Drain Commissioner

Drain Assessments

Drain Assessments are special assessments that are levied when costs are incurred for the drain. Drain assessments are collected in the same manner as property taxes and will appear on your winter tax bill, except for the City of Grand Rapids which appear on the Summer Tax bill. If drain assessments are being collected for more than one (1) year, you may pay the assessment in full with any interest to date at any time and avoid further interest charges. Assessment amounts vary from year to year.

Funding a Drainage District

The drainage district for a county drain is actually a public corporation. It forms a special assessment district that is responsible for all costs on a drain project. When a construction project is undertaken on a County drain, part of the process involves an apportionment of the costs.

That is, the Drain Commissioner must determine the proportionate share for each parcel of land within the drainage district and also for each municipality partially within the drainage district. A day is set-aside for persons to review the apportionment and the procedure used in its determination. An appeal of the apportionment is possible.

The total apportionment may be divided into annual payments. If money is borrowed on the project, interest must also be added to the annual principal payments. Project and maintenance costs are recovered through special assessments levied on private properties, local governments, county roads, railroads, and state highways.

Payoffs

Any person liable to the payment of special assessments may pay the same in full with interest to date at any time. Please contact the Deputy Drain Commissioner, Angie Latvaitis, at 616-632-7912 or at angie.latvaitis@kentcountymi.gov Payments shall be made to Kent County and sent to Kent County Drain Commissioner's Office at 775 Ball Ave NE, Grand Rapids, MI 49503