HISTORY
of
THE IONIA COUNTY ROAD COMMISSION
11-05-2007
Page Updated
The voters of Ionia County elected to go under County Road Law on April 7, 1919.
The first commission was appointed at a special meeting of the Board of Supervisors on April 15, 1919. There were five candidates for the Commission.
Fred W. Green
R. H. Hall
Fred H. Knox
Samuel Velte
Mr. Church
21 Votes
22 Votes
17 Votes
un-known
un-known
The Choice was made by elimination, the one receiving the highest number being elected in each of three votings. All Commissioners were first appointed until December 31, 1920. At a meeting of the Board of Supervisors on October 16, 1920, through some misunderstanding, the terms of the commissioners was established at three years instead of six , as provided by the statute and the expiration dates of their terms was then set as follows:
Fred H. Knox - December 31, 1921
R. H. Hall - December 31, 1922
Fred W. Green - December 31, 1923
The first meeting of the Board of County Road Commissioners was held on April 22, 1919 and Mr. Green was elected Chairman of the Board and retained this position until he assumed the Governorship of the State of Michigan, January 1, 1927 The monthly meeting dates were established as the first Tuesday of each month at the hour of onethirty (1:30 P.M.) in the afternoon.
Frank F. Rogers, State Highway Commissioner, in conference with the Board of County Road Commissioners, May 12,1919 recommended the trunkline roads to be included in the County Road System. These Trunklines were Roads connecting the following points:
One from Ionia to Belding and west to the County Line - Later known as M-44; another was a road from the County Line southeast of Portland, running through the Village of Portland to Ionia, Saranac and Lowell - later called M-16. The third was from Pewamo to Ionia, through Lyons, later known as M-21. The fourth was a road from Belding to Lowell, later known as M-66 and the fifthwas a route across the southwest corner of the county through Lake Odessa,
later called M-50. Other short stretches of improved roads were also adopted as county road. Mr. Rogers outlined to the Road Commission their new duties and at this same meeting, E.L. Vohlers was appointed the first Road Superintendent.
The Board decided early to construct roads under the Covert Act and the survey for the first road was orderd at their regular meeting held on July 1, 1919. At the November 4th, 1919 meeting, five petitions for Covert roads were filed. At this same meeting the Board appointed Allan M. Williams as County Highway Engineer. from this time on the Board engaged in an energetic construction program which together with that of the State Highway Department was soon to equip Ionia County with a road system that would best serve its taxpayers.
At their October 1935 meeting the Board of Supervisors adjusted the terms of the Road Commissioners so as to expire with the even year according to statute.
Thereafter all terms would be for a period of six (6) years.
During the period of time since its establishment the Road Commission has had the following persons in control of the "Directorship" of the Commission:
1919-1956 Allan M. Williams - Engineer/Manager
1957-1969 Donald W. Ackerman - Superintendent/Manager
1970-1971 Norman W. Witteveen - Engineer/Manager
1971-1992 Gordon E.Scheid - Superintendent/Manager
1992-Current Dorothy G. Pohl - Managing Director
During the period of time since its establishment the persons serving on the Board of County Road Commissioners are as follows:
Fred W Green 1919-1926
Fred H. Knox 1919-1935
R.H.Hall 1919-1928
Fred A. Chapman 1927-1940
L.C. David 1929-1929
Robert G. Palmer 1929-1948
Chester M. Divine 1935-1948
Lewis A. Mick 1939-1946
Clarence S. Johnson 1946-1952
Harry Johnson 1948-1972
Ray Smith 1948-1951
Sam Detmers 1951-1974
Ermal G. Garlinger 1952-1970
Stephen Rice 1970-1976
William H. Fout 1972-1978
Burton Stencel 1975-1981
Eugene Cook 1976-2000
Kenneth Thompson 1978-1990
Lewis Gasper 1981-1992
Thomas Ferguson 1990-1998
Herbert Cusack 1992-Current
The McNitt Act which was 130 of 1931 was enacted for the certification of roads within the county after which Act 36 of the Public Acts of 1939 was enacted for a re-certification of roads placing them in two groups:
1.Roads which were part of the county road system prior to September 17, 1931 which was the effective date of Act 130.
Earl S. Strater 1998-Current
The Board of County Road Commissioners had to adopt certain road mileage each year to satisfy this and those roads had to be named in the minutes of the County Board of Supervisors and attested to by the commission.
During this period and up until the enactment of Act 51 of the Public Acts of 1951 all roads were either designated as "county roads" or "township roads" however after 1951 "county roads" became "primary roads" and "township roads" became "local roads". December 7, 1951 the Board of County Road Commissioners submitted a listing of roads to be placed under the County Road system which in turn was submitted to the State Hwy. Dept. for approval.
ROAD COMMISSION FOR IONIA COUNTY
169 E. Riverside Drive . P.O Box 76 . Ionia, Michigan 48846 . Phone (616) 527-1700 . Fax (616) 527-8848
Commissioner
HERBERT C. CUSACK
Commissioner
EARL S. STRATER
Commissioner
WAYNE A. SCHOONOVER, P.E.
County Hwy. Engr.
MaryClaire. Cusack 2001- 2006
2. All other roads taken over by the Board of County Road Commissioners as county roads subsequent to September 17, 1931 and prior to July 1, 1939, and which are in actual use for public travel at least three months each year.
Dorothy G. Pohl - Managing Director
Web Page Designed by Lonnie Finch June 10, 2000
Copyright © 2000 All rights reserved.
Ionia County Road Commission
Dorothy G. Pohl - Managing Director
Frederick A. Chapman 2006-Current
FREDERICK A. CHAPMAN
