OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Lake County Drainage Board Meeting - January 21, 2026

County Boards & Commissions — Wednesday, January 21, 2026
BodyLake County, Indiana
SessionCounty Boards & Commissions
DateWednesday, January 21, 2026
StatusFILED
Video Record
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0:19

Call the need in order, please stand for the pledge allegiance and remains standing.

0:24

Oh no, just do pledge leads.

0:26

Pledge leaders to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which the nation under this will see.

0:41

Emergency exit announcement in case of emergency exit the commissioner's courtroom and proceed to the stairs and go to the second floor and exit the building.

0:49

Do not enter an elevator in an emergency.

0:51

If you require assistance, an employee will escort and or assist you.

0:55

Please silence any cellular telephones during this meeting.

0:58

If you receive a call or text during this meeting, please excuse yourself with as little disruption as possible.

1:07

Thank you.

1:15

Are there any additions of lesions corrections?

1:17

Yes, Mr.

1:18

Chair.

1:18

Uh one addition item 9A1, the Beaver Dam Ditch Letter 14 at the Lake County Fairgrounds.

1:26

And a correction on item six, application 495, the Kaiser Ditches in Merritt, not Cedar Lake.

1:38

Okay, is there a motion to accept the agenda as amended?

1:41

So move, Mr.

1:42

President.

1:43

Second.

1:46

We don't have bids to open.

1:47

No bids today.

1:48

Okay.

1:49

Reorganization.

1:51

Reorganization of the board.

1:53

Is there a motion on the uh membership of the board for the chairman?

1:58

Then uh Mr.

2:01

Chairman, then I would move to keep the lake county drainage board.

2:09

Uh what's the word you just use?

2:12

Um leadership uh reorganized advice officers the same officers, there you go.

2:19

Yeah, you go.

2:20

I like that.

2:20

Mr.

2:20

Chairman, then I move to keep the officers of the lake county drainage boards.

2:27

As is currently structured for the January 2026, excuse me, for the 2026 calendar year.

2:36

Okay, second.

2:38

Thank you for your uh vote of confidence.

2:40

Let the record show the motion carries three, and thank you, Cliff, for your SARS.

2:47

Uh minutes from December 5th uh 17th, 2025.

2:51

Chairman, move your approval.

2:53

Second.

2:53

Let the record show the motion carries three.

2:55

Oh report to item five.

2:57

Item five B one Little Cateman River Base Involvement Commission meeting this evening.

3:02

Oh apparently there's uh two corrections already done.

3:06

Uh so our January 20th.

3:08

Um we have an item on the agenda.

3:11

We're uh again asking for uh participation funding on the dire ditch.

3:18

Um asking for 50 percent.

3:20

The little cow has been helpful on us uh the last couple of times we've asked for funding, they've uh approved funding.

3:27

So hopefully we will get an additional funding uh for the dire ditch.

3:34

Item five B2, the report from Chris Brown over the crew activity for the last month.

3:40

Again, if you guys hear of anything, please let us know.

3:43

We will get through out there so the weather is a little bit better unless it's an emergency.

3:49

Um item five B three and four are nerfcy press releases uh for the upcoming year.

3:58

And item five B five, the schoon ditch maintenance.

4:03

This is the interlocal agreement between the county drainage board and the cycle river basin development commission.

4:09

They did approve at the uh November uh meeting, I believe, or December meeting the 50% of the cost for the schoon ditch.

4:19

Uh so I would ask for approval of the interlocal agreement with the little cow with 50% funding for the schoon ditch project.

4:31

Any request for approval of the analysis, Chairman I move move to approve the request by the surveyor for the interlocal second.

4:53

And item two, the Indiana Department of Natural Resources certificate approval for the Kinky River uh activity.

5:10

Items four and five.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Engineering And Infrastructure█████████████████████████████████████████████60%
Procedural██████████████████████29%
Water And Wastewater Management█████6%
Transportation Safety████5%
Summary of Proceedings

Lake County Drainage Board Meeting - January 21, 2026

The Lake County Drainage Board convened on Wednesday, January 21, 2026, at 9:00 AM in the Commissioners Courtroom at the Lake County Government Center, with virtual participation via WebEx. Chairman Michael C. Repay presided. The board reorganized for the 2026 calendar year, approved minutes, and addressed a range of reports and applications concerning drainage maintenance, petitions, financial matters, and project contracts.

Consent Calendar

  • Reorganization of the Board: The board unanimously approved keeping the same officers (Repay, Tippy, Allen) for the 2026 calendar year (motion carried 3-0).
  • Minutes: The December 17, 2025, meeting minutes were approved.
  • Reports and Correspondence: Reports from the Little Calumet River Basin Development Commission, crew activity updates, NIRPC press releases, and the Kankakee River Basin Development Commission newsletter were accepted as matters of public record.
  • Interlocal Agreement – Schoon Ditch Maintenance: Approved an interlocal agreement with the Little Calumet River Basin Development Commission for 50% funding of the Schoon Ditch project.
  • Applications Approved Unanimously (with no conditions):
    • Application 494 – Niles Ditch (City of Crown Point wastewater treatment plant effluent outfall)
    • Application 495 – Kaiser Ditch (Indiana American Water water main replacement)
    • Application 497 – Spring Street Ditch (NIPSCO utility pole replacement)
    • Application 499 – Beaver Dam Ditch Lateral 11 (NIPSCO utility pole replacement)
  • Financial Approvals:
    • Invoices from Butler Fairman & Seufert for the Turkey Creek Lateral No. 1 Drainage Study ($896.25 and $176.25, total $1,072.50) were approved.
    • Payment of $1,000 to Bob Jensen for beaver relocation and dam removal on Tully Ditch was approved.
  • Beaver Dam Ditch Lateral 14 (Lake County Fairgrounds): Approved specifications for advertising bids for tile replacement, with bids due February 18, 2026.
  • 2025 Dyer Ditch Maintenance Phase I: Ratified the award of the contract to Dyer Construction in the amount of $444,716.24, as authorized by the surveyor.

Public Comments & Testimony

No members of the public came forward to speak during the public comment period.

Discussion Items

  • Application 498 – Main Beaver Dam Ditch (I-65 Beacon Hill Partners): The applicant proposes constructing an access drive and dumpster enclosure within the drainage easement for a hotel development. Engineer Thomas reported that the plans place structures within the 75-foot easement, and recommended requesting a reduction of the easement to 25 feet to align with the roadway, removing structures from the easement. The surveyor noted a prior perpetual maintenance agreement existed for the overall development, but would confirm. The board deferred action on the application until the applicant pursues a formal easement reduction.
  • Michael Hein Request – Niles Ditch Maintenance (Off-Agenda): Landowner Michael Hein requested permission to perform ditch maintenance and dipping on Niles Ditch from 121st to 129th Street at his own cost, pending an NRCS permit. The surveyor recommended approval with coordination. The board approved the request with the condition that work be coordinated with the surveyor's office.
  • Juvenile Detention Center Restoration (MS4 Capital Project): The board noted that proposals were due at this meeting but recommended postponing the award to the February 18, 2026 meeting due to additional items arising. No action was needed as no award was scheduled.
  • Project Updates:
    • Schoon Ditch: Photos shown of gabion and riprap installation on Fisher Street in Munster, completed during school break with lane closures coordinated with emergency services.
    • Brown Levee Ditch: Debrushing completed by Home Retrieve Service; Delta will soon begin sediment removal and bank stabilization.

Key Outcomes

  • Votes: All consent calendar items and discussion item approvals were carried unanimously (3-0) unless noted.
  • Deferred: Application 498 (Main Beaver Dam Ditch) was deferred pending easement reduction.
  • Postponed: MS4 Juvenile Detention Center Restoration award postponed to February 18, 2026.
  • Bid Schedule: Beaver Dam Ditch Lateral 14 to be advertised for bids due by February 18, 2026.
  • Next Meeting: Wednesday, February 18, 2026 – Advisory Committee at 8:00 AM, Drainage Board at 9:00 AM.

Note: The agenda included an Advisory Committee meeting at 8:00 AM; this summary covers only the Drainage Board meeting at 9:00 AM.

Meeting Transcript

Call the need in order, please stand for the pledge allegiance and remains standing. Oh no, just do pledge leads. Pledge leaders to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which the nation under this will see. Emergency exit announcement in case of emergency exit the commissioner's courtroom and proceed to the stairs and go to the second floor and exit the building. Do not enter an elevator in an emergency. If you require assistance, an employee will escort and or assist you. Please silence any cellular telephones during this meeting. If you receive a call or text during this meeting, please excuse yourself with as little disruption as possible. Thank you. Are there any additions of lesions corrections? Yes, Mr. Chair. Uh one addition item 9A1, the Beaver Dam Ditch Letter 14 at the Lake County Fairgrounds. And a correction on item six, application 495, the Kaiser Ditches in Merritt, not Cedar Lake. Okay, is there a motion to accept the agenda as amended? So move, Mr. President. Second. We don't have bids to open. No bids today. Okay. Reorganization. Reorganization of the board. Is there a motion on the uh membership of the board for the chairman? Then uh Mr. Chairman, then I would move to keep the lake county drainage board. Uh what's the word you just use? Um leadership uh reorganized advice officers the same officers, there you go. Yeah, you go. I like that. Mr. Chairman, then I move to keep the officers of the lake county drainage boards. As is currently structured for the January 2026, excuse me, for the 2026 calendar year. Okay, second. Thank you for your uh vote of confidence. Let the record show the motion carries three, and thank you, Cliff, for your SARS. Uh minutes from December 5th uh 17th, 2025. Chairman, move your approval. Second. Let the record show the motion carries three. Oh report to item five. Item five B one Little Cateman River Base Involvement Commission meeting this evening. Oh apparently there's uh two corrections already done. Uh so our January 20th. Um we have an item on the agenda. We're uh again asking for uh participation funding on the dire ditch. Um asking for 50 percent. The little cow has been helpful on us uh the last couple of times we've asked for funding, they've uh approved funding. So hopefully we will get an additional funding uh for the dire ditch. Item five B2, the report from Chris Brown over the crew activity for the last month.

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