Issue of the Month: Kent County Drain Commissioner

The past several months I have highlighted a county department performing services for our citizens. This month I want to highlight our County’s Drain Commissioner, Bill Byl. The County Drain Commissioner is an elected official whose mission is to “improve and maintain storm water drainage for the public health, safety, convenience, and welfare of the citizens of the county.” There are over 536 miles of County Drain and 356 storm water detention ponds in the county. In recent years the Drain Commissioner worked with all local units to update their drain master plans, and covered half the cost. The Drain Commissioner also has responsibility to monitor and control lake levels in 19 lakes throughout the county. We have had several months of record rainfall and snowfall this year—culminating in the mid-April deluge that really taxed our county’s drainage systems. Grand Rapids sits about in the middle of the Grand River basin which begins way back in the central part of the state and has numerous smaller rivers and creeks draining into it. Each smaller river and creek has numerous ponds and drainage tiles flowing into it. Although Commissioner Byl has taken precautions to minimize flood damage by installing new drainage systems, and maintaining storm water ponds, the rain deluge over an extended period of time still sent unprecedented flood waters into the Grand River and nearly swamped Grand Rapids. The fact it didn’t create any more damage than it did is a credit to Drain Commissioner Byl’s expertise. Although the Drain Commissioner is an elected official, it is important to have someone in that position that has experience and education to handle the responsibilities. Commissioner Byl has that experience and education.