Posted on June 20, 2019
Author Anita Goodan, WKVI
A member was appointed to the Kankakee River Basin Commission by the Starke County Commissioners on Monday night.
The Kankakee River Basin Commission will soon turn into the Kankakee River Basin and Yellow River Basin Development Commission on July 1. Executive Director Scott Pelath explained what the commission was looking for in terms of membership.
“The statute says that the members of the commission should have a background in either construction, project management, flood control, drainage, or another similar professional background,” said Pelath. “However, it does not define what those words mean. It simply states them. The bottom line is it’s up to the interpretation of the individual counties to follow the statute.”
Starke County Commissioner Kathy Norem said there were several good applicants for the position. She said she got a call from State Representative Doug Gutwein who recommended Dan Gumz, who sent information to all three commissioners. Norem said Representative Gutwein indicated Gumz is well-qualified candidate. She also mentioned that Gutwein attempted to call Commission President Charlie Chesak and Commissioner Bryan Cavendar to discuss the endorsement but was unable to communicate with them.
Norem made a motion to nominate Dan Gumz for the position, but the motion failed for a lack of a second.
Commissioner Bryan Cavendar said he contacted several residents in the farming community who have farmland in the basin area. Cavendar said they supported Starke County Surveyor Bill Crase for the seat. He made a motion to that effect which was seconded by Chesak. The motion passed on a vote of 2-1, with Norem opposed.
Crase will join a nine-member board on July 1 for a two-year term. One representative from each of the counties in the basin area will be on the board with one appointment made by the Indiana Department of Natural Resources.
Showing posts with label Kankakee River Basin Commission. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Kankakee River Basin Commission. Show all posts
Thursday, June 20, 2019
Wednesday, June 19, 2019
Scott Pelath Updates County Officials on Kankakee River Basin Commission Changes
Posted on June 19, 2019
Author Anita Goodan, WKVI
The executive director of the Kankakee River Basin Commission gave the Starke County Council and Starke County Commission members an overview of changes coming to the Kankakee River Basin Commission.
Scott Pelath noted that the 24-member board will shrink to 9 members from counties within the basin area and they plan on focusing efforts on cleaning up the Kankakee River and Yellow River.
“Bank stabilization, getting the banks to stop caving in, channel reconstruction, acquisition of land for flood storage, construction of levies, sediment removal and sand traps, and tree removal and construction of access roads,” commented Pelath.
In order to fund these improvements, Pelath said the Public Law passed on the matter, the capital use dollars will be gathered per parcel located within the basin as defined by the U.S. Geological Survey.
“That’s $1 per farm acre, $7 per residential parcel or $3.50 per tax bill, $50 on developed commercial parcels, and then utilities and industrial parcels that some in some counties obviously contribute a lot, a $360 annual assessment.”
The county has several options on how they want to handle funding. The county council members could do nothing and the assessments Pelath mentioned would be put into place. Pelath said another option would be to pay with existing funds within the county budget.
“If a county does that, they only have to pay 90 percent of what otherwise would be gained from the assessments. If that happened, there would be no assessments. The county would simply supply those dollars with its own dollars.”
The council could adopt a different assessment schedule along with providing county funds, or adopt higher assessment and keep the difference. The last option is highly unlikely, but it is written as an option.
The council did not make a funding decision Monday night for the newly formed Kankakee River Basin and Yellow River Basin Development Commission.
The entire presentation can be heard during the Kankakee Valley Viewpoints program this Sunday, June 23 on K99.3 FM WKVI.
Author Anita Goodan, WKVI
The executive director of the Kankakee River Basin Commission gave the Starke County Council and Starke County Commission members an overview of changes coming to the Kankakee River Basin Commission.
Scott Pelath noted that the 24-member board will shrink to 9 members from counties within the basin area and they plan on focusing efforts on cleaning up the Kankakee River and Yellow River.
“Bank stabilization, getting the banks to stop caving in, channel reconstruction, acquisition of land for flood storage, construction of levies, sediment removal and sand traps, and tree removal and construction of access roads,” commented Pelath.
In order to fund these improvements, Pelath said the Public Law passed on the matter, the capital use dollars will be gathered per parcel located within the basin as defined by the U.S. Geological Survey.
“That’s $1 per farm acre, $7 per residential parcel or $3.50 per tax bill, $50 on developed commercial parcels, and then utilities and industrial parcels that some in some counties obviously contribute a lot, a $360 annual assessment.”
The county has several options on how they want to handle funding. The county council members could do nothing and the assessments Pelath mentioned would be put into place. Pelath said another option would be to pay with existing funds within the county budget.
“If a county does that, they only have to pay 90 percent of what otherwise would be gained from the assessments. If that happened, there would be no assessments. The county would simply supply those dollars with its own dollars.”
The council could adopt a different assessment schedule along with providing county funds, or adopt higher assessment and keep the difference. The last option is highly unlikely, but it is written as an option.
The council did not make a funding decision Monday night for the newly formed Kankakee River Basin and Yellow River Basin Development Commission.
The entire presentation can be heard during the Kankakee Valley Viewpoints program this Sunday, June 23 on K99.3 FM WKVI.
Wednesday, May 29, 2019
Starke County Commissioners Discuss Future of Kankakee River Basin Commission
Posted on May 29, 2019
Author Anita Goodan, WKVI
The Kankakee River Basin Commission will be under a new name and new membership following the passage of House Bill 1270 in this session of the state legislature.
The newly-named Kankakee River Basin and Yellow River Basin Development Commission now only has nine members instead of the three representatives from each of the eight counties within the river basin which include Newton, Jasper, La Porte, Porter, Starke, Marshall, St. Joseph, and Kosciusko Counties. The new organization will also include a representative from the Indiana Department of Natural Resources as its ninth member.
The Starke County Commissioners will need to make an appointment soon. The appointee will serve two years and should have experience in drainage design, project management, construction and other qualifications. County Surveyor Bill Crase and Engineer Lee Nagai have expressed interest in the position. All interested candidates can turn in a resume to the Starke County Commissioners at 53 E. Mound Street in Knox.
Kankakee River Basin and Yellow River Basin Development Commission Executive Director and former State Representative Scott Pelath is expected to update county officials on the House Bill in an upcoming meeting. The commissioners anticipate learning more about the assessment fee to be paid by residents that is expected to pay for projects and studies along the rivers, and to obtain federal grants.
Author Anita Goodan, WKVI
The Kankakee River Basin Commission will be under a new name and new membership following the passage of House Bill 1270 in this session of the state legislature.
The newly-named Kankakee River Basin and Yellow River Basin Development Commission now only has nine members instead of the three representatives from each of the eight counties within the river basin which include Newton, Jasper, La Porte, Porter, Starke, Marshall, St. Joseph, and Kosciusko Counties. The new organization will also include a representative from the Indiana Department of Natural Resources as its ninth member.
The Starke County Commissioners will need to make an appointment soon. The appointee will serve two years and should have experience in drainage design, project management, construction and other qualifications. County Surveyor Bill Crase and Engineer Lee Nagai have expressed interest in the position. All interested candidates can turn in a resume to the Starke County Commissioners at 53 E. Mound Street in Knox.
Kankakee River Basin and Yellow River Basin Development Commission Executive Director and former State Representative Scott Pelath is expected to update county officials on the House Bill in an upcoming meeting. The commissioners anticipate learning more about the assessment fee to be paid by residents that is expected to pay for projects and studies along the rivers, and to obtain federal grants.
Friday, May 3, 2019
Kankakee River Basin Commission Restructuring Bill Awaits Governor’s Signature
Posted on May 3, 2019
Author Michael Gallenberger, WKVI
A bill to restructure the Kankakee River Basin Commission is headed to the governor for final approval. House Enrolled Act 1270 would cut the number of members from 24 down to nine, but it would also impose a funding mechanism to pay for the new entity.
That could take the form of a special assessment on land parcels: seven dollars for residential land, one dollar per acre for agricultural parcels, two dollars per acre for commercial parcels without structures, $50 for commercial parcels with structures, and $360 for industrial or public utility parcels. That’s estimated to bring in more than $295,000 from Starke County and more than $586,000 from Marshall County. However, each county council would also have the option of passing a resolution to replace some or all of the special assessment with direct payments from other revenue sources.
Those fees would start in 2021. The restructuring itself would take place on July 1 of this year.
The new entity would officially be known as the Kankakee River Basin and Yellow River Basin Development Commission. One member would be appointed by each of the basins’ eight counties. The ninth member would be the director of the Department of Natural Resources or a designee. Kankakee and Iroquois counties in Illinois may appoint nonvoting members.
House Enrolled Act 1270 also calls for state agencies to work together to make it easier to get permits for flood control projects.
Author Michael Gallenberger, WKVI
A bill to restructure the Kankakee River Basin Commission is headed to the governor for final approval. House Enrolled Act 1270 would cut the number of members from 24 down to nine, but it would also impose a funding mechanism to pay for the new entity.
That could take the form of a special assessment on land parcels: seven dollars for residential land, one dollar per acre for agricultural parcels, two dollars per acre for commercial parcels without structures, $50 for commercial parcels with structures, and $360 for industrial or public utility parcels. That’s estimated to bring in more than $295,000 from Starke County and more than $586,000 from Marshall County. However, each county council would also have the option of passing a resolution to replace some or all of the special assessment with direct payments from other revenue sources.
Those fees would start in 2021. The restructuring itself would take place on July 1 of this year.
The new entity would officially be known as the Kankakee River Basin and Yellow River Basin Development Commission. One member would be appointed by each of the basins’ eight counties. The ninth member would be the director of the Department of Natural Resources or a designee. Kankakee and Iroquois counties in Illinois may appoint nonvoting members.
House Enrolled Act 1270 also calls for state agencies to work together to make it easier to get permits for flood control projects.
Thursday, January 31, 2019
Bill to Reduce Size of Kankakee River Basin Commission Advances to State Senate
Posted on January 31, 2019
Author Michael Gallenberger, WKVI
State Rep. Gutwein presents Kankakee River Basin legislation at the Statehouse on Jan. 24
A bill to restructure the Kankakee River Basin Commission is advancing in the Indiana General Assembly. House Bill 1270 authored by State Representative Doug Gutwein of Francesville would cut the number of members from 24 down to nine.
He says the change would allow the commission to respond to issues more quickly. “The flooding last February caused severe damage to homes and farms and prevented the farmers from getting into the fields and planting crops on time,” Gutwein said in a press release. “To better protect the homes and livelihoods of Hoosiers living in the area, we need to take steps to prevent and manage future floods.”
Under the proposal, each of the eight counties in the Kankakee and Yellow river basins would appoint one representative to the new commission. Those include Starke, Marshall, and LaPorte. The ninth member would be appointed by the governor.
Additionally, Kankakee and Iroquois counties in Illinois would get two non-voting representatives. Meanwhile, any county surveyors who aren’t appointed to the new commission would have the chance to serve on a technical advisory committee.
The bill was approved by the Indiana House of Representatives last week. It now goes to the Senate for consideration.
Author Michael Gallenberger, WKVI
State Rep. Gutwein presents Kankakee River Basin legislation at the Statehouse on Jan. 24
A bill to restructure the Kankakee River Basin Commission is advancing in the Indiana General Assembly. House Bill 1270 authored by State Representative Doug Gutwein of Francesville would cut the number of members from 24 down to nine.
He says the change would allow the commission to respond to issues more quickly. “The flooding last February caused severe damage to homes and farms and prevented the farmers from getting into the fields and planting crops on time,” Gutwein said in a press release. “To better protect the homes and livelihoods of Hoosiers living in the area, we need to take steps to prevent and manage future floods.”
Under the proposal, each of the eight counties in the Kankakee and Yellow river basins would appoint one representative to the new commission. Those include Starke, Marshall, and LaPorte. The ninth member would be appointed by the governor.
Additionally, Kankakee and Iroquois counties in Illinois would get two non-voting representatives. Meanwhile, any county surveyors who aren’t appointed to the new commission would have the chance to serve on a technical advisory committee.
The bill was approved by the Indiana House of Representatives last week. It now goes to the Senate for consideration.
Friday, September 21, 2018
Yellow River Pilot Project Reviewed at KRBC Meeting, Followed by Site Visit
Posted on September 21, 2018
Author Jacque Ryan, WKVI
An overview of the Yellow River Pilot Project was presented when the Kankakee River Basin Commission met at the Nancy J. Dembowski Community Center Thursday morning.
Siavash Beik from Christopher B. Burke Engineering presented a summary of the project. The meeting was followed up by a site visit where Beik and his colleague Bob Barr pointed out some of the items that were highlighted during the presentation.
While providing the background, Beik explained that the Yellow River was assessed in order to address river erosion and to develop an effective method of sediment management.
Multiple points along the river were reviewed, but one spot specifically presented a major problem. With water moving side to side, it was continuously pressing up against the banks, washing excess sand into the river and destabilizing the banks themselves. This area is just outside of the Knox city limits, behind a property on State Road 8.
This is where the pilot project was implemented. Beik noted that about a half a mile along both sides of the river were worked on. They utilized a nature-based method called the “Toe Wood Technique” where large woody debris is placed along the banks as a way to prevent erosion.
During the site visit, Burr explained that something similar to this occurs naturally when trees fall into the river and lodge themselves into the sides. He explained that as long as it’s not running all the way across, blocking the flow, the placement can actually be helpful in securing the bank.
They also reworked the vertical, ineffective banks into step like river benches that are above the strategically positioned wood.
One of the things they had to deal with onsite was a natural gas line that is very close to the bottom of the river.
Burr explained that is pretty common around the state and is a problem that often has to be worked around since the gas company won’t allow developers to work on their easement.
They were able to avoid any future interference with the gas line by putting in some stones in a‘ V’ formation to help redirect the water and keep the bottom of the river from eroding.
The difference between this project and others that have been tried in the past is that it was created to work with nature and ultimately be self-sustaining. Though it will require monitoring, the project representatives noted that they wanted to ensure that little to no human interference will be required in the future.
One of the most measurable successes of using this technique was the fact that the system held up during February’s flooding before the vegetation even had a chance to grow back and the project was fully stabilized yet.
The next step for this pilot project is that it will be presented to state legislatures, with the hope that they will understand its usefulness and provide some funding to implement it in other areas that require the same sort of system. Aside from stressing the visible results, project representatives will also highlight the fact that self-sustainability will cut down on overall maintenance costs in the long run.
In the meantime, county officials associated with the KRBC will be working to secure local matches, as the state has said nothing with be provided without some “skin in the game.”
Author Jacque Ryan, WKVI
An overview of the Yellow River Pilot Project was presented when the Kankakee River Basin Commission met at the Nancy J. Dembowski Community Center Thursday morning.
Siavash Beik from Christopher B. Burke Engineering presented a summary of the project. The meeting was followed up by a site visit where Beik and his colleague Bob Barr pointed out some of the items that were highlighted during the presentation.
While providing the background, Beik explained that the Yellow River was assessed in order to address river erosion and to develop an effective method of sediment management.
Multiple points along the river were reviewed, but one spot specifically presented a major problem. With water moving side to side, it was continuously pressing up against the banks, washing excess sand into the river and destabilizing the banks themselves. This area is just outside of the Knox city limits, behind a property on State Road 8.
This is where the pilot project was implemented. Beik noted that about a half a mile along both sides of the river were worked on. They utilized a nature-based method called the “Toe Wood Technique” where large woody debris is placed along the banks as a way to prevent erosion.
During the site visit, Burr explained that something similar to this occurs naturally when trees fall into the river and lodge themselves into the sides. He explained that as long as it’s not running all the way across, blocking the flow, the placement can actually be helpful in securing the bank.
They also reworked the vertical, ineffective banks into step like river benches that are above the strategically positioned wood.
One of the things they had to deal with onsite was a natural gas line that is very close to the bottom of the river.
Burr explained that is pretty common around the state and is a problem that often has to be worked around since the gas company won’t allow developers to work on their easement.
They were able to avoid any future interference with the gas line by putting in some stones in a‘ V’ formation to help redirect the water and keep the bottom of the river from eroding.
The difference between this project and others that have been tried in the past is that it was created to work with nature and ultimately be self-sustaining. Though it will require monitoring, the project representatives noted that they wanted to ensure that little to no human interference will be required in the future.
One of the most measurable successes of using this technique was the fact that the system held up during February’s flooding before the vegetation even had a chance to grow back and the project was fully stabilized yet.
The next step for this pilot project is that it will be presented to state legislatures, with the hope that they will understand its usefulness and provide some funding to implement it in other areas that require the same sort of system. Aside from stressing the visible results, project representatives will also highlight the fact that self-sustainability will cut down on overall maintenance costs in the long run.
In the meantime, county officials associated with the KRBC will be working to secure local matches, as the state has said nothing with be provided without some “skin in the game.”
Wednesday, March 21, 2018
Kankakee River Basin Commissions Discusses Pros and Cons of Yellow River Pilot Project
Posted on March 21, 2018
Author Jacque Ryan, WKVI
A bank stabilization pilot project that was recently conducted on the Yellow River was discussed during last Thursday’s Kankakee River Basin Commission meeting.
Starke County Surveyor Bill Crase said that about 2200 feet of work was completed along both sides of the river. He told commission members that he was very impressed with the results, especially with the way the banks were able to withstand recent flooding.
He said only about 300 feet of damage was incurred and suspected that was likely from floating debris striking the spot rather than structural inefficiencies. However, there were certain issues with the way that the project that kept Crase from considering it a complete success.
“We had a successful project but at the end of the day, the cost per foot made it unsuccessful on paper. If we are going to consider carrying on with that project, we have to have our local people do it.” Crase explained, “We can not bring in big companies for big dollars with that kind of money per foot or we’re never going to get anything done.”
Crase said he was under the impression that local businesses would be utilized for aspects of the project since it was mentioned in the agreement and he was instructed to submit an approved list of local companies on more than one occasion. However, the North Carolina-based consulting firm North States Environmental reportedly went out of county for much of the work.
A few different examples were provided, but one instance Crase referenced was a time where a larger excavator was required. Crase said he offered up a local contractor who was willing to rent an excavator that could have been used right away but the firm decided to rent the equipment from a company out of the area and had to wait two weeks for it to come in.
Since the project was started late in the fall, Crase said there wasn’t really an opportunity for them to stop the work in order to address the consulting issues due to time constraints. He added that the anticipated cost of the project was expected to be about $300,000 and it came in a bit over $500,000.
Commission Secretary and Jasper County Surveyor Vince Urbano stated that as a representative of the commission and a county surveyor he was dismayed to hear that the size of the project could have potentially been doubled for the same price, had local help been utilized.
Commission Treasurer Kevin Breitzke said though the KRBC isn’t involved with creating the contract, he was upset to learn that local workers were not utilized or trained since they were told that they would be. Vice Chairman Ken Purze stressed the fact that the KRBC is a funding source and that project supervision is out of their control. He said that responsibility falls to the individual county surveyors and drainage boards.
Though the discussion got a bit heated with various county officials weighing in on the perceived failures or coming to the defense of the KRBC, Crase ended his report saying that it doesn’t do any good to sit and argue about it now. He stated that the purpose of his report was to highlight the pros and alert commission members of the cons.
He added that if the KRBC does plan to fund similar bank stabilization projects in other counties, officials now know that the utilization of local workers and the importance of maintaining individual project control will need to be emphasized as an absolute requirement in order to keep any future projects from facing the same problems.
Chairman Chris Knochel thanked Starke County Surveyor Crase for his report and said this pilot project has served as a valuable learning opportunity for the commission members.
Author Jacque Ryan, WKVI
A bank stabilization pilot project that was recently conducted on the Yellow River was discussed during last Thursday’s Kankakee River Basin Commission meeting.
Starke County Surveyor Bill Crase said that about 2200 feet of work was completed along both sides of the river. He told commission members that he was very impressed with the results, especially with the way the banks were able to withstand recent flooding.
He said only about 300 feet of damage was incurred and suspected that was likely from floating debris striking the spot rather than structural inefficiencies. However, there were certain issues with the way that the project that kept Crase from considering it a complete success.
“We had a successful project but at the end of the day, the cost per foot made it unsuccessful on paper. If we are going to consider carrying on with that project, we have to have our local people do it.” Crase explained, “We can not bring in big companies for big dollars with that kind of money per foot or we’re never going to get anything done.”
Crase said he was under the impression that local businesses would be utilized for aspects of the project since it was mentioned in the agreement and he was instructed to submit an approved list of local companies on more than one occasion. However, the North Carolina-based consulting firm North States Environmental reportedly went out of county for much of the work.
A few different examples were provided, but one instance Crase referenced was a time where a larger excavator was required. Crase said he offered up a local contractor who was willing to rent an excavator that could have been used right away but the firm decided to rent the equipment from a company out of the area and had to wait two weeks for it to come in.
Since the project was started late in the fall, Crase said there wasn’t really an opportunity for them to stop the work in order to address the consulting issues due to time constraints. He added that the anticipated cost of the project was expected to be about $300,000 and it came in a bit over $500,000.
Commission Secretary and Jasper County Surveyor Vince Urbano stated that as a representative of the commission and a county surveyor he was dismayed to hear that the size of the project could have potentially been doubled for the same price, had local help been utilized.
Commission Treasurer Kevin Breitzke said though the KRBC isn’t involved with creating the contract, he was upset to learn that local workers were not utilized or trained since they were told that they would be. Vice Chairman Ken Purze stressed the fact that the KRBC is a funding source and that project supervision is out of their control. He said that responsibility falls to the individual county surveyors and drainage boards.
Though the discussion got a bit heated with various county officials weighing in on the perceived failures or coming to the defense of the KRBC, Crase ended his report saying that it doesn’t do any good to sit and argue about it now. He stated that the purpose of his report was to highlight the pros and alert commission members of the cons.
He added that if the KRBC does plan to fund similar bank stabilization projects in other counties, officials now know that the utilization of local workers and the importance of maintaining individual project control will need to be emphasized as an absolute requirement in order to keep any future projects from facing the same problems.
Chairman Chris Knochel thanked Starke County Surveyor Crase for his report and said this pilot project has served as a valuable learning opportunity for the commission members.
Friday, March 16, 2018
Kankakee River Basin Commission Votes to Fund Preliminary Repair Costs
Posted on March 16, 2018
Author Jacque Ryan, WKVI
When Kankakee River Basin Commission members met Thursday morning, they permitted a total of $254,000 to be paid to three counties in order to assist with immediate repair needs resulting from the recent flooding.
Initially, members considered having all funding requests submitted at a meeting that would be held within the next 30 days but a few members said there were some issues with that idea.
Many surveyors had no choice but to immediately tend to problems that arose during the floods. The work that has already been done needs to be paid for and La Porte County Surveyor Tony Hendricks requested $85,000 to cover repair costs while Jasper County Surveyor Vince Urbano asked for $71,000 for work that has been done so far.
Starke County Surveyor Bill Crase presented another unique issue. He explained that he had to rent trucks for repair work that Starke County crews have been doing. He added that La Porte County has been utilizing those trucks as well. He said if he has to wait for the funding, the trucks will have to be returned and the rental process would need to start over which would end up costing more money. He had additional work that has been done and needs to be paid for as well. He requested a total of $98,000 to help cover repair costs so far.
The remainder of the county representatives said they would be able to wait to request funds at a later date once they have a better idea of what work will cost. Commission members voted to pay Jasper, La Porte and Starke counties for their immediate needs.
Additionally, members voted unanimously to hold a special session at 9:30 a.m. on April 12th, in order for members to prioritize projects for funding requests. Many places have been patching up problem areas but permanent fixes will need to be made in order to keep the same problems from occurring during future storms.
Jasper County Surveyor and Commission Secretary Vince Urbano expressed a concern with holding a meeting so soon, saying it is still too dangerous for crews to do full assessments at this point. However, he was assured that if all projects are unable to be submitted in April, the funds won’t be fully allocated and additional plans can be submitted later once it is safer to assess the area.
The counties of Starke, Marshall, La Porte, Lake, Porter, Newton, Jasper and St. Joseph all have county surveyors, commissioners and Soil and Water Conservation District supervisors on the Kankakee River Basin Commission (KRBC). The members coordinate on various aspects related to the river including maintenance, planning and organizing funding for projects.
More details from the KRBC meeting will be provided in future stories and audio will be shared this Sunday at noon during the Kankakee Valley Viewpoints program on K99.3 WKVI.
Author Jacque Ryan, WKVI
When Kankakee River Basin Commission members met Thursday morning, they permitted a total of $254,000 to be paid to three counties in order to assist with immediate repair needs resulting from the recent flooding.
Initially, members considered having all funding requests submitted at a meeting that would be held within the next 30 days but a few members said there were some issues with that idea.
Many surveyors had no choice but to immediately tend to problems that arose during the floods. The work that has already been done needs to be paid for and La Porte County Surveyor Tony Hendricks requested $85,000 to cover repair costs while Jasper County Surveyor Vince Urbano asked for $71,000 for work that has been done so far.
Starke County Surveyor Bill Crase presented another unique issue. He explained that he had to rent trucks for repair work that Starke County crews have been doing. He added that La Porte County has been utilizing those trucks as well. He said if he has to wait for the funding, the trucks will have to be returned and the rental process would need to start over which would end up costing more money. He had additional work that has been done and needs to be paid for as well. He requested a total of $98,000 to help cover repair costs so far.
The remainder of the county representatives said they would be able to wait to request funds at a later date once they have a better idea of what work will cost. Commission members voted to pay Jasper, La Porte and Starke counties for their immediate needs.
Additionally, members voted unanimously to hold a special session at 9:30 a.m. on April 12th, in order for members to prioritize projects for funding requests. Many places have been patching up problem areas but permanent fixes will need to be made in order to keep the same problems from occurring during future storms.
Jasper County Surveyor and Commission Secretary Vince Urbano expressed a concern with holding a meeting so soon, saying it is still too dangerous for crews to do full assessments at this point. However, he was assured that if all projects are unable to be submitted in April, the funds won’t be fully allocated and additional plans can be submitted later once it is safer to assess the area.
The counties of Starke, Marshall, La Porte, Lake, Porter, Newton, Jasper and St. Joseph all have county surveyors, commissioners and Soil and Water Conservation District supervisors on the Kankakee River Basin Commission (KRBC). The members coordinate on various aspects related to the river including maintenance, planning and organizing funding for projects.
More details from the KRBC meeting will be provided in future stories and audio will be shared this Sunday at noon during the Kankakee Valley Viewpoints program on K99.3 WKVI.
Monday, February 26, 2018
State Senator and Representative Meet with County Officials About Flooding
Posted on February 26, 2018
Author Jacque Ryan, WKVI
On Sunday afternoon, Starke County officials met with State Representative Jim Pressel (District 20) and State Senator Mike Bohacek (District 8) to discuss the recent devastation caused by flooding and what steps to take next.
Local officials who were present included Starke County EMA Director J. Nier, Surveyor Bill Crase and Highway Superintendent Rik Ritzler as well as Engineer Lee Nagai and County Commissioners Kathy Norem, Donnie Binkley and Charles Chesak.
The meeting began at Starke County Annex Building where officials discussed having insufficient access to problem areas. In order to eliminate limbs, fallen trees and other debris from the river to help it flow more consistently, they would need to clear the trees along both sides of the spot they wish to access.
County Surveyor Crase explained at this point, that can’t be done because the DNR has a policy prohibiting clearing two sides so they’re unable to get the necessary permits. Nagai added that IDEM and the Army Corps have similar restrictions.
They said if they had the permits in hand, they believe the work could be done in-house as they already know of some farmers, and other individuals, who would be willing to pitch in to help clear the river.
Crase said, “You know, there’s people who would be willing to help the state if they’d be willing to help us with the permits.” Nagai added, “All we’re asking you guys to do is give us the permission to let us help ourselves. I mean, that’s what it boils down to. We’re not being allowed to help ourselves.”
Another issue brought up was the reliability of the Kankakee River Basin Commission, the organization charged with various aspects of river maintenance. A few comments were made about how certain financial information has been withheld despite numerous requests and that status reports have not been received in some time. It was also mentioned that some of the flooding problems may have been alleviated or prevented through proactive measures that KVBC did not take.
Commissioner Kathy Norem also discussed how the Kankakee River passes through multiple places within the area, and for that reason, she didn’t think the financial responsibility for response efforts should fall solely on the county. She added that she will fight hard to keep from using rainy day funds. Norem included that while recently speaking with U.S. Representative Jackie Walorski, she was informed that the county could receive federal assistance from FEMA, as long as the area’s problems are sufficiently reported.
After county officials finished voicing a few of their concerns, the group moved along to several sites around the county that remain flooded. Highway Superintendent Ritzler and County Surveyor Crase showed the officials around to a few different problem areas including a bridge on 700 E near SR 8, a levee break on 300 E, the Kankakee River Fish and Wildlife Area on SR 8 and 39 and Division Road.
When they stopped on Division Road, County Surveyor Crase explained that over the weekend, crews had to do work on a nearby levee to keep water from flooding over and impacting not only a residential area but also the Industrial Park and Fertilizer Plant.
The tour was to continue to English Lake, where there are other major flooding problems but Pressel and Bohacek had to leave due to time constraints.
They said they believed they had enough information to relay the severity of the damage in the area and encouraged the county officials to send over pictures and to keep in touch. Additionally, they assured the group that they would look into providing assistance with the permit problem that was previously mentioned and they would also work to address their concerns with KVBC.
Author Jacque Ryan, WKVI
On Sunday afternoon, Starke County officials met with State Representative Jim Pressel (District 20) and State Senator Mike Bohacek (District 8) to discuss the recent devastation caused by flooding and what steps to take next.
Local officials who were present included Starke County EMA Director J. Nier, Surveyor Bill Crase and Highway Superintendent Rik Ritzler as well as Engineer Lee Nagai and County Commissioners Kathy Norem, Donnie Binkley and Charles Chesak.
The meeting began at Starke County Annex Building where officials discussed having insufficient access to problem areas. In order to eliminate limbs, fallen trees and other debris from the river to help it flow more consistently, they would need to clear the trees along both sides of the spot they wish to access.
County Surveyor Crase explained at this point, that can’t be done because the DNR has a policy prohibiting clearing two sides so they’re unable to get the necessary permits. Nagai added that IDEM and the Army Corps have similar restrictions.
They said if they had the permits in hand, they believe the work could be done in-house as they already know of some farmers, and other individuals, who would be willing to pitch in to help clear the river.
Crase said, “You know, there’s people who would be willing to help the state if they’d be willing to help us with the permits.” Nagai added, “All we’re asking you guys to do is give us the permission to let us help ourselves. I mean, that’s what it boils down to. We’re not being allowed to help ourselves.”
Another issue brought up was the reliability of the Kankakee River Basin Commission, the organization charged with various aspects of river maintenance. A few comments were made about how certain financial information has been withheld despite numerous requests and that status reports have not been received in some time. It was also mentioned that some of the flooding problems may have been alleviated or prevented through proactive measures that KVBC did not take.
Commissioner Kathy Norem also discussed how the Kankakee River passes through multiple places within the area, and for that reason, she didn’t think the financial responsibility for response efforts should fall solely on the county. She added that she will fight hard to keep from using rainy day funds. Norem included that while recently speaking with U.S. Representative Jackie Walorski, she was informed that the county could receive federal assistance from FEMA, as long as the area’s problems are sufficiently reported.
After county officials finished voicing a few of their concerns, the group moved along to several sites around the county that remain flooded. Highway Superintendent Ritzler and County Surveyor Crase showed the officials around to a few different problem areas including a bridge on 700 E near SR 8, a levee break on 300 E, the Kankakee River Fish and Wildlife Area on SR 8 and 39 and Division Road.
When they stopped on Division Road, County Surveyor Crase explained that over the weekend, crews had to do work on a nearby levee to keep water from flooding over and impacting not only a residential area but also the Industrial Park and Fertilizer Plant.
The tour was to continue to English Lake, where there are other major flooding problems but Pressel and Bohacek had to leave due to time constraints.
They said they believed they had enough information to relay the severity of the damage in the area and encouraged the county officials to send over pictures and to keep in touch. Additionally, they assured the group that they would look into providing assistance with the permit problem that was previously mentioned and they would also work to address their concerns with KVBC.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)