of this the wetness that we are experiencing in the northeast northeast part of the state that it's not going to be a statewide disaster. it it's going to be an isolated couple of counties. It's going to be probably us in Melson and maybe one one other one that received the rain or received precipitation this winter that are seeing these road issues. And I think being proactive instead of reactionary to it because it always seems like we wait till the disaster happens and then we react to a situation where the road is closed because it got washed out. If that's something we can prevent, I think it's going to end up saving us money because I don't think there's going to be any state or federal funds coming in to uh save the day when when this stuff goes bad.

No, not this time anyway. No. You know, and then if if the federal government were to come through on some sort of disaster declaration, it takes three years for those payments to come in. And wasn't it three three years that you got that uh payment for the 22 disaster, Jason? Yeah. Did most of that work last year? Y so

y is that something right? That that would unfour that that'd be extremely beneficial and it would take pressure off that drag. Not that one. Not that one. Yeah. Two on four. There's two on four.

Yeah. Oh, that breaks out. Yeah. And all the roads in between. Which is like 10 to 15.

A lot of the rodents that are already little bit worse. I in my opinion over probably it would be that when you guys raised that that year it went crazy high. I think that that will probably be okay because there are two places that when that water gets over there works it way south and it works it way north but it's also not actually working its way out. It's filling up

spread out. That's a good word. spread out from people that don't even farm aren't even involved with the land that's where it's coming from and like where this where I'm dealing with that in the world there two

it's not like it's it has not it's still coming and that's when you guys are talking about that's going to work it We're in a situation. People to the north have the coolies. People to the south naturally drinks the lake. We're right in the middle there where it has to decide north versus the south. But one is truly truly natural until it's really really

Steve the biggest benefit for that would be the snag and clear. So we can put a lake and start to let that control a pipe in there where it can run all the winter and let it down and and then when it when it gets to the it ends up by work.

Then it needs to have an outlet either south through the curry flats or north or both would be beneficial getting that stuff out there. So that way we get and nobody's safe to drain these loops, but let's get them back to where there's we can handle and there's roads not under water because of it. And um but no, I I didn't know if I supposed to say anything or not. What I was asking what I would ask a pipe put in between that drop so that it can run 365 days a year when it needs to. Okay. Where's that pipe at? East of the Roarville Road.

No. Well, okay. We're talking about two different places. I'm at the east of my house. That's That's where that one would go. That's That's where I would ask for a light down the road, but not now because of the they can't handle it right now. It is too much as it is. But in the fall would be a option because you could never do it now if you dug in there. Now you just blow up.

I would I don't my thought is I don't think that big of a but somebody might have to come out and build a dam water and then could dig a tight bubble through that lake and get a pipe out and then reach out to take that out. I but I that's way on me and I need help and I do not I can build it and I can I can make a difference but I can't control the water like I ask for and I want to clarify any snake I understand that I just say the snake first and then look at some water downream has to move first yeah and that's why that's I was trying to I bought some time here. I hope but you're anybody here as well. Look at what I did. It was I was losing because every time I look out window and I made coffee, I saw that over there and I can still see the water on the other side. I no longer see the water now. I just see a pilot there and but I I couldn't have that just first and have to call somebody. Well, that works through

and so that's why I did I didn't know what to do but I knew I had to do something and so but you guys are welcome to go out and look at it to see if you think I did the right thing. You're seeing solid frost at two feet.

Snag clear. Not right now. But that gives us time to get it in the process.

You're not I don't know what the word snag clear is. You're not going to do that overnight either. That it takes it's a process. This thing is even like this water I did. It wasn't a one person decision. I have to call some of the Ontario people because these things are getting too big of decisions for one person to make affect everybody else and that's why I'm out Chris was out Jeff was out the township people some of the township people are out permission but at least not telling I want to make sure you can't do this that's forgiven

good idea a great idea And yesterday I had time I wasn't we're not in the field. I if this was a week two weeks from now we're already behind schedule for farming. I wouldn't be able to take a day long to do it. So yesterday to get it done according to and we still have frost at at 8 in.

Pardon me. Still have frost at 8 in according to. So, just to clarify, what we're deciding here is to move on today until Jagger has all his information and then we either declare or figure something out. I I would ask for, you know, the parties involved, uh, water board, hiring department, emergency management, townships to come up with possible solutions for us to take a look at in a week. Um, you know, I know that's short period of time, but we have some solutions laid out in front of us. I I would like to see a few others. And if there is that possibility and need for a disaster declaration, I think the chairman should make that call in between the interim, you know, our next meeting next week.

So basically, we're just tableabling it. Yeah. Asking for some solutions to the problems. Everybody in favor? What are what are some of the options that we can take a look at? Chris, if I if we do our numbers, should I? Yes. Push it forward. Push it forward. Yes, Jason.

So that's going to start to proceed forward. So they're going to drop that. Say we get that done. I don't know what process that's going to take to get that done. If we put a pipe in that does that take any pressure from I think everybody has told me that it comes north of north of south is coming up there but I I can't explain that it's affecting up there where the forward issue is at is not longer that I it might be downstream But it's not us right now.

So Chris, one question for Chris. When you put the paperwork together on this money deal, that's this whole all four areas, right? It's not just one. Yeah. Okay. Just so that you guys are clear that we're not protecting just one. We're trying to protect the whole I think it'd be countywide. Yeah. Okay. Yes. I just I just want to make sure so that we don't have a next meeting people just want to choke me out because it's not it's not an area determination. It would be an emergency for flooding purposes and all over the county. Yeah. Because I I I think that there's more areas out there that we haven't fully discovered yet or heard about

right US2. Yeah. And then that leak road right to the west. Yep. West of 20. Um look at look at Morris and the elevation of Morrison. That thing is extremely out of its banks. And and with this and with this, Jeff, if if there's any townships that aren't here today that are out there that have issues, they should bring them forward also because then that will help Chris get the money where it needs to be to declare

this disaster. And we might not just be where you guys are at. There may be, like Jason just said, others. And we need all that information so that we can put this as a disaster or declare it. I think every township's coming in this week to meet with the assessor's office. Um we can put out a reminder just to have a short little if you're having problems with your township roads water. Please let Jason, Chris, one of the commission water board members know of the issues going on so we can take actions because we can't help if we don't know. Right. Exactly. Oh,

so I would say as of right now, we're just tableabling this for the future earlier, sooner than later, right? We're all good with that. What would be Jeff? I'm just curious like obviously it's going to take time to find stuff. What would be a short now solution to this like for Steve's place? Is there something that obvious takes time?

Well, and and I don't know if we could expedite the time situation with that by declaring an emergency. And I know the county has some emergency funds um you know, if emergency is declared um to be able to utilize some of those. Um, but we have to make sure that our eyes are dotted, our tees are crossed, and all that kind of good stuff. But I think expediting the time for any of these projects by declaring an emergency would be a good prudent thing to do.

Well, normal snag clearance usually takes four or five months, doesn't it? at least it it takes some time, you know. So, yeah, that's that's not going to be the answer for the immediate, right? And well, I think the immediate problem is going to get the funding where it needs to be to declare it. And then once we declare it, then we make the decision of how we're going to move water. And then once we start moving water, that's when the snag and clears would come in effect. And then it would just go further to like what you what the dyke problem is,

right? Um, I just wonder that that resil

could the water board does the waterboard still have that draft And then we we should Yeah. Yeah. That that's where it went and that's where it was denied from was DWR. So once we could declare this an emergency, then we could work all that back process, right? Well, obviously we put our back and we have we can prove that it's a problem now. That's what we have before. We knew it was going to be a problem. We could all say it was going to be a problem, but we couldn't see it was a problem. Now you can see it's there.

Well, in the process for that snag and clear was 80% at that point. We were just waiting for that permit, right? Correct me if I'm wrong, Jeff. Well, it was an emergency permit to uh reopen a a drain that was closed 15 years ago. Um and it was denied by the state. it was refiled and I don't know if you know it it's our infrastructure that we're trying to

um you know and so if it if it fails or goes underwater becomes damaged in any way it's going to be either on the township or the state or the county's dime in order to fix it. Um so you know you hate to you go against the state but I would say go ahead and do it. I would recommend not doing that that

I would recommend that that be looked into with DWR and it be brought to their attention that a current emergency is actually happening and we just don't have the declaration. All of those things need to be looked into. Do not wait for DWR or for the emergency declaration to occur. I recommend the water board reach out immediately and get somebody on the phone from the state to explain the situation to them because at some point we do have to protect Ramsey County and we have to sometimes asking forgiveness instead of permission is what we have to do to protect our community and we need to do everything we can within the rules before we start thinking about other options. always works in Hawaii.

I take as much direction as but if the if all this paperwork is in process and we reached out and we have to go do this at least we can't say that we just went and did it and then try to do a due process.

Try to work with the state as much as possible to get as much permission as possible with the emergency that's currently occurring. I think that I hope that they will be reasonable in understanding our situation and work with us as much as possible, but I I cannot recommend that we move forward without permission at this point. I'll I'll make those contacts back on the long declaration by you is there instead of waiting till we get whatever we think the state then for as long as the declaration's out there it means you got trouble and I think I declared that it be noon.

The problem is is that it only lasts for seven days if declared by the county and then we'd have to go through some other things in order to continue the emergency funding process. Well, we we meet in eight, right? So it would last through through next week and then we could do it again. File another one, declare another one, couldn't we? Sure. Y that is not something I've read, but that sounds reasonable. And you all have much more experience with this situation than I do. So if that's been done in the past, it's likely still correct. Uh just not something that I had contemplated at this point.

We have done the past. um we let it lapse for the moment in time we apply. Okay. So, so then yeah, that that is also open and accessible to the county. Just to clarify, Jeff, you're I'll get a hold of the director after this meeting and let him know what our uh situation is and what our intentions are and ask for their blessings. But if they don't, we don't get it. Well, I think that we need to take action on our own. We'll have some hard conversations. Yeah. Jason, what do you think was the quickest way to get water off?

What What highway in in Ramsey County is under the most and that it's the longest stretch and the biggest stretch is right by resum and obviously it's a major. So, that that sad thing is that there's a drain. We could take two feet off that water in a matter of days, but we can't do that because it's still what processes to do that. Could be difficult to do also with the pros in the ground. Well, if you

once the water starts trickling. Oh yeah. So I think that would like as soon as possible.

Yes. Yes. because I was asked that straight out in an email conversation that says it was a forcing right Mr. John brought that forward knowing this was coming and it was on the fact that it wasn't coming. It's and take some pictures when you call. Make sure you bring that up. Yeah.

I mean work with Jason. I would say Jeff and Jason work together along with Chris. Chris, you get back me the information and if we get that information today sometime and then we can declare and go from there. Yeah. You guys all good with that? Yeah. Did everybody Did everybody hear that? Do we do need to do that in a form of a motion? Daniel, I would probably put that in a motion like a plan that the commission is Jeff. Did you make that a motion? I did. It made a motion. The motion is

go go go ahead with the emergency declaration once Chris gets paperwork completed. And you're going to work with Jason. Jason's you guys are all going to work together on that exit or the last permit. Correct. Second. So we got a motion. We got a second. All those in favor by saying I. I. I.

All those oppose same sign. Motion carries. That concludes the meeting today. Unless there's anything else for you guys. Thank you guys. Just try to solve the problem.