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Ottawa County unveils draft 2026–2028 strategic plan prioritizing managed growth, water and public trust
Summary
County staff presented a draft 2026–2028 strategic plan that centers on three goals — managed growth, a countywide water strategy, and rebuilding public trust — and asked commissioners for feedback by June 12; staff proposed a public dashboard, a county task force convening the 24 local units, and further studies, including a groundwater recharge study.
County staff presented the draft 2026–2028 strategic plan at the Ottawa County Board of Commissioners meeting on June 1, outlining three organizing goals — managed growth, a countywide water strategy, and rebuilding public trust — and asked commissioners to submit written feedback by June 12.
"Ottawa County delivers trusted public services, responsible stewardship and regional leadership to support a safe, healthy and thriving community," the presenter said while reading the draft mission statement, summarizing the document's approach to growth, water and governance.
Why it matters: presenters framed the plan as a response to rapid county growth and infrastructure pressure. Staff said the county includes 24 units of government (six cities, one village and 17 townships), maintains a AAA bond rating, and has grown roughly 10% over the past decade to about 330,000–340,000 residents; staff said projections add roughly 24,000 more residents over the next decade. Those trends informed the plan’s focus on housing, groundwater, transportation and county capacity.
Major proposals and near-term steps: the plan groups objectives into task lists (staff said one goal contains seven objectives and 37 tasks). Key actions highlighted in the presentation include: commissioning a countywide groundwater recharge study (staff cited Joe Bush as a project lead and said state funding is being pursued); expanding groundwater monitoring wells on public property; exploring interconnections among municipal water systems and the feasibility of a regional water authority; convening a countywide "24-unit" task force to foster local coordination; launching a renewed citizen survey to establish baselines; and building a public-facing dashboard to track budget and plan performance in real time.
On data and accountability, staff referenced existing performance-verification policy and recommended making strategic-plan metrics public. The presenter said the county would move from spreadsheet tracking to a dashboard tool that residents and commissioners could access for live progress updates.
Public input and board process: a resident who provided public comment earlier in the meeting urged the board to anchor the plan to measurable end‑of‑2028 outcomes and to include a rubric for gauging progress. Commissioners generally praised the plan as "robust" but flagged that implementation will require substantial staff capacity; several asked for a dedicated work session to review redlines and consolidate feedback rather than resolving detailed changes at a regular board meeting.
Next procedural step: staff requested written feedback by Friday, June 12, and said they may bring a revised draft back for formal consideration in late June; if adopted, staff plan to present the plan and solicit buy‑in from all 24 local units across the county.
