Otsego County

MeijerOtsego County saw several projects wrap up in 2009 as the county rebounded economically following several manufacturing plant closings.

Ground was broken in the spring of 2008 for a new Meijer store at M-32 and South Townline Road in Bagley Township. The 156,000-square-foot store opened for business in April of  2009.

Construction was completed on a northbound and southbound bridge on I-75 that spans Milbocker and McCoy roads. Construction was completed expanding McCoy Road to Dickerson Road.

Otsego County remains a favorite winter and summer vacation destination.

With more than 20 golf courses and two ski resorts, as well as the Sportsplex, Community Center, county and state parks, hunt clubs, wooded areas and miles of groomed snowmobile trails, Otsego County offers numerous recreational venues. Abundant restaurants, accommodations, and meeting facilities make Otsego County the ideal corporate meeting destination.

Visit the county on the Web at: www.otsegocountymi.gov.

Otsego County Data

Area: 540 square miles
County Seat: Gaylord
Population: 23,301
2009 valuation: $1,262,251,288
Tax Levy: The tax levy for Otsego County is 8.0695 mills.  This includes 4.0502 allocated operational expenses, .3000 mills for animal control, .1875 mills for Parks & Recreation (was the Community Center), .2500 mills for the bus system, 1 mill for the Commission on Aging, .0625 mills for the county park, .3660 mills for the county Library, .2500 mills for the Sportsplex operating budget, .4000  mills for the county ambulance service, .6464 mills for the M-TEC Center, and .5569 mills for the University Center of Gaylord.

Annual county tax on a home with a $100,000 market value would be approximately $405.02

County Officials & Offices

Elected Officials

The following officials serve a four-year term that expires in December 2012. General number for the county is 731-7520.
• County Clerk/Register of Deeds: Susan DeFeyter; 225 W. Main St., Room 110, Gaylord; 731-7500, 731-7551 (register of deeds); e-mail: sdefeyter@otsegocountymi.gov
• Sheriff: James McBride; 124 S. Court Ave., Gaylord; 732-3555; e-mail: sheriff69@otsegocountymi.gov
Non-emergency phone: 732-3555; Jail: 731-7288; Fax: 731-7299
Undersheriff: Matt Nowicki; e-mail: usheriff69@otsegocountymi.gov
Jail Administrator: Brian Webber; e-mail: bwebber@otsegocountymi.gov
• Treasurer: Diann Axford; 225 W. Main St., Gaylord; 731-7560; e-mail: daxford@otsegocountymi.gov    
• Prosecuting Attorney: Kyle Legel; 800 Livingston Blvd., Suite 3D, Gaylord; 731-7430; e-mail: klegel@otsegocountymi.gov

Board of Commissioners

Meetings are held at 9:30 a.m. on the second and fourth Tuesdays of each month in the Multipurpose Room at the J. Richard Yuill Alpine Center.
The schedule may be checked at www.otsegocountymi.gov under Commissioners. For more information call 731-7520.

District I: Clark Bates (R); 321 E. First St., P.O. Box 308, Gaylord 49734; 732-5879
District II: Paul Beachnau (R); 586 Sunshine Lane, Gaylord; 705-2320
District III: Paul Liss (R); 221 Thumb Lake Road, Vanderbilt; 983-4138
District IV: Robert Harkness (R), 1598 Shallow Shores Drive, Gaylord; 705-1913
District V: Erma Backenstose (R); 6227 Kellogg Drive, Gaylord; 732-9594
District VI: Ken Glasser (R); 2366 Perch Lake Road, Gaylord; 732-7470, work, 732-7551
District VII: Douglas C. Johnson (R); 554 McCoy Road, Gaylord; 732-9040, work: 732-1313
District VIII: Michael Hyde (R); 2646 Lone Pine Road, Gaylord; 732-7142
District IX: Bruce Brown (R), 574 Hayes Tower Road, Gaylord; 731-1501

Non-Elected Officials

• 4-H Youth Agent: Bethany Prykucki; 731-0275; e-mail: prykucki@msu.edu
• Administrator: John Burt; 225 W. Main St., Gaylord; 731-7527; e-mail: jburt@otsegocountymi.gov
• Airport Manager: Matt Barresi, 1185 Van Tyle Road, Gaylord; 732-4218; e-mail: mbarresi@otsegocountymi.gov
• Animal Control & Civil Process Officer: Angel Oppermann; 200 E. Seventh St., Gaylord; 705-7632; e-mail: aoppermann@otsegocountymi.gov
• Building and Zoning Department Land Use Services Director: Joseph Ferrigan; 1068 Cross St., Gaylord; 731-7420; e-mail: jferrigan@otsegocountymi.gov
• Bus System Manager: Theron Higgins; 1254 Energy Drive, Gaylord; 731-1204; e-mail: thiggins@otsegocountymi.gov
• County Park Manager: Arnie Quay; 1657 County Park Road; Gaylord, 731-6448
• Emergency Medical Services Dept. Chief: Jon Deming; 100 McLouth, P.O. Box 642, Gaylord; 732-9085; e-mail: jon@ocems.com
• Equalization Director: William Kerr; 1064 Cross St., Gaylord; 731-7410; e-mail: bkerr@otsegocountymi.gov
• Finance Director: Rachel Frisch; 225 W. Main St., Gaylord; 731-7520; e-mail: rfrisch@otsegocountymi.gov
• Fire chief: Tim Warren; 811 S. Wisconsin Ave., Gaylord; 9-1-1 (emergency); 732-8859 (non-emergency)
• Grants and Special Programs (Housing, Grants and Veterans Affairs) Director: Marlene Hopp; 225 W. Main St., Room 213, Gaylord; 731-7570; e-mail: mhopp@otsegocountymi.gov
• Michigan Dept. of Corrections Field Supervisor: Michael Turnbull; 800 Livingston Blvd. Suite 4-B; 731-7640; e-mail: turnbum@michigan.gov
• Otsego County MSU Extension Director (interim): Bethany Prykucki; 800 Livingston Blvd., Suite 4A-2, Gaylord; 731-0272; e-mail: msue69@msu.edu
• Otsego County Emergency Management 9-1-1 Director: Mike Thompson; 732-6670; e-mail: mthompson@otsegocountymi.gov
• Parks & Recreation Director: Michael Tarbutton; 315 S. Center Ave., Gaylord; 732-6521; e-mail: mtarbutton@otsegocountymi.gov

Appointed Boards & Committees

Ribbon Cutting• Construction Board of Appeals; 731-7400
• EMS Rescue; 732-9085; Jon Deming, chief
• Commission on Aging; 732-1122; Jack Thompson, president of board of directors
• Housing Committee; 731-7570; Marlene Hopp, director
• Library; 732-5841; Philip Curtiss, chairman
• Parks & Recreation; 732-6521; Chad Dutcher, chairman
• Department of Human Services; 732-1702
• Planning Commission; 731-7420; Randy Stoltz, chairman
• Zoning Board of Appeals; 731-7420; Richard Sumerix, chairman
• Northwest Michigan Community Health; 732-1794
• Jury Board; 731-7500

 

Guide 2010 » Otsego County