Some Freeborn County township governments don’t want to be included in the Shell Rock River Watershed special taxing district, their attorney told the Freeborn County board of commissioners Tuesday.

Wednesday, May 16, 2001

Some Freeborn County township governments don’t want to be included in the Shell Rock River Watershed special taxing district, their attorney told the Freeborn County board of commissioners Tuesday.

Shell Rock, Nunda and Freeman Township boards have opposed the watershed district because they will receive limited benefits from watershed cleanup &uot;These three townships and the City of Glenville have geographical area that lies within the Shell Rock River watershed, but there is limited economic benefit to them from this project,&uot; Johnson wrote in a letter to the board. &uot;It is only fair, equitable and legal that they only be assessed for the benefits that they actually receive from this project.&uot;

The taxing district must be established to comply with Freeborn County’s Watershed District abeyance agreement with the Minnesota Board of Water and Soil Resources (BWSR), Tuchtenhagen said. If the agreement is not met, BWSR can impose a state-appointed board to govern the watershed efforts. The levy will be set at $0 until the county board determines funding for as-yet-undetermined water cleanup projects, he said.

The townships only want to be taxed for improvements made to water their lands drain to, Johnson wrote.

&uot;Their concerns are appropriate concerns, but at this stage, we are not setting a taxing amount, or amount that anyone is responsible for,&uot; said Freeborn County Attorney Craig Nelson. &uot;When we get down to doing something concrete, then we’ll determine who is responsible for what amount.&uot;

All areas of the watershed district will likely be assessed for administrative costs, and watershed-wide projects and studies, said Environmental Services Director Randy Tuchtenhagen. Landowners will be assessed for payment on special projects based on their projected benefit from those projects, Nelson said.

&uot;If within the watershed district, a specific project is identified and you want to go ahead with it, there are going to be public hearings, you’re going to do an assessment. No one will be denied their opportunity to be heard on any issue,&uot; Nelson said.