The board heard Marshall County Treasurer Deb Vandemark on the subject of railroad land in the county and drainage assessments for them, in particular the old Vandalia Railroad properties that ran from Culver through the northern part of Marshall County. Parcels of property for the old railroad near Hibbard have not had drainage assessments paid since 2004.
The parcels are not separated out into specific watersheds but rather listed together under one number as a “blanket drain”. Vandemark sought the help of the drainage board in sorting out the problem and possibly getting adjacent landowners to take over the properties by forgiving the delinquent drainage taxes and doing away with the “blanket drain”.
The board voted to proceed with this plan with the total forgiven of $305.
The board also discussed the difficulty caused by combining of property tax statements. State statute allows owners of several parcels of land to ask that the parcels be combined in one property tax bill without the properties being legally combined.
The reason for the practice allows the owners to claim Homestead credit on the combined parcels and makes for a more convenient single tax statement. The problem has arisen that the combined bills only generate one assessment for drainage for the multiple properties when one is owed for each property.
Surveyor Larry Fisher used the example of a six unit apartment complex, combining their tax statement for all six parcels. While they may owe $20 per parcel for drainage assessments on all six, they would pay for just one.
The board will continue to look at ways to rectify the problem.
The board voted to have a public hearing on the Mechling Tile near the Tippecanoe River. The tile is in need of repair and Fisher suggested an assessment of $8 an acre. The public hearing on the matter will be at the board’s meeting Sept. 20.

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