ADOPTED - MARCH 23, 2004

Agenda Item No. 13

Introduced by the County Services and Finance Committees of the:

INGHAM COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS

RESOLUTION IN OPPOSITION TO SENATE BILL 217

RESOLUTION #04-83

WHEREAS, the Michigan Senate, on February 26, 2004, received from the Senate Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee Senate Bill 217 (SB 217) with a recommendation for adoption; and

WHEREAS, SB 217 is the revision of the Michigan Drain Code of 1956, as amended (MCL 280.1 et seq); and

WHEREAS, significant revisions have been drafted into SB 217 that will increase the cost of projects undertaken pursuant to the Drain Code and will increase the delay in the response to requests for drainage petitioned by landowners and municipalities; and

WHEREAS, provisions of SB 217 will unduly burden the landowners and municipalities seeking relief under the Drain Code, adversely affecting agriculture, industry and the public health, safety and welfare of the County without providing substantive benefits to the environment or enhanced public accountability.

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Ingham County Board of Commissioners urges the State Legislature to reject the amendments to the Michigan Drain Code as set forth in Senate Bill 217 as reported from the Senate Committee on Agriculture and Natural Resources on February 26, 2004.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Ingham County Board of Commissioners supports amendments to the Drain Code to facilitate the ability to address the construction, maintenance and improvement of drains in the State of Michigan and which provide for the benefit of agriculture, industry and the environment in the State of Michigan and for the equitable sharing of cost for those projects.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that copies of the Resolution be submitted to Governor Granholm, Senator Gerald Van Woerkom (Sponsor of SB 217), the Senator and Representatives whose Districts represent the County and the other 82 Michigan County Clerks.

COUNTY SERVICES: Yeas: Swope, Thomas, De Leon, Hertel, Severino, Nevin

Nays: None Absent: None Approved 3/16/04

FINANCE: Yeas: Lynch, Grebner, Dedden, De Leon, Thomas, Minter

Nays: None Absent: None Approved 3/17/04