Not all things are bad that arise from the proposed Fargo Moorhead Dam and Diversion.
Fargo’s aggressive push to develop the natural flood plain south of Fargo, ND has commissioners from Richland County, ND and Wilkin County, MN reaching across the very river that Fargo is using in a sympathetic pitch for 2 billion plus dollars to bankroll a project that has a 99.98% chance of never being utilized to the capacity of a 500 year flood event.
It was refreshing to read a straightforward news article written by Miles Trump of the Wahpeton Daily News.
In Mr Trump’s Wednesday, January 25, 2012 front page article titled: “Counties Discuss Joint Powers Agreement” he indicates a positive step forward towards reigning in Fargo’s self centered flood control project with a Fargo don’t park your problems on us approach.
Here’s an excerpt from the article:
| “The purpose of the proposed agreement is to create a board that would “organize and direct a legal challenge against the construction of a dam on the Wild Rice and Red River” about four miles north of the counties’ northern boundaries as proposed in the project, the agreement states.
Potential legal action by the board would be intended to prevent flooding south of the proposed diversion into northern Richland and Wilkin counties, which could result in lost tax revenue, reductions in land values, damage to public structures, decreases in population, less school funding and enrollment, and more, the agreement states. Under the proposed agreement, drafted by Wilkin County Attorney Tim Fox, Richland and Wilkin counties each would appoint two representatives to comprise a board of directors. Any decisions made by the board would then need approval from the Wilkin and Richland county commissions. However, other entities, such as organizations, school districts, cities and townships affected by the proposed diversion, are eligible to participate in the joint board.” |
Fargo may have become accustomed to manipulating it’s immediate neighbors but it appears the leaderships in Richland and Wilkin counties are smart enough to represent their “down to earth people” and support landowner rights over elitist economic development. An appropriate wind of change blowing towards the very entity that has exerted it’s negative economic impact on surrounding main streets in small towns for the past three decades.
It’s no secret that Richland County openly opposes the FM Diversion. Fargo, Cass County and the USACE appear to have dismissed the unanimous decision reached on Arpil 18th, 2011 where Richland County Commissioners adopted a resolution specifically voicing their opposition to the FM Diversion/Dam. Especially in light of Cass County Commissioner Darrel Vanyo’s attempt to sell Richland County the idea there would be no impacts south of Highway 46. << Download PDF of Letter (100kb) >>
Basin Wide Solutions will benefit all from headwaters to the Hudson Bay. Commissioners on both side of the Red River have daunting task to preserve and protect the rights and tax foundation of their respective counties.
Property owners in Richland and Wilkin counties are encouraged to contact their commissioners and voice their support for the forthcoming February agenda vote.
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