Lake County Drainage Board Advisory Committee Meeting - August 19, 2026

The Lake County Drainage Board Advisory Committee met on August 19, 2026, at 8:00 AM in the Commissioners Courtroom. The meeting covered routine approvals, financial actions, and a public hearing scheduled for the Hanover Ditch project was noted but not included in the transcript (the public hearing was set for the 9:00 AM Drainage Board meeting). The committee made several recommendations for approval by the Drainage Board.

Consent Calendar

• Minutes: The July 15, 2026 minutes were not yet transcribed; approval was deferred to the next meeting.
• Agenda Additions: Two handouts were added: surveyor responses to objections and the Schererville interlocal agreement (Item 11A2).

Public Comments & Testimony

• No public comments were offered at the Advisory Committee meeting.

Discussion Items

• Township Reports:
  • Hanover Township: The trustee expressed concern about the Hanover Ditch project, urging the Drainage Board to conduct a thorough cost-benefit review before allocating funds, particularly regarding Illinois water inflow. The trustee asked for a re-evaluation of the project’s necessity.
  • West Creek Township: Reported ongoing issues with John Kramer’s property (69th and Sheffield) due to overgrowth and beaver dams, requesting a site walk-through.
  • Eagle Creek Township: Noted sloughing along the Kankakee River near the county park and a more severe area near Porter County; also requested cleaning of Brown Ditch segments.
  • Cedar Creek Township: Reported that the Cantor Creek project reduced flooding complaints; requested cleanup of Cedar Creek by the Legion.
• Little Calumet River Watershed (Items 5D1-5D7):
  • Approved recommendation to pay Austgen Equipment $706,048.76 for Hart Ditch stabilization (funded by Little Calumet River Basin Commission).
  • Approved final payment of $2,715.00 to Garup Construction for Schoon Ditch maintenance.
  • Approved payment of $47,027.08 to Dyer Construction for Turkey Creek emergency bank repair.
  • Noted award of Spring Street Ditch culvert replacement to Ellis Construction.
• Kankakee River Watershed (Item 5C1): Approved recommendation to pay $23,145.68 for levee inspection.
• Applications/Petitions:
  • Application 493 (Turkey Creek Lateral #5): No action due to inability to inspect.
  • Application 501 (Spring Run Ditch): No action, awaiting information.
  • Application 519 (West Creek & West Creek Lateral #1): No action.
  • Application 523 (Beaver Dam Ditch Lateral #5): Approved after revisions were made based on CBBEL review.
• MS4 Water Quality: Approved two invoices to Delta III for juvenile detention center restoration: $15,250.00 and $18,440.33.
• Financial Items:
  • Approved $1,209.16 to Flow Technics for Hartsdale Pond pumps.
  • Approved four invoices totaling $103,875.00 to KDM for emergency obstruction removal at Turkey Creek Lateral 6 & 7.
  • Approved $200.00 to Tom Larson for beaver relocation at Beaver Dam Ditch Lat 8.
  • Approved $200.00 to Tom Larson for beaver relocation at Hayden Ditch.
• Bids: Received bids for the 2026 Foss Ditch 2-Stage Ditch Project (Cedar Creek Twp.).
• Contract Amendments:
  • Approved $30,800 increase to CBBEL on-call services.
  • Approved $45,000 increase to ASI on-call services.

Key Outcomes

• Interlocal Agreement: Approved recommendation for the county’s share of $35,009.75 for the Schererville SCADA system upgrade at Hartsdale Pond, with the Little Calumet River Basin Commission contributing $70,000+.
• All motions were passed unanimously by the Advisory Committee (all ayes, no opposed).
• Next Meeting: Scheduled for September 16, 2026, at 8:00 AM.

Note: The transcript does not include the 9:00 AM Hanover Ditch public hearing or the subsequent Drainage Board meeting, which were listed on the agenda.