Moorhead/Clay County Joint Powers Authority

The City of Moorhead and Clay County, MN has formed a Joint Powers Authority (MCCJPA). The MCCJPA’s primary objectives include the responsibility to acquire necessary property rights in Minnesota for construction and operation of the Diversion Project and to pursue additional funding for the Project from the State of Minnesota.

The MCCJPA has adopted five charter goals:

  1. To acquire the property rights necessary for the FM Area Diversion Project, in compliance with State and Federal guidelines and in accordance with the philosophy of being fair, friendly, and flexible to those whose property is required for the Project.
  2. Provide uniform and equitable treatment of persons whose real property is acquired or are displaced in connection with the Project.
  3. To be respectful to the taxpayers and strive to keep acquisition costs within the Project’s annual budget
  4. To be consistent, where possible within State law, with practices being used by the Cass County Joint Water Resource District, which is the entity that has been working to acquire property rights in North Dakota for a number of years.
  5. As a last resort measure, use Eminent Domain to acquire the necessary property.

The MCCJPA Board is made up of six MCCJPA members,

  • Clay County – Commissioner Kevin Campbell and Commissioner Jenny Mongeau
  • City of Moorhead - Mayor Shelly Carlson, Councilperson Chuck Hendrickson, and Councilperson Larry Seljevold, and
  • Buffalo Red River Watershed District (BRRWD) Board of Managers - Gerald Van Amburg

The Diversion Project includes properties in Minnesota located along the Southern Embankment and within the Upstream Mitigation Area. In total in Minnesota, approximately 500 acres are needed for construction of the Southern Embankment along with approximately 6,600 acres in the Upstream Mitigation Area where flowage easements need to be obtained.

The MCCJPA Board’s regular meetings will be held on the 4th Thursday of each month at the Clay County Courthouse to act on the acquisition of property rights needed for the FM Area Diversion Project. Agendas and meeting minutes can be found at https://claycountymn.gov/agendacenter

For more information about the MCCJPA, please contact Clay County Administrator Stephen Larson at 218-299-5002

Additional Links

Minnesota Land Acquisition Joint Powers Agreement (PDF)
MCCJPA Meeting Agenda and Minutes - https://claycountymn.gov/agendacenter
FM Area Diversion - https://fmdiversion.gov/
Buffalo-Red River Watershed District - http://www.brrwd.org/