The Delaware County Drainage Board voted to convert a mutual drain near County Road 700 West from a mutual drain to a regulated (legal) drain, a move board members said will allow the county to begin maintenance studies and reconstruction.

Surveyor staff reported the paperwork to change the drain’s status is on file and recommended the conversion. David Howe, a tenant on Connor Family Farms, told the board he had mailed letters to neighbors, heard one supportive call and that ‘‘we just simply can't control the water coming across the road’’ without the change. Howe said the conversion is needed so the county can carry out maintenance and later reconstruction work to address recurring flooding and levee breaches.

Board members and staff discussed steps required after conversion: the surveyor said a petition had already been filed and that the next procedural steps are obtaining the required landowner signatures (the transcript references a threshold of 10 or 20 percent), sending formal notices and holding a public meeting. The surveyor recommended waiting to hire a land surveyor to prepare a legal description until after reconstruction planning is complete to avoid re‑hiring if the ditch is widened or lengthened.

A motion to convert the mutual drain to a regulated drain passed on roll call with recorded yes votes from Mister Whitehead, Mister Hamilton, Mister Rigdon, Mister Christie and Mister Buckle. The board then voted to proceed with reconstruction planning and to notify landowners; staff will send required letters and the surveyor will prepare notice materials for next month’s meeting.

The surveyor also noted a related concern raised by a neighboring landowner about Hogg Creek, which may need a repair study; board members said they would include necessary maintenance planning as the project advances.

The board did not set firm dates for reconstruction activities at the meeting; the next procedural step is the notice to landowners and the public meeting required under state procedures.