County Board: Bonnie Fetterley Retirement; Tax Value Rises; Dragon Grant Approved

Bonnie Fetterley receives plaque of appreciation from Board Chair Bryan Kolk- Photo by Traci Ekkel

At their regular meeting the Newaygo County Board of Commissioners recognized Bonnie Fetterley on her retirement for her years of service. Ms. Fetterley has been a fixture in the Sheriff’s Office for nearly 30 years beginning with a tenure as a Corrections Officer then serving as Office Assistant/Secretary in the past 2 ½ In addition to members of the Sheriff’s Office , Bonnie’s family was there to share in the moment as she received accolades for her loyalty and long time service.

​The Board received some good news from Equalization Director Joann Hunt who reported an 4.3% increase in taxable value in the county led by a boom in construction. Croton Township saw approximately $3.2 million in residential construction and Brooks Township had nearly $2.6 million.1950 parcels were sold leading to increases in taxable value as well.
Seems the real estate market in Newaygo County is experiencing a banner year as evidenced by a scarcity of homes on the market and the speed with which properties have been gobbled up by prospective buyers.

In other business the Board ok’d the submission of a grant to the DALMAC fund for continued development of The Michigan Dragon Trail, the two-county project around Hardy Pond that has drawn massive interest among bikers and hikers throughout the region and beyond. The DALMAC Fund goals include expanding bicycling and improving the bicycling environment in the state.