County Drain Commissioner

Local Government>Drain Commissioner

Location:

219 Paw Paw St., Suite 301
Paw Paw, MI 49079

From I-94 take the Paw Paw Exit (exit 60). Turn north and proceed ½ mile. Take right after Sheriffs Building, proceed to Administration & Land Services Building on left.

Phone#: (269) 657-8241
Fax#: (269) 657-0176

STAFF

Joe Parman , Drain Commissioner
Georgia Massura, Deputy Drain Commissioner
Jeff Arndt, SESC and Drain Maintenance Supervisor

HOURS
Monday-Friday: 8:30am-5:00pm
Saturday and Sunday: closed

Holiday Schedule
The Van Buren County Courthouse will be closed for these dates:

Martin Luther King Day – Monday, January 16
President’s Day – Monday, February 20
Memorial Day – Monday, May 29
Independence Day – Tuesday, July 4
Labor Day, Monday, September 4
Veteran’s Day – Friday, November 10
Thanksgiving Day – Thursday, November 23
Day after Thanksgiving – Friday, November 24
Christmas Eve – Monday, December 24
Christmas Day – Tuesday, December 25
New Year’s Eve – Monday, December 31
New Year’s Day – Tuesday, January 1

Drain Office also closed December 26th, 27th, & 28th

MISSION STATEMENT:

To provide for the health, saftey, and welfare of Van Buren County citizens by providing stormwater management, flood control, development review, water quality programs, and to be a steward of our natural resources.

DRAIN OFFICE STAFF INTRODUCTION

JOE PARMAN
Appointed April 21, 2006 by a special committee, and elected in November 2006 as the new Van Buren County Drain Commissioner. He was chosen to assume this post because he has a great passion for the work, a great deal of experience working in this field and ideas for the future. Joe served as Drain Maintenance Supervisor under the Allegan County Drain Commissioner for eight years. He plans on implementing programs that he designed in Allegan that would greatly benefit Van Buren County.

Joe has a Bachelor of Applied Arts in Outdoor and Environmental Education, Central Michigan University, 1997. Member of Michigan Association of County Drain Commissioners, and Van Buren County Farm Bureau. He regularly attends annual conferences, seminars, trainings, and certification courses. Experience working with local governments, MDEQ, MDA and neighboring counties concerning inter-county drain issues.

“I am a life long resident of S.W. Michigan and have lived in the county for 8 years with my wife and two daughters. I have always had an interest in environmental stewardship, civic responsibility and leadership. I am an avid outdoorsman and I am not afraid to get my feet wet. I believe that county drains are a public utility whether they are used for recreation, agriculture, or storm water. It is my responsibility as Drain Commissioner to maintain them and keep the system functioning. I am excited and grateful to be working for you…”

JEFF ARNDT
Jeff was added to the team on June 1, 2006 to replace the vacant Soil Erosion and Sedimentation Enforcement Officer position. Jeff has four years experience from Allegan County Drain Office doing maintenance and inspections on county drains and working with the Sheriff’s Community Service Program cleaning drains. With Jeff’s extensive experience in the field he will be a great asset to the County’s Soil Erosion Program.

Jeff is also working with the new Drain Commissioner on implementing a plan that will allow the county to retain control over its soil erosion program that was in jeopardy of being taken over by the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality. Jeff, in conjunction with the Drain Commissioner will be re-structuring the Soil Erosion Program so that it can run more efficiently and cater to the needs of soil erosion and sedimentation in Van Buren County.

“It is great to be part of team that is pro-active in nature and willing to serve the general public with open arms. I look forward to rebuilding the soil erosion program. Starting a new program is going to be a great challenge and I am ready to hit the ground running!
I look forward to working with the residence of Van Buren County.”

GEORGIA MASSURA
Georgia has three years experience working for the Drain Office as Deputy Drain Commissioner. She also has over seven years experience with the Land Management Department for the County.

Georgia is always in contact with the residents of Van Buren County and has great people skills. She has experience in dealing with deeds, mapping, legal descriptions, and assessing. Georgia assists the Drain Commissioner and the Soil Erosion Officer in the everyday functions of running a successful office. She is a great asset to the Drain office team and continues to contribute on a daily basis.

“I have lived in Van Buren County now for over 11 years with my husband and 4 labs. I like being able to help people out in need and I enjoy spending time with family. I am excited to be working with the newly appointed Drain Commissioner and Soil Erosion Agent. I look forward to assisting our community and to improve and maintain county drains. records.”

GOALS
·Use technology and best management practices to improve efficiency and effectiveness of the Drain Commissioner’s office

· Be proactive and responsive. Communicate with property owners and municipalities regarding drainage concerns.

· Develop a three year rotating maintenance and inspection program on county drains to lessen the costs to property owners and responsibly maintaining county drains.

· Make efforts to engage jail inmates and community service workers to keep the drain maintenance program costs low. This would encourage inter-departmental relationships for the better good of Van Buren County residence.

Joe Parman, Drain Commissioner [Click here to view full size picture]

County Drains
Soil & Sedimentation Control
Soil Surveys
Drain Maintenance

County Drains

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There are more than 540 county drains in Van Buren County. Continued growth in population requires construction of new homes, schools, paved streets, parking lots, and commercial development, all demanding more and larger stormwater drainage than agriculture had ever required in the past. The County Drain Commissioner acts under Act 40 of the Public Acts of 1956, as amended, and has jurisdiction over all county drains. State statute defines a drain as “…the main stream or trunk and all tributaries or branches of any creek or river, and watercourse or ditch, either open or closed, any covered drain, any sanitary or any combined sanitary and storm sewer or conduit composed of tile, brick, concrete, or other material, any structures or mechanical devices that will properly purify the flow of such drains, any pumping equipment necessary to assist or relieve the flow of such drains and any levee, dike, barrier, or a combination of any or all of same constructed, or proposed to be constructed, for the purpose of drainage or for the purification of the flow of such drains,” (280.3 of 1956 PA 40).

County Drain Commission Activities

The Van Buren County Drain Commissioner works with local property owners, county municipalities, the County Soil Erosion and Sedimentation Control Agent, the County Road Commission, the Michigan Department of Transportation, and the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality to reduce costly and destructive flooding in Van Buren County. The Van Buren County Road Commission and the Michigan Department of Transportation are responsible for the construction and maintenance of county roads and state highways which often rely on the county drain system to provide an outlet for excess water.

To improve stormwater drainage, a petition is signed by municipalities or by landowners of the drainage district and presented to the County Drain Commissioner. The process leading to a new drain is necessarily lengthy. It includes: Application and petition by land owners or municipalities; public notice; approval by a Board of Determination; release of right-of-way by property owners; notice of assessment; receipt of bids; letting of construction contract; review of apportionment’s; and assessment to the drainage district property owners. Local Municipalities, County and State governments and railroads also fund drains.

Documents/Forms:
Subdivision Drainage Rules & Storm Water Design Criteria
Subdivision Drainage and Design Criteria Schedule of Fees

Soil & Sedimentation Control

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Erosion

The Van Buren County Drain Commissioners office is the State of Michigan designated agency for the “Soil Erosion and Sedimentation Control Act”, Part 91, Public Act 451, 1994 (as amended by 2000 PA 504). The primary objective is to protect the watercourses within the county from sediment loads caused by unchecked soil erosion.

Soil erosion caused by moving wind and water is an important factor in Van Buren County. Approximately 74,100 cropland acres are eroding faster than the land can tolerate and be expected to remain productive. These areas lose 15,819,400 bushels of soil each year – amounting to some 213 bushels of topsoil washed or blown from each acre. Soil erosion occurs throughout the county wherever soil is exposed to the effects of wind and moving water. Wind erosion has been described as severe in the Southwest quarter of the county. (USDA, Soil Conservation Service).

The Soil Erosion County Enforcement Agent (CEA) is responsible for the administration, management and enforcement of the provisions of the Act. The CEA has the responsibility of overseeing all non-agricultural earth change activities within Van Buren County, that are one or more acres in area and/or within 500 feet of a watercourse or lake. The CEA administers more than two hundred permit applications annually with permit fees accounting for the primary source of funding for the program. Private single family residences and outbuildings comprise the majority of permit applications followed by plat developments and commercial/industrial projects.

Documents/Forms:
Frequently asked questions
Soil Erosion Permit Application for Extension
Soil Erosion Application
Van Buren County Soil Erosion Ordinance
Soil Erosion Fee Schedule

Soil Surveys

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Soils

The soil characteristics in the county reflect the strong glacial influence, which left behind both fine clays and course sands. Van Buren County has an abundance of soils well suited for agriculture and development, most of which require a drainage system to handle excess storm water. The Soil Survey book of Van Buren County serves as a reference for specific soil types and locations and is available through this office.

Drain Maintenance

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Sheriff's Alternative Worker Program, Lake of the Woods Drain, Hamilton Township [Click here to view full size picture]

In July of 2006 the County Sheriff and Drain Commissioner teamed up in cleaning county drains. The Sheriff's Alternative Worker Program will be used to remove brush, fallen trees, and debris from county drains. This will help reduce flooding, improve flow, and reduce sedimentation. The program will help reduce cost to property owners and serve as preventative maintanace on county drains.

Page Last Updated: 7/2/2008