Checks are mailed weekly on the Friday or Monday following the invoice/claim process.

Invoices are processed on a weekly basis. The County’s departments are required to have them approved and turned into the Finance Department by 5:00 p.m. every Friday. Invoices are then processed the following week.

First contact the Department that was invoiced for the purchase of goods or services.  If you need additional support, please contact Finance Services at finance@allegancounty.org.

The earnings you received from the County throughout the course of the year are considered to be taxable earnings. You should present the 1099 form to your tax preparer when filing your annual income taxes. If you feel you have received 1099 by error, please contact Finance Services at finance@allegancounty.org.

As a vendor who receives money for goods sold or services rendered, it is required from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) for the County to keep your Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN#) on file.

Email: animal-control@allegancounty.org

The Shelter's phone number is 269-686-5112. If you do not receive a response at that number, staff may be busy tending to animals, or on another call. Please leave a voice message and a number where you may be reached, and your call will be returned as soon as possible.

If you would like to adopt an animal from the shelter you may either visit the shelter or you may check the PetFinder website at www.petfinder.com there is a pet that you are interested in. If you are extremely interested in one of our pets on petfinder, you may call the shelter to place a hold on the animal so you will be first in line to adopt it when it is ready to be adopted. See hours listed on the Animal Shelter website.

Animal Shelter Adoption Information and Application

If you have lost an animal, you may either visit the shelter or you may check the PetFinder website at www.petfinder.com to see if it has been located. See hours listed on Animal Shelter website.

See hours listed on Animal Shelter website.

• Allegan County's Animal Control Ordinance
• Animal Control Citations Fine Schedule

The Animal Shelter is located at 2293 33rd St., in Allegan, Michigan at the Dumont Complex.

You can send another person to represent you or file a written appeal. Be sure to include the reason for your appeal, supporting documents, your Tax Parcel/I.D. number, and telephone number.

Talk to your local Assessor about the valuation of your property. Check the appraisal records to see if all elements of the property are correct and that the assessment is in line with similar properties in the township. Be prepared to justify why your property would not sell for twice the assessed value. If you want to proceed, you may lodge an appeal with your township/city Board of Review (BOR).

The assessment change notice that you receive in March will give you information regarding the BOR hearings, or call your local Assessor.

Go to the Equalization Department.

None. Only those assessments reviewed by the Board of Review can be appealed to the Michigan Tax Tribunal.

The next level of appeal is the Michigan Tax Tribunal. This appeal must be filed no later than June 30 during the year in which you initiated the BOR appeal by writing to:

Michigan Tax Tribunal
P.O. Box 30232
Lansing MI 48909

A written appeal must be received by 5:00 p.m. on the last day of the March BOR. It should provide sufficient detail supporting your position.

The BOR meets 3 times a year. Property assessments can only be appealed in March. The July and December BOR meetings are to correct clerical errors and mutual mistakes of fact. The Assessment Change Notice received in March will give the dates and times of the hearings, or call your local assessor.

For use by citizens to see current and historical water quality data. Ex: someone thinking of buying a home on a lake, people planning a vacation looking for 'safe' beaches, locals checking for advisories before a beach day.

Beaches that are high-risk take highest sampling priority. Laketown Twp Beach has no bathroom facilities near beach, Pier Cove Beach is right next to where Pier Cove Creek flows into Lake Michigan, Oval Beach is popular and sees lots of visitors. 

We do one annual Sanitary Survey per beach per season, and one routine Sanitary Survey for every beach every time we sample. 

• Annual SS: 9 pages, very detailed: land use and % developed in water shed, waterbody uses, pollutant sources, marinas, docks, piers, restrooms, parking lots, high water mark, surrounding habitat, beach dimensions, slope, cleaning frequency, etc.
• Routine SS: Temp, rainfall in past 72 h, cloud cover, wind, wave height and intensity, water temp, odor, turbidity, bather load, dogs, birds, dead fish, litter, algae, etc.

Current testing methods take 18-24 hours to get results, so there will always be a delay in reporting. Testing shouldn't be relied upon as an instant alert system, and beach goers need to use good judgement when swimming (ie. if there's a school of dead fish on the beach, maybe it's not the best day for a swim).

Great Lakes Beach Monitoring Grant. We also have an opportunity to apply for a different grant that covers inland beaches, but that hasn't been finalized. 

Local public health departments have long experience in responding to infectious disease outbreaks and other local emergencies with public health implications. The USA has made progress and learned important lessons about the challenges of bioterrorism preparedness in the last few years. No matter what threats are posed to the county, the Allegan County Public Health Department is ready to react and adjust to any public health threat.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in conjunction with local, state and federal partners, has developed a number of federal initiatives designed to strengthen state and local preparedness. For example, the Health Alert Network (HAN) is a nationwide, integrated information and communication system serving as a platform for distribution of health alerts, dissemination of prevention guidelines and other information.

The National Electronic Disease Surveillance System (NEDSS) is a system designed to rapidly report unusual outbreaks of disease so that trained epidemiologists can investigate them further to determine if there has been a deliberate pathogen release. If such a release has been detected, the Strategic National Stockpile (SNS) Program ensures the availability and rapid deployment of life-saving pharmaceuticals and other medical supplies and equipment necessary to counter the effects of nerve agents, biological pathogens and chemical agents.

Antibiotics and vaccines present their own unique issues. For instance, for some infectious agents like anthrax, antibiotics are only effective when taken before symptoms occur. Antibiotics can also cause side effects and should only be taken with medical supervision. Finally, taking antibiotics that are not medically indicated before a bioterrorism event occurs can limit their effectiveness should a bio-terrorism act ever take place.

The anthrax vaccine is only available to military personnel and many public health experts question its effectiveness. Moreover, six to seven doses over a period of about a year are required for maximal effectiveness to be achieved. A supply of smallpox vaccine is stored centrally, and the vaccine is not generally available to the public. Routine administration of the vaccine up to its discontinuation in the 1970s was associated with vaccine-caused deaths and illness.

CDC does not recommend that influenza vaccination be considered as a way to avoid confusing influenza disease with suspected Anthrax illness. Influenza vaccine is the primary means to prevent influenza and its severe complications, including pneumonia, hospitalization and death. Complications most often occur among persons older than 65 years and among persons younger than 65 years who have certain medical conditions.

Many other infectious agents (including Anthrax) can cause illnesses that begin with flulike symptoms (fever, body aches and headaches). The flu shot can prevent 70-90 percent, but not all, influenza infections. The vaccine does not prevent flu-like illness caused by agents other than influenza.

Influenza vaccine should be targeted toward groups that are at increased risk of complications and toward health care workers. The CDC recommends that these groups be prioritized for vaccine available in October and that efforts to vaccinate these groups continue throughout the influenza season. Lower influenza vaccine coverage of high risk persons could lead to an increase in influenza-related hospitalizations and deaths. Receipt of influenza vaccine in November and later is encouraged for those who live with highrisk persons, for healthy people aged 50-64 years, and for others who wish to reduce their chances of getting influenza.

Gas masks were designed for use by the military in case of a chemical attack. A mask would protect you only if you were wearing it at the time of an attack. To wear a mask continuously or just in case a terrorist attack occurs is impractical, if not impossible.

There are other problems with gas masks. To work effectively, masks must be specially fitted to the wearer, and wearers must be trained in their use. This is usually done for the military and for workers in industries and laboratories who face routine exposure to chemicals and pathogens on the job.

Also, gas masks were not designed to protect against biological agents. Gas masks purchased at an Army surplus store or off the internet do not carry any guarantees that they will work.

Many antibiotics are effective for a variety of diseases, but there is not one antibiotic that is effective against all diseases. Thus, not a single pill that can protect against all types of biological weapon attacks. Keeping a supply of antibiotics on hand poses other problems because the antibiotics have a limited shelf life before they lose their strength.

There is currently not any justification for taking antibiotics as a generic protection. Also, it should be known that antibiotics can cause side effects. Using antibiotics when not necessarily will eventually make them not effective against the infectious agents they are used to fight, by promoting the rise of resistant strains.

• Anthrax: starts with flu-like symptoms. It does not spread from person-to-person.
• Smallpox: starts with fever, aches, vomiting and progresses to body blisters. It spreads directly from person-to-person through airborne transmission.
• Plague: symptoms include fever, chills and cough. It spreads directly from person-to-person through airborne transmission.
  Botulism: symptoms include difficulty speaking, seeing and/or swallowing. It does not spread from person-to-person, but has been associated with food-borne contamination.
• Tularemia: symptoms include fever and a pneumonia-like illness. It is not spread from person-to-person.
• Viral Hemorrhagic Fevers (VHFs): start with fever, fatigue, dizziness, muscle aches and exhaustion. Some VHFs (Ebola, Marburg, Lassa and Machupo) have been known to be transmitted from person-to-person through close contact.

One area not receiving much attention is mental health and the services that will be needed to screen, identify and treat those that will suffer greatly from surviving a bioterrorist event not to mention the millions of Americans some experts predict will need treatment for psychological trauma suffered on September 11, 2001. PTSD is the inability to cope and function in daily life following a traumatic event. The most common symptoms include:

• Re-living the event through recurring nightmares or other intrusive images that occur at any time. People who suffer from PTSD also have extreme emotional or physical reactions such as chills, heart palpitations or panic when faced with reminders of the event.
• Avoiding reminders of the event, including places, people, thoughts or other activities associated with the trauma. PTSD sufferers may feel emotionally detached, withdraw from friends and family, and lose interest in everyday activities.
• Being on guard or being hyper-aroused at all times, including feeling irritability or sudden anger, having difficulty sleeping or concentrating, or being overly alert or easily startled.

A psychiatrist, psychologist, licensed professional counselor, licensed clinical social worker or other qualified healthcare professional who provides counseling related to trauma can identify whether a person has PTSD and can discuss options for appropriate treatment. If you believe you are suffering from PTSD contact your primary health care provider to discuss your situation. For more in-depth information, visit Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Alliance.

Local public health departments have long experience in responding to infectious disease outbreaks and other local emergencies with public health implications. The USA has made progress and learned important lessons about the challenges of bioterrorism preparedness in the last few years. No matter what threats are posed to the county, the Allegan County Public Health Department is ready to react and adjust to any public health threat.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in conjunction with local, state and federal partners, has developed a number of federal initiatives designed to strengthen state and local preparedness. For example, the Health Alert Network (HAN) is a nationwide, integrated information and communication system serving as a platform for distribution of health alerts, dissemination of prevention guidelines and other information.

The National Electronic Disease Surveillance System (NEDSS) is a system designed to rapidly report unusual outbreaks of disease so that trained epidemiologists can investigate them further to determine if there has been a deliberate pathogen release. If such a release has been detected, the Strategic National Stockpile (SNS) Program ensures the availability and rapid deployment of life-saving pharmaceuticals and other medical supplies and equipment necessary to counter the effects of nerve agents, biological pathogens and chemical agents.

If you believe you have been exposed to an infectious bio-agent or if you develop symptoms which you believe might be associated with such an exposure, immediately contact your primary health care provider to discuss your possible exposure. Your primary health care provider may chose to contact your local health department, which has access to information that can help your physician determine a course of action to best evaluate and treat your symptoms based on the circumstances of the possible exposure incident.

Options:

• For an emergency, please call 911.
• During regular business hours, you can call 269-686-9088
• After hours you may call the non-emergency line, 269-673-3899
• Email us at parks@allegancounty.org
• Please fill out our Customer Satisfaction Survey to let us know how we are doing

No, cats are not currently required to be licensed by state law. However, your local municipality might have rules regarding cats. Check with your city, village, or township office.

Yes, Michigan law requires that dogs wear the tag at all times, except when such dog is engaged in lawful hunting accompanied by its owner or custodian.

First, contact the Allegan County Animal Control at (269) 673-0519. They will inspect your facilities and issue a certification.

Secondly, bring your Kennel Inspection Certification to the Allegan County Treasurer’s Office and we will issue the license and tags.

No. Whenever the ownership or possession of any dog is permanently transferred from 1 person to another within the same county, the license of such dog can be likewise transferred. Please notify the County Treasurer's Office so we can update our records.

Within thirty (30) days of acquisition, or when a puppy is 4 months old.

Yes, your dog needs to be licensed in the county in which it resides in. The license must be purchased within 30 days of residency.

No. The law does not require the procurement of a new license, or the transfer of a license, when the possession of a dog is temporarily transferred, for the purpose of hunting game, or for breeding, trial, or show, in the State of Michigan.

Please call our office at (269) 673-0260 or email treasurer@allegancounty.org, and we will update your information.

No. No license tag issued for 1 dog can be transferred to another dog.

Yes, it's the law. A Dog License is the only ID that can be quickly traced. It's the best protection your pet has.

Yes, all dogs go out sometime. What if she runs out when the door is open? It is the house dog who never leaves the yard that can become easily lost if they venture just a little bit. Think of the license as an insurance policy.

Yes, Michigan law requires all dogs 4 months and older be licensed. License your puppy right away. Puppies often get lost. A license for a puppy (12 months old or younger) costs $5.00.

We issue replacement licenses free of charge. Send or bring in your copy of the license and an Affidavit of Lost Dog Tag to the Allegan County Treasurer's Office. If you do not have the copy of the original license, call or stop in to our office, and we will look up the information for you.

Failure to license could result in fines and court costs.

Get your license as early as possible, you could be subject to Court costs and fines. Purchase your license as soon as your dog has a curent rabies shot. Our licenses now correspond to the date of your rabies shot.

Licenses expire at the end of the same month as the dog's rabies vaccination. The expiration year is etched on the license tag.

All dogs must be licensed at:

• Four (4) months of age, or
• Within 30 days of acquisition, or
• Within 30 days after new residency in Allegan County

A license is required even when the dog is always kept indoors or on a farm.

• Tells everyone that your dog is not a homeless stray
• Enables Animal Services to protect neighborhoods, just like yours, from dangerous dogs and enables them to investigate dog bites
• Helps keep the human and dog population from being infected by rabies
• Ensures the quick return of lost dogs to their owners

Options:

• For an emergency, please call 911.
• During regular business hours, you can call 269-686-9088
• After hours you may call the non-emergency line, 269-673-3899
• Email us at parks@allegancounty.org
• Please fill out our Customer Satisfaction Survey to let us know how we are doing

• Children under age of twelve (12) shall be under the immediate supervision of a responsible adult, eighteen (18) years of age or older, at all times.
• It is recommended all minors under eighteen (18) be under the immediate supervision of a responsible adult, eighteen (18) years of age or older, at all times.

In case of emergency on the trail, dial 911
NOTE: trail markers will give the trail name and GPS location; trail maps also have trail names and show emergency locations. If possible, try to make your way to the nearest marker to identify your location.

For non-emergency trail issues, such as trees down or impassable trails:

• If present, make contact with the Park Ranger or Park Maintenance Staff
• 8am-5pm Monday ' Friday, contact the Parks Office 269-686-9088 or email parks@allegancounty.org
• Equestrian trails located outside campground boundaries are maintained by a volunteer group; contact Parks at parks@allegancounty.org for more information

• Ely Lake Campground - 5020 ' 116th Avenue, Fennville
• Silver Creek Campground - 3900 ' 134th Avenue, Hamilton

Yes. The requirements of the Food Law remain the same. Food/beverage offered to the public must be stored, prepared and handled in the same safe manner whether it is sold or given away.

Possibly; food is anything that can be consumed by humans which includes beverages and ice. Prior to selling beverages, the Health Department must be consulted to determine whether a license is required.

YES as long as the facility is licensed. It can be licensed as a Fixed Food Service Establishment or as a Temporary Food Service Establishment. Another option is prepare ALL foods at home. Home-prepared foods by nonprofits do NOT require a license.

Yes. With a few exceptions, the state Food Law, Act 92, prohibits a person from operating a food service establishment unless licensed and inspected by the designated regulatory authority.

Yes. Before adding, removing or replacing equipment the Health Department must be consulted to determine if proposed changes will meet Food Code requirements.

No. Food service licenses are issued to a specific owner and to a specific address therefore are not transferable to another person or to another location. A Change of Ownership Application is required to be completed and submitted to the local health department.

Yes. New and remodeled facilities are required to submit plans and specifications to the local Health Department for review and approval prior to the start of construction.

Private homes cannot be licensed as a food service establishment. The FDA Food Code states: A private home, a room used as living or sleeping quarters, or an area directly opening into a room used as living or sleeping quarters may not be used for conducting food establishment operations. In addition, room finishing materials and equipment must be commercial grade and meet specific construction, durability and cleaning requirements. Michigan Cottage Food Law, allows for non-potentially hazardous food to be produced in private homes.

The same applies to ALL on-site preparation of food. Any time that food is prepared on the site it must be licensed.

All new food service establishments must undergo a plan review process before a license is granted. A completed plan review application along with equipment specifications, standard operating procedures, menu, and scaled floor plans must be submitted for review and approval by the local health department.

You cannot get your property back after is has been ‘foreclosed’. Foreclosure is final!

You lose all rights to your property. Ownership will be transferred to Allegan County. It will then be sold at public auction.

You have one year in which to redeem your property taxes. If still unpaid on the following March 31, it will be Foreclosed.

Even if you can’t pay your taxes all at once, make partial payments. Read our pamphlet on foreclosure prevention. Don’t ignore our notices. Contact us at 269-673-0260.

No. Forfeiture is the first step to Foreclosure. The interest rate goes from 1% per month to 1.5% per month retroactive to March 1 of the prior year. A $175.00 processing fee and recording fees are also added. Additional fees will be added as they incur throughout the year.

Yes. In all, five (5) notifications will be made. Two will be by first class mail, two by certified mail and one notification will be a personal visit to the property. In addition to these notices, it will be published in an Allegan County newspaper. This published notice may include names and/or addresses.

Yes, upon the Friend of the Court's request, you are required to provide:

• full name and address of parent
• social security number
• date of birth
• amount of wages earned by or other income due to the parent
• employment status
• information concerning dependent health care coverage if it is available as a benefit of employment

The Friend of the Court is required to advise the employer if the order is changed. If the Friend of the Court serves the employer with a notice of modification of the order of income withholding, the amount withheld must be changed to conform to the court ordered modification within seven days after receipt of the notice of modification.

The order remains in effect until further order of the court or until the employer is notified otherwise in writing by the Friend of the Court.

Amounts withheld pursuant to an order of income withholding must be paid to the MISDU within three days after the date of withholding.

The employer may submit one check to the MISDU with an attached list with the payer's names, social security number and case numbers.

The maximum amount taken out must comply with Section 303(b) of Title III of the Consumer Credit Protection Act (15 USC 1673(b)). The amounts withheld for child support cannot exceed 50% of the disposable net income when there is more than one support obligation and up to 65% of the disposable net income if there is only one support obligation. Please refer to the provision outlined in the income withholding order.

After you have been served with an order of income withholding, you must notify the Friend of the Court if the employee's income from your company is terminated or interrupted for a period of 14 or more consecutive days. In such cases, you must provide the employee's last known address and the name and address of the employee's new employer (if known).

An employer must identify each withholding payment by the employee's name and social security number, case number, amount withheld, and the date on which support was withheld from the employee's income. The employer must also provide its federal employer identification number to the Office of Friend of the Court.

An employer's failure to comply with an order of income withholding within seven days of service may result in contempt finding by the court against the employer.

The maximum amount taken out must comply with Section 303(b) of Title III of the Consumer Credit Protection Act (15 USC 1673(b)). The amounts withheld for child support cannot exceed 50% of the disposable net income when there is more than one support obligation and up to 65% of the disposable net income if there is only one support obligation. Please refer to the provision outlined in the income withholding order.

The MISDU will determine the appropriate distribution of the child support payment when a payer has more than one child support obligation in the system.

An employer who refuses to employ, discharges, disciplines or penalizes an employee because of an order of income withholding entered against that employee is guilty of a misdemeanor. The misdemeanor is punishable by a fine of up to $500 and the employer will be required to make full restitution to the aggrieved employee including reinstatement and payment of back pay.

An employer is liable for any amount that it knowingly and intentionally not withheld from the employee's income following service on the employer of an order of income withholding, except as the payment amount is limited by the Consumer Credit Protection Act.

This means the court will require you to pay the amount you should have withheld, even if you have paid it to the employee.

Your payment to the MISDU in accordance with an order of income withholding discharges your liability to the employee as to that portion of the employee's income.

An order of income withholding for child support has priority over all other legal process under state law against the same income. This means it takes precedence over garnishments and other payroll deductions (except taxes, social security deductions and other income withholding orders for support).

Friend of the Court Act: Michigan compiled Law 552.501-552.535; also found in Michigan Statutes annotated 25.176(1)-25.176(35)

Support and Visitation Enforcement Act: Michigan Compiled Law 552.601-552.650; also found in Michigan Statutes Annotated 25.164(1)-25.164(50)

Consumer Credit Protection Act: Title III, Section 303(b) of Public Law 90-321, 15 USC, 1673(b)

An order of income withholding is binding on an employer seven days after the employer is served by ordinary mail with a true copy of the order of income withholding. Included with the order will be a notice of income withholding, which will give the date of the mailing, the date to begin withholding, and where to send the money withheld.

Any employer or other person, referred to as a "source of income", who owes or will owe income to the payer (the person owing money under a support order). Income is broadly defined to include (among other things):

• Salaries, earnings, wages and commissions; payments due or to be due in the future from a profit-sharing plan, pension plan, insurance contract, or annuity.
• Any amount of money due to the payer as a debt of any other person, including debts of all kinds of businesses.

The federal and state child support agencies send the payer a pre-offset notice (PON). This notice explains that the Friend of the Court requested a tax refund offset and provides the payer with information regarding appeal and/or joint tax return options.

Items taken into consideration for case selection & arrearage determination include the NCP's member role, status, and SSN, case type status, case interstate status, bankruptcy status, dependant status, IV-D obligation debt type and arrearage amounts, arrearage minimum thresholds.

The Federal Tax Refund Offset (FTRO) and State Tax Refund Offset (STRO) programs are two automated enforcement remedies within MiCSES. These programs are used to submit tax refund intercept requests for a non-custodial parent (NCP) with past due support. When a non-custodial parent (NCP) files a state or federal income tax return with a tax refund due, the tax refund is intercepted up to the amount of overdue support and sent to the state's child support agency rather than the NCP. Federal submission requires arrearages greater than $150.00 for TANF cases and $500.00 for non-TANF cases and State submission require arrearages greater than $150.00 for both TANF and non-TANF cases, regardless of weather the child is emancipated, over the age of 18, or disabled before the age of 18.

The FTRO is a continuous process-submittal and update processes run weekly throughout the year. The STRO program is an annual submittal with a weekly update process throughout the year.

When an STRO collection is received, a receipt is created and identified by the payer’s member ID and SSN. Monies are allocated and distributed following the regular distribution hierarchy. It is then disbursed to the recipient. Money that exceeds the reported arrearage balance will be held for 60 days before it is refunded to the payer. When an FTRO collection is received, a receipt is created and identified by the payer’s member ID and SSN. Monies are allocated and distributed based on the Federal tax refund offset distribution hierarchy. Monies from a ‘single/individual’ tax return are then disbursed to the recipient. Money that exceeds the reported arrears balance will be held for 60 days before it is refunded to the payer.

Important note: Payers who have filed a joint tax return are also allocated and distributed based on the FTRO hierarchy reducing the arrearage balance; however, the actual disbursement is held for 6 months from the receipt date.

Client STRO information (517) 636-5333

Client FTRO information toll free 1-866-540-0008 (Central Functions Unit of MiCSES)

Monday - Friday: 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. (Closed on County Holidays)

Allegan County operates under a calendar year of January through December.

For payroll questions, email humanresources@allegancounty.org.

Options:

• For an emergency, please call 911.
• During regular business hours, you can call 269-686-9088
• After hours you may call the non-emergency line, 269-673-3899
• Email us at parks@allegancounty.org
• Please fill out our Customer Satisfaction Survey to let us know how we are doing

Yes, if you want to guarantee it will be available for your gathering. If the pavilion is VACANT and not signed as reserved, the pavilion can be used on a first come, first served basis.

Reservations costs:

• Bysterveld Park
  • Half day (8am-1:30pm or 2pm-9pm) - $80
  • Full day (8am-9pm) - $150
• Dumont Lake Park
  • Half day (8am-1:30pm or 2pm-9pm) - $50
  • Full day (8am-9pm) - $80
• Gun Lake Park
  • Half day (8am-1:30pm or 2pm-9pm) - $50
  • Full day (8am-9pm) - $80
• Littlejohn Lake Park
  • Half day (8am-1:30pm or 2pm-9pm) - $10
  • Full day (8am-9pm) - $160
• Silver Creek Campground
  • No charge; available first come, first serve
• West Side Park
  • Half day (8am-1:30pm or 2pm-9pm) - $50
  • Full day (8am-9pm) - $80

For general grant questions, email finance@allegancounty.org.

Contact the Victim/Witness Coordinator of the Allegan County Prosecutor's office at (269) 673-0280.

If you are found responsible by the attorney magistrate after an informal hearing, you have the right to appeal to a formal hearing before a district judge. If the judge finds you responsible after a formal hearing, you have the right to appeal to Circuit Court.

Within seven days of the judgment, you must complete an appeal form and file it with the Court, together with an appeal bond in cash equal to the fine and costs of the original charge. You do not have to pay a filing fee for the appeal.

The Probation Department is located on the top floor of the County Building. Hours of operation are 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday.

You may testify on your own behalf, have witnesses testify on your behalf, and ask questions of the witnesses called against you. It is expected that questions will be concise, courteous, and not argumentative. You should also present any documents or other physical evidence you have that supports your case. In general, remember that your hearing is your 'day in court,' so come prepared. Have your defense and questions ready.

Contact the 48th Circuit Court at (269) 673-0300.

You may ask witnesses to come in voluntarily, or if necessary, you may use the subpoena power of the court to obtain their attendance. Subpoena forms may be obtained here: Subpoena - Order to Appear and/or Produce.

The attorney magistrate, rather than the district judge, usually presides over the hearing. Neither side may be represented by an attorney. There is no jury and no court reporter. In general, the atmosphere will be less formal than that of a trial.

Yes.

Yes, if you are the party subpoenaing the witness. A witness who attends a court proceeding shall be paid $6.00 for each half day and $12.00 for each full day plus 10' per mile from the residence of the witness to the court.

Points are assessed by the Secretary of State's office when it receives notice from the Court that you committed a traffic offense. The magistrate who finds you responsible cannot reduce the number of points assessed against you by the Secretary of State.

You may be found:

• Not responsible
• Responsible
• Responsible for a lesser infraction than the one charged

If you fail to appear, the Court will enter a default judgment against you. This means the Court will automatically find you responsible for the infraction charged, assess the fine and costs, and mail you a judgment notice requiring you to pay. If you do not pay the judgment within 28 days, the Court will send you a 14-day notice. If you do not pay within 14 days of receiving the notice, your driver's license will be suspended by the Secretary of State.

If the officer does not appear, the case will be dismissed 'without prejudice,' which means the charges are dismissed however the citation may be re-issued to you.

An informal hearing is a court proceeding held to decide whether you committed and/or whether you are responsible for the traffic offense with which you were charged. It is your opportunity to defend yourself, to ask questions, and to have witnesses testify on your behalf. The testimony is under oath but the hearing is much less formal than a trial.

1. Permits for deer and waterfowl hunting will be awarded for available weekends through a lottery.
   • The number of permits issued for each weekend is limited to 1 for waterfowl and 1 for deer.
   • Each permit holder may be accompanied by no more than one (individual).
2. The available weekends (dates) for each deer seasons will be posted on Allegan County's Parks and Recreation Hunting webpage by April 15 of each year. Waterfowl season dates will be be posted as soon as they are available.
3. Applications for the lottery will be accepted from May 1-June 30
   • A separate application must be submitted for deer and waterfowl hunting seasons.
   • Applications may be picked up at the reception area of the County Services Building, 3283 122nd Avenue, Allegan Township, or downloaded from this Recreation Hunting webpage.
   • Completed applications may be submitted in person at the reception area of the County Services Building, 3283 122nd Avenue, Allegan Township or by emailing a copy of the application to parks@allegancounty.org.
4. Submitted applications will then be assigned a number and by the end of July each year; those numbers will be entered and drawn using a randomizer.
5. Once the lottery has been completed, the applicant will be notified as to whether they were awarded a permit or not, within one week of lottery drawing date by Parks Administrative Staff. The awarded applicant will then have until September 1 pay for and pick up the permit. The applicant will need to provide the following in order to be issued the official permit:
   • Verify County Residence
   • Verify Age
   • Verify Hunting Safety Certificate
   • Verify Hunting License
   • Hunting Fee ($10 per every weekend permitted)
   • The applicant must carry their permit with them at all times during the approved hunting weekend.
6. Approved permits are non-transferrable.

For an emergency, dial 911.
For non-emergency issues:

• 8am-5pm Monday-Friday, contact the Parks Office 269-686-9088 or email parks@allegancounty.org
• After hours for issues that cannot wait, call Central Dispatch non-emergency # 269-673-3899

There is coffee provided. You may bring your own food if you are a diabetic or on a special diet. Open food and beverages are not allowed in the courtrooms.

These items may be used while you are waiting in the jury quarters, however, they must be turned off in the courtrooms and during jury deliberation.

Yes, jury service is a required constitutional duty and a valuable privilege of citizenship. State law exempts only those persons over 70 who request in writing to be excused. If you have a compelling reason that makes it difficult to attend the scheduled times, the Court will make a reasonable effort to reschedule your service dates. You should address any request in writing as outlined in the notice you receive.

No, an employer does not have to pay you, but they must release you from work if you are summoned as a juror.

Once a year the Jury Board receives a list from the Secretary of State of people who have a Michigan driver’s license or a state identification card. Randomly selected citizens are mailed a Juror Qualification Questionnaire and Summons. They are required to return the questionnaire to the Court as soon as possible and attend dates they are summoned for jury duty. All jurors are screened for qualifications once their questionnaires are returned to the Court. You are eligible for jury duty once every 12 months if you attend a jury selection.

In the State of Michigan, no one is automatically exempt from jury duty—everyone who meets the qualifications is eligible. Occasionally, circumstances exist when a person cannot serve.

If you are a person who (is):

• Not a United States citizen
• Not a resident of Allegan County
• Has served as a juror in the preceding 12 months
• Physically or mentally unable to carry out the functions of a juror
• Has been convicted of a felony
• Can elect to serve or not to serve because you are more than 70 years old
• Desires to be excused because the interest of the public or of the individual juror will be materially injured because of your health or the health of a member of your family
• Is a full-time high school student so that your jury duty could be postponed until after the school year
• Desires to have your jury service postponed to a later term for good reason.

You must:

• Write out a full statement of the reasons why you believe you may be disqualified, exempt, entitled to excuse, eligible for high school postponement or seeking postponement for good reason. Include supporting documentation such as copies of airline flight schedules, reservation forms, and/or class schedules.
• If you are requesting to be excused for health reasons, you must obtain a doctor’s statement to that effect and enclose it with your statement.
• Sign and mail your statement and all supporting documents to Court Administrator, 57th District Court, 113 Chestnut St., Allegan, Michigan 49010. Mail your statement and supporting documents within one week of the date that you receive the notice.

The evening before your term of service begins, you are to call our recording number of 888-323-5879. The recorded message will state whether you are to report the following day at 8:15 a.m. You should report only if the recorded message tells you to. The recording is accurate after 5:00 p.m. and is on all night. You must continue to call the recording each evening before your service dates and report if the recording tells you to do so.

The average trial length is one day. Occasionally, a case will last longer. The judge will inform you of the expected length of the case during jury selection.

Judges try to seat their juries in the morning, therefore, if you are not seated on a case, you are normally (but not always) released by 10:30 a.m. If you are a juror on a particular trial, you should plan on being at the courthouse until about 5:00 p.m.

Failure to report on scheduled jury dates may subject you to penalties of contempt of court, including fine, costs, and incarceration.

District Court trials include misdemeanor traffic, criminal cases and general civil cases for money damages with the value of $25,000.00 or less.

You should be properly dressed for jury service. Halters, shorts, tee-shirts, tank tops, beachwear, sweatshirts or bare feet are not suitable attire for jury service.

Parking stickers are available at the 57th District Court service windows if it is necessary to park on the street. A map is enclosed in your jury packet outlining parking locations. There are handicapped spaces located at the east and west entrances of the County Building.

The District Court is located on the top floor of the County Building. Please report to the Jury Assembly Room which is located across from the District Court Clerk’s Office. A name register will be in the room for you to sign and record your round trip mileage.

Unless a delinquency proceeding is placed on the informal docket (e.g. diversion or consent calendar), the proceeding is open to the public.

If a juvenile is adjudicated of a Tier III offense, the juvenile must register for life on Michigan's Sex Offender Registry. The registry for juveniles is nonpublic.

No. You must take affirmative steps to have your adjudications set aside in order to clear your juvenile record.

In certain cases, the Court can hold a parent jointly responsible for the payment of restitution. Fines and costs remain the responsibility of the juvenile. In cases where the juvenile turns 18 and has outstanding fines, costs, and restitution, failure to pay may result in the issuance of a bench warrant for the juvenile.

No. Delinquency proceedings are civil proceedings, not criminal proceedings. However, a juvenile respondent is afforded the same substantial rights as a criminal defendant.

Juvenile adjudications are no longer public through the Michigan State Police Internet Criminal History Access Tool (ICHAT). However, parts of a delinquency file, including a record of the adjudication, are public records, so any future employer is free to review those records through the Court.

The class takes about 6 hours, depending on class size. Some classes are taught over a two day period (3 hours each day).

There is no cost, but pre-registration is required. To register, refer to the instructions for the class you are interested in.

Lost boater safety certificates can be obtained from the Michigan Dept. of Natural Resources as long as you participated in a class held in the state of Michigan.

• Safe operation of personal watercraft
• Age requirements for operators of different types of watercraft
• Equipment and registration requirements for different types of watercraft
• Personal flotation devices: types and uses
• The rules of the road for boaters

To operate a motorboat in the State of Michigan a Boater’s Safety Certificate is required for anyone born on or after July 1, 1996. Boater’s Safety Certificates are required for persons 12-15 years of age who wish to operate a motorboat in Michigan and they must be under the direct supervision of a person who is 16 years of age or older.

A Boater’s Safety Certificate is also required for persons between 14 & 15 years of age who wish to operate personal watercraft (PWC). He or she must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian or designated person at least 21 years of age. Those at least 16 years of age and born after December 31, 1978 may operate a personal watercraft (PWC) only if they have obtained a valid Boater Safety Certificate.

Anyone born on or before December 31, 1978 may operate a personal watercraft without restriction.

MI Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act

People who need a boating safety certificate.

A boating safety certificate is required for persons 12-15 years of age to operate a motorboat.

A boating safety certificate is required to operate a personal watercraft (PWC) if the operator was born after December 31, 1978. The minimum age for PWC operators who obtain a boating safety certificate after Jan. 1, 1999 is 14 years of age. A Certificate is also required of any adult who will be supervising a child age 12 or 13 in the operation of a personal watercraft regardless of the age of the adult.

People of all ages who are interested in safe boating.

Options:

• For an emergency, please call 911.
• During regular business hours, you can call 269-686-9088
• After hours you may call the non-emergency line, 269-673-3899
• Email us at parks@allegancounty.org
• Please fill out our Customer Satisfaction Survey to let us know how we are doing

• Silver Creek Campground - .25 foot trail located within park boundaries only
• Bysterveld Park - ADA accessible; around 2 miles foot trail located within park boundaries only
• Littlejohn Lake Park - around 2 miles foot trail located within park boundaries only
• New Richmond Bridge Park '- ADA accessible around 0.65 miles foot trail located within park boundaries only

• Children under age of twelve (12) shall be under the immediate supervision of a responsible adult, eighteen (18) years of age or older, at all times.
• It is recommended all minors under eighteen (18) be under the immediate supervision of a responsible adult, eighteen (18) years of age or older, at all times.

None however may be found under another municipality:

• Cross-Country Skiing: the foot trails surrounding Ely Lake Campground in the state game area become the cross-country ski trails during the winter; contact MI DNR website: State of Michigan DNR
• Bike Trails: Michigan Trails & Greenway Alliance Michigan Bike Trails
• Snowmobile Trails: Allegan County Snowmobile Club (private) website: Allegan County Snowmobile Club
• Off-road, ATV, dirt bike trails: None located in Allegan County

In case of emergency on the foot trail, dial 911

For non-emergency issues:

• If present, make contact with the Park Ranger or Park Maintenance Staff
• 8am-5pm Monday-Friday, contact the Parks Office 269-686-9088 or email parks@allegancounty.org
• Foot trails located outside campground boundaries in the Allegan State Game Area: contact the DNR State Game Headquarters at 269-673-2430

• Ely Lake Campground - 5020 116th Avenue, Fennville
• Silver Creek Campground - 3900 134th Avenue, Hamilton
• Bysterveld Park - 4171 14th Street, Wayland
• Littlejohn Lake Park - 3540 113th Avenue, Allegan
• New Richmond Bridge Park - 3160 Old Allegan Road, Fennville

• Ely Lake Campground - MI DNR website; Ely Lake Campground map and equestrian trail maps are located at the campground information board or by accessing park from Parks, Photos, Locations page.
• Silver Creek Campground - Silver Creek Campground map is located at the campground information board or by accessing park from Parks, Photos, Locations page.
• Bysterveld Park - access park from Parks, Photos, Locations page.
• Littlejohn Lake Park - currently no map available
• New Richmond Bridge Park - access park from Parks, Photos, Locations page.

Yes, if you want to guarantee it will be available for your gathering. If the pavilion is VACANT and not signed as reserved, the pavilion can be used on a first come, first served basis.

Reservations costs:

• Bysterveld Park
  • Half day (8am-1:30pm or 2pm-9pm) - $80
  • Full day (8am-9pm) - $150
• Dumont Lake Park
  • Half day (8am-1:30pm or 2pm-9pm) - $50
  • Full day (8am-9pm) - $80
• Gun Lake Park
  • Half day (8am-1:30pm or 2pm-9pm) - $50
  • Full day (8am-9pm) - $80
• Littlejohn Lake Park
  • Half day (8am-1:30pm or 2pm-9pm) - $10
  • Full day (8am-9pm) - $160
• Silver Creek Campground
  • No charge; available first come, first serve
• West Side Park
  • Half day (8am-1:30pm or 2pm-9pm) - $50
  • Full day (8am-9pm) - $80

With respect to proceedings to terminate parental rights, there is no right to a jury trial. You do, however, have the right to a jury trial at the initial adjudication, or when the Court first seeks to take jurisdiction over your child(ren).

Yes. You have the right to be represented by an attorney at each phase of a child protective proceeding. If you cannot afford an attorney, one will be appointed for you by the Court at no expense.

Upon removal, it is important for you to identify any potential relatives who are fit and willing to take the child. The DHHS is obligated to seek placement with a relative caregiver before placing the child in foster care. If there are no suitable relatives, DHHS will choose the foster care placement for your child.

In most cases, you have the right to parenting time with your child during your case. The amount and type of parenting time might be different for each case. Any concerns regarding parenting time should be discussed with your attorney, or if you represent yourself, with the court during your next hearing.

If your child is a member, or eligible for membership, in a federally recognized American Indian tribe or band, additional rights may apply in your case. Please indicate to your caseworker or to the court as soon as possible if there is any possibility of Indian heritage.

For general purchasing questions, contact Project Management at 269-673-0203.

Each RFP will list the assigned contact person along with their contact information. Each RFP will have a timeline for questions to be submitted and the County’s answers. Otherwise, contact Project Management at 269-673-0203.

• People are exposed to small amounts of radiation every day, both from naturally occurring sources (such as elements in the soil or cosmic rays from the sun), and man-made sources. Man-made sources include some electronic equipment (such as microwave ovens and television sets), medical sources (such as x-rays, certain diagnostic tests, and treatments), and from nuclear weapons testing.
• The amount of radiation from natural or man-made sources to which people are exposed is usually small; a radiation emergency (such as a nuclear power plant accident or a terrorist event) could expose people to small or large doses of radiation, depending on the situation.
• Scientists estimate that the average person in the United States receives a dose of about one-third of a rem per year. About 80% of human exposure comes from natural sources and the remaining 20% comes from man-made radiation sources – mainly medical x-rays.
• Contamination refers to particles of radioactive material that are deposited anywhere that they are not supposed to be, such as on an object or on a person’s skin.
• Internal contamination refers to radioactive material that is taken into the body through breathing, eating, or drinking.
• Exposure occurs when radiation energy penetrates the body.

After a release of radioactive materials, local authorities will monitor the levels of radiation and determine what protective actions to take.

• The most appropriate action will depend on the situation. Tune to the local emergency response network or news station for information and instructions during any emergency.
• If a radiation emergency involves the release of large amounts of radioactive materials, you may be advised to “shelter in place,” which means to stay in your home or office; or you may be advised to move to another location.
• If you are advised to shelter in place, you should do the following:
  • Close and lock all doors and windows.
  • Turn off fans, air conditioners, and forced-air heating units that bring in fresh air from the outside. Only use units to re-circulate air that is already in the building.
  • Close fireplace dampers.
  • If possible, bring pets inside.
  • Move to an inner room or basement.
  • Keep your radio tuned to the emergency response network or local news to find out what else you need to do.
• If you are advised to evacuate, follow the directions that your local officials provide. Leave the area as quickly and orderly as possible. In addition –
  • Take a flashlight, portable radio, batteries, first-aid kit, supply of sealed food and water, hand-operated can opener, essential medicines, and cash and credit cards.
  • Take pets only if you are using your own vehicle and going to a place you know will accept animals. Emergency vehicles and shelters usually will not accept animals.

• Radioactive Iodine is a byproduct of nuclear fission processes in nuclear reactors and nuclear weapons. You can protect yourself from the effects of cancer-causing radioactive iodine with FDA Approved IOSAT™ or ThyroShield™ Potassium. Iodide (KI). A non-prescription drug, Potassium Iodide protects against radioactive iodine by preventing its absorption by the thyroid gland located in the neck. Potassium Iodide must be taken during or before exposure to radioactive iodine to be effective.
• Potassium iodide (KI) should only be taken in a radiation emergency that involves the release of radioactive iodine, such as an accident at a nuclear power plant or the explosion of a nuclear bomb. A “dirty bomb”, most likely will not contain radioactive iodine.
• A person who is internally contaminated with radioactive iodine may experience thyroid disease later in life. The thyroid gland will absorb radioactive iodine and may develop cancer or abnormal growths later on. KI will saturate the thyroid gland with iodine, decreasing the amount of harmful radioactive iodine that can be absorbed.
• KI only protects the thyroid gland and does not provide protection from any other radiation exposure.
• Some people are allergic to iodine and should not take KI. Check with your doctor about any concerns you have about potassium iodide.

• Radiation can affect the body in a number of ways, and the adverse health effects of exposure may not be apparent for many years.
• These adverse health effects can range from mild effects, such as skin reddening, to serious effects such as cancer and death, depending on the amount of radiation absorbed by the body (the dose), the type of radiation, the route of exposure, and the length of time a person was exposed.
• Exposure to very large doses of radiation may cause death within a few days or months.
• Exposure to lower doses of radiation may lead to an increased risk of developing cancer or other adverse health effects later in life.

• Radiation is a form of energy that is present all around us.
• Different types of radiation exist, some of which have more energy than others.
• Amounts of radiation released into the environment are measured in units called curies. However, the dose of radiation that a person receives is measured in units called rem.

Your community should have a plan in place in case of a radiation emergency.

• Check with community leaders to learn more about the plan and possible evacuation routes.
• Check with your child’s school, the nursing home of a family member, and your employer to see what their plans are for dealing with a radiation emergency.
• Develop your own family emergency plan so that every family member knows what to do.
• At home, put together an emergency kit that would be appropriate for any emergency. The kit should include the following items:
  • A flashlight with extra batteries
  • A portable radio with extra batteries
  • Bottled water
  • Canned and packaged food
  • A hand-operated can opener
  • A first-aid kit and essential prescription medications
  • Personal items such as paper towels, garbage bags, and toilet paper

• Possible terrorist events could involve introducing radioactive material into the food or water supply, using explosives (like dynamite) to scatter radioactive materials (called a “dirty bomb”, bombing or destroying a nuclear facility, or exploding a small nuclear device.
• Although introducing radioactive material into the food or water supply most likely would cause great concern or fear, it probably would not cause much contamination or increase the danger of adverse health effects.
• Although a dirty bomb could cause serious injuries from the explosion, it most likely would not have enough radioactive material in a form that would cause serious radiation sickness among large numbers of people. However, people who were exposed to radiation scattered by the bomb could have a greater risk of developing cancer later in life, depending on their dose.
• A meltdown or explosion at a nuclear facility could cause a large amount of radioactive material to be released. People at the facility would probably be contaminated with radioactive material and possibly be injured if there was an explosion. Those people who received a large dose might develop acute radiation syndrome . People in the surrounding area could be exposed or contaminated.
• Clearly, an exploded nuclear device could result in a lot of property damage.People would be killed or injured from the blast and might be contaminated by radioactive material. Many people could have symptoms of acute radiation syndrome. After a nuclear explosion, radioactive fallout would extend over a large region far from the point of impact, potentially increasing people’s risk of developing cancer over time.

No. Only residential homes and approved multi-unit homes are allowed to participate in the Resource Recovery Program.

Residents that live in a community that participates in the Resource Recovery Program will find the recycling surcharge on their winter property tax bill.  Check out the Map of Allegan Communities in Resource Recovery Program. 

No.  Allegan County Resource Recovery Program does not provide trash services.  Contact your city or township to inquiry about trash haulers operating in your area.

Yes.  Residents may drop off sharps containers by appointment at the Health Department located at:

Allegan County Health Department
3255 122nd Ave., Suite 200
Allegan MI 49010

(269) 673-5415

All sharps must be in a closed sharps container or hard ridged plastic container with taped and secure lid.  Approved sharps containers are available at the Health Department.

If your community does not participate in the Resource Recovery Program, residents may purchase an annual sharps disposal card for $30. This card provides sharps disposal service and new container pick-up for 12 months.

For more information on sharps disposal visit our sharps disposal page.

Check out the Map of Allegan Communities in Resource Recovery Program.

Participating residents can use their Resource Recovery Card to drop off up to two appliances for free at the two monitored depot sites. Freon and non-Freon containing appliances are accepted.  Some commonly recycled appliances include:

• Refrigerators
• Air Conditioners
• Microwaves
• Freezers
• Washing Machines and Dryers
• Dehumidifiers
• Dishwashers

See Recycling Depots for hours of operation.  Or, use our how to reuse, recycle or dispose of your refuse guide for more options.

Residents participating in the Resource Recovery Program may drop-off household hazardous waste by appointment at the Health Department located at:

Allegan County Health Department
3255 122nd Ave., Suite 200
Allegan MI 49010

(269) 673-5415

The Resource Recovery Program also hosts up to three regional recycling collection events each year.  Check the Resource Recovery Program homepage for news and updates about these collections. You can also check the Events and Collection Calendar.

Residents participating in the Resource Recovery Program may use their Resource Recovery Card to drop off up to four car or light duty tires for free at the two monitored depot sites. Select Recycling Depots for hours of operation.  See Recycling Depots for hours of operation.

Allegan County also hosts up to three county-wide scrap tire collections each year.  These generally take place in August.  Check the Resource Recovery Program homepage for news and updates about these collections.

No, latex and acrylic paint is not accepted through the Resource Recovery Program household hazardous waste service.  Latex and acrylic paint is water-based and not considered hazardous.

To dispose you may use the latex paint disposal guide or remove lid from paint can and allow the paint to dry out in a well ventilated area until solidified.  To speed up the process you may add an absorbent such as kitty litter, sand, shredded paper, or wood chips to the paint. When the paint solidifies, place 1-2 cans at a time in your regular trash can.

Never place liquid paint in your trash can.  Liquid paint causes damage to hauler vehicles and leaks onto roadways.  Never place more than 1-2 cans of solidified paint into your regular trash can.  Too many paint cans may cause damage to hauler vehicles.

No. Polystyrene known by the trademarked name Styrofoam should never be placed in curbside carts or single stream drop-off containers.

Polystyrene may be recycled by placing it in clear plastic bags and bring to the two monitored depot stations.  See Recycling Depots for hours of operation. 

Polystyrene (Styrofoam) accepted:  hard rigid foam, cups, meat trays, egg cartons, packing material, coolers.  Types of foam not accepted: packing peanuts, insulation, and soft foam. Material must be clean.

To get started with curbside recycling service you may use this link to sign-up for curbside recycling service.

To get started with drop-off recycling, choose your community's recycling information. Most communities with drop-off recycling have a container near their township hall or city DPW. You may contact your township or city for hours. Use the Allegan County Recycling Guide 2020 to determine what materials are accepted and may be recycled.

 Was your recycling cart missed by your hauler? Report it here.

NOTE: Winter weather and holidays may cause pick-up delays.

Residents living in a community that participates in the Resource Recovery Program and the Regional Recycling Depot Site service may receive a Resource Recovery Card from their city or township through the mail or by pick-up one up at your city or township hall.

Resource Recovery Cards are issued annually and may be used to recycle (1) TV, (1) monitor, (2) appliances, and (4) scrap tires.  See Recycling Depots for hours of operation.

Allegan County Resource Recovery is a division of the Allegan County Health Department that coordinates recycling services for several townships and cities within the county

Unwanted medications may be dropped off at the following law enforcement offices. Place medication in the black drop-off box in the lobby:

Some Meijer Pharmacies provide customers with a medication take-back drop-box.  Inquire with your local Meijer Pharmacy for details.

• $6 per watercraft/per day at Dumont Lake and New Richmond Bridge Parks; make payment (cash or check made out to Allegan County) using watercraft launch permits (gold envelopes) and fee tube in watercraft launch area; be sure to properly display the permit stub on your windshield to show you made payment.
• $3 per entry at the Gun Lake Park watercraft launch automatic entry gate; make payment with either cash or credit/debit card (note: gate must be entered for every launch or retrieval).
• The $25 county season pass / Gun Lake cardkey also covers watercraft launch fees for all the watercrafts on one trailer for the current year; see Season Pass & Gun Lake Cardkey FAQs for more information.

The season pass can be purchased the first business day of the current year as follows:

• View more information on Season Pass web page
• Phone using credit/debit card at 269-686-9088
• Mail order form
• Parks Office, 3283 122nd Avenue, Allegan, 8am-5pm Monday-Friday
• Park Rangers have season passes to sell while in the parks and campgrounds
• Manlius Township Office, 3134 57th Street, Fennville, 9am - 4pm on Monday & Wednesday, and 9am - Noon Friday
• Volunteers occasionally have season passes to sell while at Silver Creek Campground

• EQUESTRIAN TRAILS
  • Silver Creek Campground (30 miles): 3900 ' 134th Avenue, Hamilton
  • Ely Lake Campground (30 miles): 5020 ' 116th Avenue, Fennville
• WATERCRAFT LAUNCHES
  • Dumont Lake Watercraft Launch: 2250 ' 33rd Street, Allegan
  • *Gun Lake Park: 2397 Patterson Road, Wayland     *requires a cardkey to open entry gate
  • New Richmond Bridge Park: 3160 Old Allegan Road, Fennville

The class typically runs 6-8 hours.

There is no cost, but pre-registration is required.

For questions, contact Sgt. Mike Martin by email at mmartin@allegancounty.org or leave  a voicemail at 269-673-0500, ext. 4254.

People who need a Snowmobile Safety Certificate, and people of all ages who are interested in safe snowmobiling.  A Snowmobile Safety Certificate is required for persons 12-16 years of age who wish to operate a snowmobile.

According to the DNR publication Michigan Snowmobile Safety & You:

• A person, under the age of 12:
  • may not operate a snowmobile without the direct supervision of the parent or guardian except on property owned or controlled by the parent
  • may not cross a highway or street
• A person who is at least 12 but less than 17 years of age:
  • may operate a snowmobile under direct supervision of a person 21 years of age or older, or have in their immediate possession a valid snowmobile safety certificate
  • may not cross a highway or street without having a valid snowmobile safety certificate in their immediate possession

All property owners within a drainage district receive an assessment unless specifically exempted by law. In addition, the municipality, Allegan County, the Allegan County Road Commission, and the Michigan Department of Transportation (as appropriate) also receive an assessment for a portion of the maintenance costs. The Drain Code does not exempt most non-profit or religious properties from assessment.

The law requires that assessments be based on the benefit derived as determined by the Drain Commissioner. All properties within the drainage district are assessed considering factors such as size of the parcel, land use, proximity to the drain, and location of the property within the district. Drainage is considered as an interdependent system with the entire system benefiting from the maintenance of the common outlet.

Although the work for which you are being assessed may have been completed prior to your purchase of the land, the Drain Code requires that assessments be levied to the property, and assessed to the current owner of record. In most cases, the work performed will benefit the property for years to come.

No. Water may flow off your property in more than one direction to different drains and drainage districts and all of those drains may be assessed in one year.

Appeal of the Drain Special Assessments may be made to the Allegan County Probate Court within 10 days after the Day of Review.

If you are unable to attend the Day of Review and have questions regarding your assessment of the assessment process, please call the Allegan County Drain Office.

County drainage districts are separate public corporations with their own financial records. Each drainage district is supported by a Drain Assessment that covers the cost of maintaining the drainage system. County drains are not maintained by Allegan County general fund taxes.

A drainage district is a legally established area of land that drains to a common outlet. Drainage district boundaries are determined by the natural topography of the land and rarely correspond to political boundaries such as townships or counties. Common words for drainage district include watershed and drainage basin.

The Allegan County Drain Office has maps and aerial photos that can show the location of your property and the county drains within the drainage district. These documents will be available on the Day of Review. Even if your property does not touch the county drain, storm water flows toward this county drain as an outlet regardless of the land’s elevation.

Each notice informs you of a Drain Special Assessment for a different drainage district. Your property can be in multiple drainage districts because stormwater moves from smaller watersheds through larger watersheds, ultimately discharging to the Great Lakes. For example, if your property were located in a small watershed that is “nested” inside a larger watershed, you would receive an assessment for each district, should they both be assessed in the same year.

Yes. Tax payments are quite often missed during the transitional time following a refinance. Be sure that your mortgage company is paying the taxes, as they should. Again, the taxpayer is ultimately responsible for seeing that the taxes are paid.

Notify your township, city, or village office as soon as possible.

Only two (2) years and one (1) month. On March 31 of the 3rd year, the County forecloses and you lose all rights to the property.

Your initial tax bill is sent by your local township/city/village treasurer. Any questions or concerns regarding your current taxes must be directed to your local treasurer’s office.

Name and/or Address changes are your responsibility as the owner and taxpayer. Contact your local township/city/village assessor’s office.

No. Neither, the local treasurer, County Treasurer, nor State treasurer has authority to waive interest or penalties. Michigan law holds the taxpayer responsible to know that taxes are paid on time.

Contact your local township/city/village assessor’s office.

Yes. It’s the law. See Michigan P.A. 123 of 1999. Foreclosure is final!

No. The treasurer is not responsible for payment on the wrong parcel. Always submit a copy of the bill or the Property I.D. Number along with your payment.

Although the mortgage company is responsible for paying your taxes, they sometimes get missed. Watch your mortgage statements or call your local treasurer to check that your taxes are being paid promptly. Michigan law holds the property owner responsible.

Taxes are now ‘Delinquent’, a 4% administrative fee and interest of 1% per month are added. On March 1 of the 2nd year, it goes into ‘Forfeiture’ and interest increases, fees/penalties continue to accumulate.

A delinquent tax is an unpaid tax that has been forwarded to the County Treasurer for collection on March 1 of the year after it was due.

In Michigan most cities and townships bill twice a year – July and December.

• Summer taxes - usually due September 14. Cities and charter townships can vary - contact your local treasurer for due dates and late fees.


• Winter taxes - due by February 14. All property taxes become delinquent on March 1.

• From July 1 to February 28 – all current year taxes (summer/winter/most villages) - pay your township, city, or village treasurer.


• March 1 – taxes are now delinquent (both Summer & Winter) - pay the Allegan County Treasurer.


• Prior Year/Delinquent Taxes – pay the Allegan County Treasurer

Yes, $6/per watercraft/ day fees must be paid; make payment using watercraft permits (little gold envelopes) and fee tube located near the watercraft launch area; be sure to properly display the permit stub on your windshield.

The county season pass also covers watercraft launch fees for all the watercrafts on one trailer for the current year; be sure the season pass is properly displayed inside your windshield.

Note: the Gun Lake entry gate is disassembled during the off-season.

Options:

• For an emergency, please call 911.
• During regular business hours, you can call 269-686-9088
• After hours you may call the non-emergency line, 269-673-3899
• Email us at parks@allegancounty.org
• Please fill out our Customer Satisfaction Survey to let us know how we are doing

• $6 per watercraft/per day at Dumont Lake and New Richmond Bridge Parks; make payment (cash or check made out to Allegan County) using watercraft launch permits (gold envelopes) and fee tube in watercraft launch area; be sure to properly display the permit stub on your windshield to show you made payment.
• $3 per entry at the Gun Lake Park watercraft launch automatic entry gate; make payment with either cash or credit/debit card (note: gate must be entered for every launch or retrieval).
• The $25 county season pass / Gun Lake cardkey also covers watercraft launch fees for all the watercrafts on one trailer for the current year; see Season Pass & Gun Lake Cardkey FAQs for more information.

• Children under age of twelve (12) shall be under the immediate supervision of a responsible adult, eighteen (18) years of age or older, at all times.
• There are no life-guards on duty at the launches or lakes; immediate supervision of all minor children is recommended.
• While fishing at any county location, MI State DNR fishing laws and licenses apply (anyone 17 years or older must have a valid fishing license) State of Michigan DNR

Per the DNR State of Michigan website:

• Bysterveld pond is catch and release ONLY: Blue gill
• Dumont Lake: Bluegill, Largemouth Bass, Muskie, Northern Pike, Rock Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Yellow Perch
• Ely Lake: Black Crappie, Bluegill, Bullhead, Channel Catfish, Golden Shiner, Grass Pickerel, Lake Chub Sucker, Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike, Warmouth, Yellow Perch
• Gun Lake: Catfish, Crappie, Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike, Smallmouth Bass, Sunfish, Walleye, Yellow Perch
• Littlejohn Lake: Crappie, Bream/Bluegill, Largemouth Bass, Perch
• Kalamazoo River at New Richmond Bridge Park: Carp, Catfish, Smallmouth Bass, Sucker, Sunfish, Walleye, Rock Bass
• Silver Creek is a trout stream

For an emergency, dial 911.
For non-emergency issues:

• If present, make contact with the Park Ranger or Park Maintenance Staff
• 8am-5pm Monday-Friday, contact the Parks Office 269-686-9088 or email parks@allegancounty.org
• After hours for issues that cannot wait, call Central Dispatch non-emergency # 269-673-3899

• Dumont Lake watercraft launch: 2250 33rd Street, Allegan
• Gun Lake Park: 2397 Patterson Road, Wayland
• New Richmond Bridge Park: 3160 Old Allegan Road, Fennville

• Bysterveld pond: 4171 14th Street, Wayland (catch and release ONLY)
• Dumont Lake watercraft launch: 2250 33rd Street, Allegan
• Gun Lake watercraft launch: 2397 Patterson Road, Wayland
• New Richmond Bridge Park: 3160 Old Allegan Road, Fennville; there are several fishing piers with benches located on both sides of the park/river and boardwalk along the Kalamazoo River.