County Commissioners Talk Silver Lake Levels, Project Funding

Grand Traverse County commissioners want to take a closer look at an arrangement delegating authority for maintaining Silver Lake water levels to one volunteer – primarily out of concern he’s not properly protected from liability if something goes wrong at the lake. Commissioners discussed that and several finance topics Wednesday, including funding for Project Alpha and other capital improvement projects.

Silver Lake Levels
A seemingly straightforward question – who’s responsible for maintaining the water levels on Silver Lake? – produced a complex answer at Wednesday’s county commission meeting.

According to a memo from County Administrator Nate Alger, commissioners adopted a resolution in 1986 establishing a special assessment district (SAD) to set and maintain the high-water level for Silver Lake. Thirteenth Circuit Court then “issued an order requiring maintenance of the established level, and a dam was constructed on Silver Lake to regulate the outflow,” Alger wrote.

While the county can delegate its authority to someone else to maintain lake levels, Drain Commissioner Andy Smits said in a 2021 memo he couldn’t find any records that “identified who (commissioners) had delegated authority to for operation and maintenance of the lake level control structure.” Since it’s a misdemeanor for an unauthorized person to operate Silver Lake’s dam, Smits asked commissioners to “formalize their direction in this matter.”

Commissioners approved a resolution in 2021 assigning that duty to the drain commissioner for three years, ending in November 2024. Smits in turn authorized resident Alan Strange, who lives on Silver Lake, “to observe and record lake levels and to clear debris from the inlet structure.” Smits thanked Strange for his volunteer service, noting his time and diligence helped support his “fellow riparian owners on Silver Lake and the citizens of Grand Traverse County.”

That arrangement has seemingly worked well in the ensuing years, with no major issues reported. However, the delegation of power to Smits – and in turn Strange – expired a year ago and hasn’t been renewed. When commissioners were asked to approve an updated agreement Wednesday with Strange, a handful of questions soon made clear that the Silver Lake homeowner is assuming a significant amount of liability by operating the dam. While the county is insured for exposure, it can’t pass its indemnification along to Strange. Attorney Gordon Love confirmed to commissioners “you would be putting that liability on him for his maintenance of it.”

Commissioners expressed gratitude to Strange for being regular eyes on Silver Lake, saying they had no criticism of his help. Rather, they were concerned about the exposure he was taking on should something happen and homes on the lake experienced flooding or riparian damage. Love said it could be wise for Strange to be protected with his own insurance policy, though that could be very costly for one individual to obtain given how many homes are located on Silver Lake.

Commissioners voted to have staff research options for protecting Strange in the agreement, such as covering his costs for insurance. “We have a private citizen doing something that's arguably a pretty important job,” said Commissioner Darryl Nelson. “What are our county protections and citizen protections related to that?” While Vice Chair TJ Andrews felt Smits should ultimately be responsible for the dam as drain commissioner, Nelson and Commissioner Rob Hentschel both said that was likely not under his statutory duties. However, since no one is currently delegated to maintain Silver Lake, commissioners voted Wednesday to delegate those duties again to the drain commissioner until staff can bring back a proposed “permanent long-term solution.” Such a proposal is expected to return for commission review within 90 days.

Project Funding
Commissioners Wednesday also had extensive discussion on funding for county projects. One of those was Project Alpha, the planned 2026 expansion of the county’s LaFranier Road campus. The latest estimate puts the project budget at $26.2 to $27.6 million. Alger presented options Wednesday for how much money the county could put down upfront for Project Alpha, saving long-term costs by bonding less debt. Options ranged from bonding the entire project amount to putting down more than $12 million upfront. That last option – which would use a combination of general fund dollars, fund balance, PACE building sale proceeds, and funds from a tax delinquent revolving fund – would save the county over $20 million in interest during a 30-year bond period, according to staff projections.

Commissioners seemed heavily favored toward that approach. Andrews said it seemed “prudent” given the county’s available resources, reducing interest costs and giving the county more “headroom” to bond other projects if needed. However, commissioners asked to receive an update first at their December 10 meeting on the county’s pension picture, after which they could vote on their funding approach for Project Alpha as they also work to finalize the 2026 budget.

County Director of Parks and Facilities John Chase also gave an update to commissioners Wednesday on the county’s capital improvement plan (CIP). Chase’s team has been working to create a regular schedule for maintenance and repairs to extend the longevity of county buildings and assets, with some facilities – like the historic courthouse – over a century old. Chase said the county completed 18 of 38 planned CIP projects in 2025, coming in under budget for the $1.1 million estimated for those projects. Work ranged from fixing jail water heaters and installing signage at Power Island to making Civic Center repairs to implementing improvements at the Nature Education Reserve. Other projects are still in progress, such as remodeling the first floor of the Governmental Center, Chase said.

Several CIP projects not completed this year will carry over to 2026, with a $2.5 million budget next year covering work including VASA trailhead improvements, jail and courthouse repairs, law enforcement center upgrades, Medalie Park roof/restroom/asphalt improvements, and work at the Civic Center. That park could see improvements ranging from skate park repairs to grant-assisted work that includes expanding the south building, installing new signage, and putting in a pump track with Norte.