Register To Vote!
August 5, 2008

General Membership Meetings Are Back!
Attend this information-packed dinner and network with professionals in the building industry on September 9th at 5:30pm at Eagle Eye Banquet Facility. Call GLHBA to register today!

Spring Home Building & Remodeling Show
Interested in promoting your business? Sign up for the 2009 Spring Home Building & Remodeling Show February 27-March 1, 2009. Demonstrate your knowledge of your business, utilize face-to-face contact with individuals, and connect with more serious shoppers all in the same room. Ask for Lacey for further information.

McDaniels To Host Next RC Meeting
September 10ths Remodelors Council meeting will be action packed. Come learn new Kitchen designs and much more at McDaniels. Call GLHBA to register today!

Interested in becoming more involved at GLHBA?
 Do you want to help strengthen the Association and your industry? Serving on a committee is a great way to become more involved and meet other members. Join and contribute to GLHBA today!

GOVERNMENT RELATIONS

 

Ingham County

Ingham Drain Office Proposes Soil Erosion Permit Fee Increases (Nov. 2006)

In the fall of 2006, the Ingham County Drain Commissioner proposed to the Ingham County Board that he wanted to restructure the way he charges for Soil Erosion Permits. The theory behind the change is that the bad guys i.e. polluters will pay more, and the good guys or non-polluters will pay less. Thus the Commissioner proposed to lower the initial fee from $570 to $400. However, he added the provision for an escrow to be created that requires the developer to deposit a larger amount of money that would be refunded later. The purpose of the escrow is for the Commissioner to take draws from it to cover the cost of additional inspections etc. Thus, if the bad guys who pollute are requiring more of the Drain Commission office’s time, then theoretically more money will be drawn from their respective escrows.

Although GLHBA agreed with the concept, we would like to see it prove itself out over time. In fact, GLHBA attended the Ingham County Finance Committee meeting and asked the County Finance Committee to consider asking the Drain Commissioner to report back to them that fees do actually go down for the good guys and up for the bad guys. A copy of the current fee structure implemented by ICDC can be downloaded.

GLHBA decided to do a small study and comparison of drain fees across four counties: Ingham, Eaton, Clinton, and Livingston. Coincidentally, Clinton County was proposing changes to their fees at the same time we did the study. You can view a copy of the comparison.

Ingham Drain Commissioner Rewrites Drain Rules (Nov. 2006)

GLHBA began working with the Ingham County Drain Office in 2004 on an update and revision of the Drain Rules. Although progress has been slow, the Drain Office listened to GLHBA’s advice for streamlining the rules and the approval process. Some changes were made as a result of input from GLHBA. The most current copy, entitled “Standards for Storm Water Management” is 51 pages and can be downloaded in a PDF file directly from the Ingham County Drain Commissioner’s web site.

A copy of the recommendations made by GLHBA to the Ingham Drain Commissioner on the rules can also be viewed in PDF format.

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