By Robert Tomlinson
News Director
ST. JOSEPH COUNTY — Voters in St. Joseph County will be selecting who they want to be their drain commissioner for the next four years.
On the Aug. 6 ballot, two Republican candidates will be vying to be the person responsible for planning, developing and maintaining surface water drainage systems in the county: Jeff Wenzel, the incumbent drain commissioner, and Josh Harter, a subcontractor for multiple county drain offices. The winner of the GOP primary will run unopposed in the November election.
The Commercial-News sent several questions to both candidates about their plans for the position and why they should be elected. The answers given are presented and formatted here as they were written, and are presented in alphabetical order by last name.
Who are you, where are you from, and what is your current occupation?
Josh Harter: My name is Josh Harter, I am from Sturgis, MI. I have been a St. Joseph County Resident my whole life. I currently do sub contract work for St. Joseph County, Cass County, and Kalamazoo County’s drain offices. As well as working full time at Jayco Inc. in Middlebury IN.
Jeff Wenzel: Jeffrey Wenzel, I have been a lifelong resident of Sturgis, MI and have lived on Lake Templene since 1983. I am the current St. Joseph County Drain Commissioner of 16 years now.
What has been your experience in public service to date?
Harter: I have worked for St. Joseph County Parks department providing groundskeeping and assisting in building projects. Over the last 4 years I have worked for the St. Joseph County Drain office. As well as the Cass and Kalamazoo County offices for 1 year. I have also spoke in local Amish schools teaching children about the animals that inhabit our county drains. And teaching about watershed pollutants and the importances of not littering. Something I wish to do more of in local community schools.
Wenzel: I have for the public for the last 16 years.
How much experience do you have with drains, lake levels, and other related areas?
Harter: I have 4 years of Drain Commission related experience. This is more than our current Drain Commissioner when he ran for office (he was an exterminator.)
I started the Low-Impact Drain Cleaning Program in Kalamazoo County. This is a program I want to bring to our county. This would be the first ever in-house drain cleaning program in St. Joseph County. Drain maintenance is very important, many of our drains are littered with trees and debris from years of neglect.
I have provided Beaver Damage Mitigation services for St. Joseph County for 4-year, 1 year for Kalamazoo, and Cass County drain offices. Beaver damage poses a big threat to landowners neighboring bodies of water. Beaver dams can cause major flooding and property damage. I have successfully helped hundreds of residents with just over 350 beavers caught and countless dams removed. This is a unique skill I have that I will offer to St. Joseph County residents in-house, no longer at any additional cost to tax payers.
I also have experience running heavy machinery like backhoes, excavators, and skid steers. I will use these skills to help keep the cost of drain related work down.
As well as experience with construction, tile work, and concrete. I have taken high school and college courses in Computer Aided Design these have taught me how to read and draw prints.
I have worked diligently to sharpen my skills to provide the best possible service. I do not claim to know everything but I have a very knowledgeable team of past and present drain commissioners that have offered me their mentoring. If I don’t have the answer, I’ll tell you that. But I will not give up till I find it.
Wenzel: I have lived on Lake Templene for 41 years, so I understand lake levels and other lake related issues. I have also been in the Drain Commissioner role for St. Joseph County for 16 years and understand the importance of this role.
Why did you decide to run for drain commissioner?
Harter: It’s been my dream job for some time now. I enjoy helping people in a way they aren’t able to help themselves, working outside, giving back to the community, meeting new people. This is the position that my unique set of skills would be best utilized. I’m very passionate about this position and the work it entails. I believe in integrity, transparency, and accountability. This will be the foundation on which I will build a better drain office.
Wenzel: I chose to run 16 years ago after I was approached by County Commissioners at the time, Gerald Loudenslager and David Pueschel to run for the position. I wanted to make a change for the Drain Commissioner’s office, work with the constituents and farmers of the county to help alleviate flooding but also make things much more cost effective for the county, the townships, and the people of St. Joseph County. And this is why I chose to continue to run for the 2024 Election.
What do you believe the importance of the office of drain commissioner is?
Harter: It’s very important to protect property, public health, and making sure our lands are livable and suitable for agriculture and other uses. We need to protect Michigan’s water resources in the process. St. Joseph County is a heavily irrigated farming community. We also have many lakes, ponds, streams, rivers. It is a Drain Commissioners duty to strive to balance the need for proper drainage with water quality and natural resource management in a cost-effective manner. This is part of our history as Michiganders. One of the first laws passed when Michigan became a state led to the establishment of drain commissioners.
Wenzel: To be fiscally reasonable for the County, the townships, and the residents, to also follow the Michigan Drain Code of 1956 and its amendments, and work with constituent’s county wide in a fair way to help alleviate flooding and keep erosion minimal.
What current drains or lake levels do you believe are needing the most attention at the moment, and how would you address it if you are elected?
Harter: -Corey Lake Inter-County Drain Project
Hearing the thoughts and concerns of the residents while prioritizing the health of the lakes. We need to explore all viable solutions to make the best decisions possible. Always proceeding with transparency about the solution.
-Rawson King Mill Dam in Leonidas
This dam is important and needs to be addressed. There needs to be a discussion with residents and a licensed engineer to let the public know all possible options and precede from there. Farmers irrigating from this is also very important. The last inspection of the dam was very poor, maintenance needs to be done. If the dam was to fail it would be devastating.
Wenzel: – The Wildcat Drain is a project in Three Rivers that is 100% paid for by MDOT, which is the first ever drain project that MDOT has paid 100% of the project in the State of Michigan. We are still in the process of completing this project working with licensed engineers and MDOT.
– The Corey Lake Intercounty Drain is a unique project to drain law. The watershed boundaries consist of Corey Lake, Clear Lake, Long Lake, Mud Lake, Kaiser Lake, and Harwood Lake. In 2009, Don Winnie informed me of the waterbodies and the difficulty of their management. The Corey Lake Intercounty Drain was a petitioned project that was circulated by residents in the area. Our biggest challenge with the project is continuing to abide by EGLE’s requirements. Continue to keep contacting them and/or have our legal counsel & engineering firm keep in contact with them to keep this project moving forward. Another challenge is the lake residents within the Corey Lake Intercounty Drain project, all wanting something different done and trying to make everyone happy is impossible. I will continue to follow the guidance of our legal counsel, licensed engineer, and EGLE. I also cannot make decisions on my own; decisions must be agreed upon by the Intercounty Drainage Board including myself, Cass County Drain Commissioner, and a member from MDARD. There is a reverse spring in Kaiser Lake that drains water from Kaiser Lake into the ground, so that will always be depleting water from Kaiser Lake. So, in essence the Peterson Drain would only be utilized in times of major rainfall. The Corey Lake Intercounty Drain project in turn will help lake levels within the district as well.
– Rawson’s King Mill in Leonidas Township. The Drain Commissioner was delegated authority over the dam for repairs/maintenance in September 2023. The Drain Commissioner has hired the expertise to gather data and to conduct lake level studies necessary to provide the circuit court with sufficient information on which to base its lake level determination. I am continuing to work with licensed engineers and attorneys to conduct the studies.
What other issues facing the office of Drain Commissioner would you address if elected?
Harter: This position is meant to be full time. It is not currently being ran that way. If I’m elected it will get the time and dedication it needs.
Wenzel: I will continue to follow the guidelines and recommendations from EGLE (Environment, Great Lakes, & Energy) for soil erosion practices. I will continue to follow the Michigan Drain Code of 1956 and seek advice from legal counsel & licensed engineers as needed for projects. I will continue to communicate and work closely with county residents, area farmers, the townships, and the Road Commission to navigate and come to agreements on with projects. I will also keep in contact with lake residents and association board members on issues/projects occurring on the lakes in the county. I attend many evening & weekend meetings to ensure I am keeping up to date with current lake, drain, and erosion issues and continue to keep showing up to these meetings.
How important do you think communication is to the office? How would you be a good communicator if elected?
Harter: I feel communication is extremely important. My vision is to create and office that hears and prioritizes the needs of the people in our community. I’m a hands on face to face kind of guy. That’s how I’ve ran my campaign and that’s how I will meet you when you have a problem.
Wenzel: Communication is very important when serving the public. I work together with farmers, lake residents, the county Road Commission, and many others in the county through dialogue and seeking a consensus to figure out a solution to a problem. I also focus on performance and results. I strive to get things done as quickly as possible and always striving for improvement. I am dependable and I value honesty and openness. I am a patient person & flexible, even when unexpected obstacles arise. I am ethical to which I follow the Michigan Drain Code of 1956 and its amendments. I also strive for open communication with my staff and the constituents in the county.
Why do you feel you are the best candidate for drain commissioner?
Harter: I have the drive, tenacity, and integrity that this office so desperately needs. I believe it’s time for fresh ideas, new programs, and a proactive approach to drain commissioning. I’ve helped a lot of people in our community, and it’s been the most rewarding experience. Now I am asking you to help me better serve you.
Wenzel: I have the knowledge and experience working with constituents of the county for lake and drainage issues. I understand that there are laws that need to be followed for projects and rules, regulations, and procedures to be followed when doing lake or drain projects. I work with residents in the county to make a fair, legal, and reasonable agreement when it comes to a solution to a drainage problem. I am also available to residents 24/7, many people in the county have my personal number and call me for any issues that may arise.
Robert Tomlinson can be reached at 279-7488 or robert@wilcoxnewspapers.com.
