George McManus III, Berrien County Drain Commissioner 

George was interested in becoming the Drain Commissioner because he had dealt with drainage issues on his farm. He was elected in the fall of 2024. His term is for 4 years. 

He told us that Michigan is the only state that has Drain Commissioners. Every Drain Commissioner must follow the “Drain Code”. This goes back to the time before Michigan was even a state. Most of lower Michigan was wet and swampy. The land had to be drained for agricultural use, and the “Drain Code” set the rules, even up to this day. 

Berrien County has 800 miles of drains and almost 700 drains. George joked that he is the most powerful man in Berrien County since he can assess/tax people without going through the legislature. However, he must deal with a lot of irate home and business owners if he isn’t fair. 

As Drain Commissioner, George has 3 main functions: 

• Administer the “Drain Code.” 
• Storm Water Management. Any new development must plan for retention/detention ponds or rain gardens to handle stormwater. 
• Soil Erosion and Sedimentation Control. If a hole is dug, the Commissioner must give a permit for soil management.