Drain Commissioner
Mission Statement
The mission of the Kent County Drain Commissioner's office is to improve and maintain storm water drainage for the public health, safety, convenience, and welfare of the citizens of Kent County and also to be an effective and efficient steward of our natural and fiscal resources.
The County Drain Commissioner is elected to a four-year term to perform a number of duties assigned by State law. The office of the Drain Commissioner is responsible for the administration of the State Drain Code as it applies to the receipt of petitions for the establishment, improvement or maintenance of over 536 miles of County Drain and 356 storm water detention ponds in Kent County. Under the Subdivision Control Act, this office reviews storm water plans for all plats developed within the County and maintains records on over 1,800 developments. Other duties include the administration of 19 court established lake levels under the Lake Level Act, participation in the NPDES Phase II program, participation on lake improvement boards, maintenance of the GIS system as it pertains to County Drains and the resolution of citizen complaints and requests for service.
Currently, this office is actively developing a project and meeting with local government engineers to solve flooding of homes in the Shawmut Hills area of Grand Rapids, undertaking projects to address obstructions to the flow in the Troy with Mosher & Farnham Drain, the erosion of the stream bed and banks of the Black Creek Inter-County Drain which is causing sedimentation of Lincoln Lake, and is constructing a project on the Warner Drain to solve flooding problems experienced by homes at the upper end of the drainage district.