Winnebago County approves reclassification of Drainage District DD 41 and appoints engineer

Winnebago County supervisors voted to reclassify Drainage District DD 41 and to hire the engineering firm Jacobson Westergaard to oversee a planned major repair. The board approved the motion after staff described needed work and reviewed a map showing property lines and some annexations.

The move responds to a long-identified need: Speaker 5 said the district “hasn’t been reclassified since 1914” and described the repair as “pretty major.” The appointment of Jacobson Westergaard followed a recommendation from staff and drew an affirmative vote after a second from another supervisor.

County staff said the reclassification is intended to update legal descriptions and enable contractor and engineering work needed for the repair. No dollar amount for the repair was finalized at the meeting; staff indicated further project scoping and cost estimates will follow once the engineering firm begins work.

Next steps include formal engineering design, securing any required easements or annexation adjustments and returning to the board with detailed cost estimates and a project timeline. The board’s approval authorizes staff to proceed with the engineering engagement but does not itself appropriate construction funds.

The vote was taken by oral assent (‘aye’). Specific vote tallies and an exact project budget were not provided during the meeting.