- Some Delta Township residents are facing assessments of more than $20,000 for the Bank Intercounty Drain project aimed at solving neighborhood flooding.
- Half the $60 million project cost is being passed on to homeowners, with payments accruing 6% interest unless prepaid by May 9.
Watch the video above to see residents' concerns about the cost of the project.
(The following is a transcription of the full broadcast story)
“It’s enraging.”
Delta Township neighbor Jennifer Buda received an assessment in the mail for the Bank Intercounty Drain project happening in her neighborhood—an assessment of over $20,000.
“I don't know anyone who can afford to pay most of their bills right now, let alone have $20,000 to just pull out of anyone's pockets. That’s not something that I can afford,” Buda said.
The project began after 55 residents petitioned the drain commission for help addressing flooding issues. Officials say the first practicality hearing was held in April 2022.
The bank intercounty drain is expected to help with those issues by replacing drainage pipes, some nearing 100 years old.
Those solutions come at a $60 million cost.
Half of that money is coming from Eaton County, Delta Township, and MDOT. The other half—taken on by residents like Buda.
“And it sounds like there is nothing to be done other than now having a debt that I didn’t ask for, that I didn’t vote on,” Buda said.
I took Buda’s concerns to Stacy Hissong, the attorney for the drainage board, who emphasized that this project is needed.
“You don’t know you have a problem until you’re flooding, and you might be contributing to someone else's problem. So, for the benefit right now, we had flooding calls even this month from Bank residents,” Hissong said.
Buda acknowledges the need for solutions—but says it's simply an assessment she can't afford. She will have to make payments, which will accrue interest currently estimated at 6 percent.
“I mean obviously we need infrastructure to keep our houses safe, so that part I don’t have a problem with, but I have a big problem with it not being transparent to people paying the bill,” Buda said.
She says she didn't know of the assessment until recently—and was shocked at the final number.
Hissong reiterated that several outreach efforts were in place.
“We tried to be very transparent about the implications of the interest to property owners. This is going to be financed by a municipal bond—that’s the way all public improvement projects are financed,” Hissong said.
Neighbors affected by the project will have until May 9th to prepay and avoid interest. Otherwise, they’ll see the first bill come with their 2025 winter tax bill.
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