WORTHINGTON — A flood mitigation project designed to remove 76 structures from Federal Emergency Management Agency flood plain requirements will move forward, the Worthington City Council unanimously decided Monday.
As part of the project, a $200,000 Federal Transportation PROTECT grant has been approved for the purchase of property for a stormwater pond along Nobles County Ditch 12, south of Oxford Street.
The city has until June 30, 2024 to complete the land purchase, and given the short timeframe and requirements of the federal funding, the council hired Bolton & Menk as consultants to finish that process.
In addition, the council approved hiring AE2S consultants to provide services and apply for additional funding for the project, which centers around improvements to the County Ditch 12 drainage system and will cost an estimated $3.5 to $3.8 million.
County Ditch 12, or Okabena Creek, starts near the intersection of Diagonal Road and Oxford Street, before moving east to Trojan Field and then north of Interstate 90, before flowing east again.
The planned improvements to the ditch system include extending a 10- by 10-foot box culvert under Oslo Street, building a water retention pond near Diagonal Road and extending a storm sewer outlet near the intersection of Dover Street and Fredrick Avenue.
While the project will offer more capacity for water in Worthington, it will not directly prevent the storm-driven street flooding that can occur on Tenth Street and in other locations around town during severe weather, Councilman Chad Cummings cautioned during a previous council meeting.
In other news Monday, the council:
- Agreed to consider several options for improvements to Worthington Water World at some point in the future, from a concession stand to shade umbrellas and a grandparents’ pass for those who want to bring grandchildren to the pool but don’t wish to swim themselves.
- Learned that the YMCA is still seeking a new CEO.
- Voted unanimously to close Worthington City Hall for two hours for an employee appreciation lunch on Aug. 17.
- Learned that lights in the JBS Fieldhouse have been malfunctioning and will be replaced with new lights at no cost to the city.
- Heard from David Wing, a district outreach representative for U.S. Rep. Brad Finstad (R–Minnesota). Mayor Rick Von Holdt said it would be nice to see Finstad, as Finstad was not in Worthington much during the election or since. Councilwoman Amy Ernst said affordable housing is an important issue for the region, and Wing replied he had heard that from other city officials in the region as well, particularly those in the Interstate 90 corridor. City Administrator Steve Robinson noted that the flood mitigation project would also need funding.
- Approved a task order with Bolton & Menk for engineering and survey services at the industrial wastewater treatment facility, including topographic and boundary surveys, preparing electrical easements identifying where transformers are located, preparing construction documents for improvements to the facility’s discharge outfall and preparing documents to modify an existing manhole. The fee of $21,500 will be paid with equipment revolving, capital projects and unreserved undesignated retained earnings funds, not with general tax dollars.
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