Michigan is the only state in the country that elects drain commissioners, and the only requirements for the job are that candidates are 18 years of age and live in the county they’re running in.
But drain commissioners hold a powerful position in government. They can impose taxes on land owners without approval by voters or county officials.
“I’ve heard the term they’re more powerful than the governor," said Kristy Anne Burns, Leelanau County's new drain commissioner. "You can levy this tax or assessment and there’s nothing anyone can do about it. There’s no checks and balances.”
Burns, a Democrat, defeated Republican Melinda Lautner and Independent Tim Lodge for the drainage commissioner position in Tuesday's election.
She’ll be in charge of Leelanau County’s six new drainage districts. The first district was established just seven years ago in 2019.
Other states appoint engineers or people with related degrees to handle the duties of a drainage commissioner.
Burns told the Leelanau Ticker she was a doctor of physical therapy for 34 years. She says that experience made her a strong communicator. And according to Burns, communication is the biggest problem at the drain commissioner’s office. That’s why she decided to run.
“Last December when I went to try and contact the drain commissioner and go on the county website, there’s no phone number, the name of the drain commissioner isn’t even there. Nothing was on the county website about the drain commissioner. That needs to change,” she said.
The website now contains contact information for the drain commissioner, but Burns says that’s only because she complained.
Her first order of business in her new position will be to tackle two major drainage projects.
“My first priority is to work toward resolution on the Shaumberg and Timberlee drains,” she said.
According to Burns, those projects have been languishing for years and costing taxpayers hundreds of thousands of dollars.
