By John Raffel
Correspondent
ALLEGAN – The Allegan County Board of Commissioners re-elected Commissioner Jim Storey of Holland to his fourth one-year term as chairman at its organizational meeting on Thursday.
The board also named Dean Kapenga of Hamilton as vice-chair.
Kapenga has previously served as chair and vice chair.
“I am humbled with the election to again chair the Board at this key point in this wonderful county’s history,” Storey said in his weekly newsletter. “In the last 10 years, people have voted with their feet to discover Allegan County as an ideal place to live, work and play. The Board can choose to build on that development and create more opportunity for all who seek the good life in our county.”
Storey pointed out the county’s population grew by eight percent in the decade since 2010 and ranks as one of the state’s fastest growing counties. Storey is starting his 10th year on the board. He represents a district that includes Fillmore, Heath and Overisel townships and the city of Holland.
He serves on the board of directors for the Michigan Association of Counties and advocated for the recently enacted bill to extend terms of office for county commissioners from two to four years. Storey serves on several local boards and is the secretary of the Allegan County Community Mental Health Services Board.
“Kapenga’s service dates to 2007 and represents a district that includes Laketown, Manlius, and Saugatuck townships and the cities of Douglas, Fennville, and Saugatuck,” Storey said. “He is chair of the community action agency board, serving as well on the Commission on Aging, the Parks Advisory Board, and the M-40/M-89 corridor improvement committee. He is also a retired Allegan County deputy sheriff.
“State law requires boards of County Commissioners to hold an organizational meeting at its first session each January at which it chooses the chair’s term length and elects one of its own to the position. The term of the vice chair is set by state statute at one year. The current board has seven members representing distinct districts. That will shrink to five members starting with the November general election.”