Ten sections of a very large culvert were placed on this county-owned property next to Flute Reed River in 2006 and residents of Hovland would like the county highway department to remove them. The sections can be seen from the road and are considered an eyesore. Despite repeated requests, the highway department hasn’t moved them because it will cost about $20,000.
England has Stonehenge, Egypt the Pyramids, China the Great Wall and Hovland has The Cement Culvert.
Three of the four are well-loved icons, one not so much.
At the December 1 Cook County commissioners’ meeting, east end Commissioner Frank Moe once again asked to have the county highway department remove the very large cement culvert from the pretty piece of county-owned property near the Flute Reed River in Hovland.
The culvert was placed there in 2006 by the highway department and at one time there was a plan to remove the 10 sections that make up the culvert. However, when it was estimated to cost $20,000 to bring in a crane to take away the sections that each weigh more than 13,000 pounds, the plan was abandoned.
And so the culvert lies, a slowly decaying gray mass, a weed strewn bird perch, an eyesore to the public, said Moe.
Moe said residents of Hovland are tired of looking at the culvert sections and would like the property freed up for other uses that could benefit the community.
Christmas could come early if you have a use for these culvert sections because they can be yours for free! The caveat is that you have to remove them and at 13,000-plus pounds each, they are quite a load. Call the Cook County Highway Department at 387-3014 if you are interested in making this your most memorable Christmas ever.
At the county board’s November 24 meeting Highway Department Maintenance Supervisor Russell Klegstad and the highway department’s Head Accountant Lisa Sorlie filled the board in about the culvert’s idle past and so far stagnant future. At the conclusion of their presentation, Commissioner Garry Gamble said the board should talk to Highway Engineer David Betts before making any decisions about the matter.
Betts came before the commissioners on December 1 to address the matter.
At one time, said Betts, he thought the culvert might be a suitable replacement for a bridge that needs updating on the Arrowhead Road, but after looking into the job, he said the culvert wouldn’t work. Betts said there had been inquiries about people taking sections of the culverts. Someone thought they could be used for a garage and someone else thought they could be used for a root cellar because they have a flat bottom, he said. But, said Betts, if someone were to take them they would have to take the smaller two ends, “Otherwise they will sit there because no one wants them.” He also told the county board not to hold their breath waiting for someone to come and pick them up even though they were free.
And when it would come time for the county to remove them, Betts said, “I would rather use that $20,000 to buy 2,000 yard of gravel.” But Betts added he would do whatever the county board ordered.
After some discussion the board agreed to give Betts through the month of January to find someone to take the culverts or he would be responsible to see that they were taken away in the spring, which he agreed to do.
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