Towards Mission Creep: Fragmented Local Governance in the Face of Crisis

In December 2018, following a contentious debate, Kent County’s Board ofCommissioners—the legislative arm of the western Michigan county thatincludes Grand Rapids—narrowly voted to dissolve the Kent County LandBank (KCLB), a local governmental agency that had operated in the regionsince 2009.

Daniel B. Rosenbaum