What Does the Board of Commissioners Do?

The chief legislative and policy-making body of Ionia County government is the seven-member Board of Commissioners.

Commissioners are elected to two-year terms from districts that are roughly equal in population. A chair and vice-chair are elected at the Commissioners' Organizational Meeting, which is the first meeting of each new year.

Also at their Organizational Meeting, the Commissioners adopt the Board Bylaws, that provide the framework under which the Board of Commissioners operate.

There are seven commissioner districts. Click here for a map of the county commissioner districts.

Ionia County Commissioners for 2013-2014

District #1
Lynn Mason (D)
11637 W. Ellis 
Belding, MI 48849
(616) 794-3187 (h)
(616) 204-1246 (c)
masonapples@gmail.com

District #2
Larry Tiejema (R)
1187 Hawley Hwy.
Saranac, MI  48881
(616)642-0384
tiej@sbcglobal.net

District #3
James L. Banks (R)
Vice-Chair
602 Sixth Ave.
Lake Odessa, MI  48849
(616)374-8588 (h)
(616)374-0844 (w)
jbanks@voyager.net

District #4
Brenda Cowling-Cronk (D)
426 E. Main St.
Ionia, MI 48846
(616) 527-6227
brianbrendacronk@gmail.com

District #5
Scott Wirtz (R)
550 Conkey Drive
Fenwick, MI  48834
(616)406-7166
wirtzse@gmail.com

District #6
Jack Shattuck (R)
6055 Keefer Hwy.
Portland, MI 48875
(517) 256-2870 (c)

District #7
Julie Calley (R)
Chairperson
10198 Butler Road
Portland, MI 48875
(517)230-3947
IoniaCommDist7@gmail.com

Now in Session ... Board Meetings

Regular public meetings of the Board of Commissioners are scheduled at 4:00 p.m. on the second Tuesday and 7:00 p.m. on the fourth Tuesday of each month in the Board of Commissioners' Meeting Room on the third floor of the Courthouse.  Committee-of-the-Whole meetings are conducted on the third Tuesday of each month at 4:00 p.m.

The Board welcomes area residents to express their ideas or concerns about issues affecting Ionia County during "Public Comment" which is on each meeting agenda. Speakers are requested to state their name and address, with individual comments being limited to three minutes or less.

Copies of the Board's agenda and minutes are available by contacting the County Clerk's office.

Click here for 2013 Commissioners' meeting schedule