DITCH MEETING … Community members that hold interests in Ditch No. 743 were in attendance for the meeting. (PHOTO BY ANNA WOZNIAK, STAFF)
By: Anna Wozniak
The Williams County Commissioners held their May 1, 2023 regular session from 9:47-9:50 a.m.
The three commissioners were exceedingly productive in those three minutes, with the approval of a Child and Family Services funds transfer, May credit card appropriations, permits for: summer band concerts; June 7, 2023 chicken dinner in the Square; weekly car-cruise running May-August; authorization to work at 100 Bonavista Drive; and 2020 Workers’ Compensation charge-backs.
They then approved the minutes of their April 27, 2023 meeting and bills as presented by the auditor before going into recess, which they came back from at 9:58 a.m.
Located off US 20 resides a community of passionate Ohio residents, a water basin, and a decrepit old tile referred to as “Ditch No. 743.”
This tile has been seen to have visible damage since 2006, as well is believed to be damaged from the construction of a pond.
This tile is what is known as a “tile of record” or “ditch of record,” which, simply put, means that its construction was petitioned before the permanent maintenance that tiles see post 1957.
Residents that were present have been impacted by flooding in the region for years and were there for a preliminary hearing with regards to what the county proposes be done to solve the issue.
After hearing concerns of asset damage, the commissioners voted to move the meeting to June 10, 2023 at 10 a.m. so that the residents can gather to decide if they would rather come to an agreement on how to fix the flooding issues independent of the county.
If this option were utilized, any work done would have to be inspected by the county engineer.
The Williams County Commissioners adjourned the preliminary hearing on Ditch No. 743 at 11:06 a.m.
Anna can be reached at: anna@thevillagereporter.com