Drain Commissioner
William R. Byl, Drain Commissioner
1500 Scribner NW
Grand Rapids, MI 49504
Phone: (616) 336-3688
Fax: (616) 336-3575
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.
Staff Contacts
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Overview
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 533 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 storm water concerns.
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.
Goals
- Administer the Drain Code (Act 40, PA of 1956) as it pertains to the establishment and maintenance of drains in Kent County
- Administer the Subdivision Control Act (Act 288, PA of 1967) as it applies to stormwater management
- Administer Inland Lake Levels under Part 307 of the Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act (Part 307, Act 451, PA of 1994) as it pertains to the establishment and maintenance of lake levels in Kent County
2011 Adopted Uses: $661,921
2011 Adopted Revenues: $141,520
Selected Performance Measures
Performance Measure |
2008 Actual |
2009 Actual |
2010 Actual |
2011 Expected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Percent of drain permit request processed within 2 days | 95.00% |
95.00% |
95.00% |
90.00% |
| Percent of complaints/requests resolved within 90 days | 98.00% |
96.00% |
92.00% |
90.00% |
| Percent of responses to complaints/requests within 2 days | 90.00% |
93.00% |
86.00% |
90.00% |
| Drainage problems resolved | 150 |
160 |
149 |
120 |
| Drain permit applications reviewed | 25 |
14 |
15 |
20 |
Department History of Uses
| Uses | 2008 Actual |
2009 Actual |
2010 Adopted |
2011 Adopted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Personnel | $459,675 | $474,076 | $481,953 | $497,374 |
| Commodities | 16,467 | 22,596 | 8,175 | 16,515 |
| Contractual | 77,032 | 67,549 | 67,994 | 70,312 |
| Operating Capital | 2,470 | 1,800 | 1,200 | 1,200 |
| Special Projects | 195,614 | 75,430 | 73,805 | 76,520 |
| Total Uses | $751,259 | $641,451 | $633,127 | $661,921 |
| Personnel FTE | 6.5 | 6.5 | 6.5 | 6.2 |
Significant Budget Issues
For the 2011 Budget Year, hours for the Administrative Intern were reduced by 0.3 FTEs.
Signficant Accomplishments
As the designated authority for the maintenance of the legal lake level of Pine Lake, the County Drain Commissioner has removed and replaced 300 feet of lake outlet pipe to reduce seasonal fluctuation of the water level in the lake.
The Drain Commissioner’s Office inventoried the storm water controls on all the properties owned by the County.
History of Uses (in millions)
