Editing Genesee County, Michigan (section)

==History==
===Formative period===
Genesee County was created on March 28, 1835, from territory taken from [[Lapeer County, Michigan|Lapeer]], [[Shiawassee County, Michigan|Shiawassee]] and [[Saginaw County, Michigan|Saginaw]] counties. The county was attached to [[Oakland County, Michigan|Oakland County]] for judicial purposes.<ref name=hc1907>{{cite book |title = Historical Collections |last = Bates |first = William R. |year = 1907 |publisher = Michigan State Historical Society, Michigan Historical Commission |page = 362 |chapter-url = https://books.google.com/books?id=RhUUAAAAYAAJ&q=Garland+Flint+Township&pg=PA362 |chapter = The Development of Flint }}</ref> The only township organized at the time was [[Grand Blanc Township, Michigan|Grand Blanc]], formed in 1833 consisting of additional township areas of the present Fenton, Mundy, Flint, Mount Morris, Genesee, Burton, Atlas and Davison townships. (Atlas and Davision township survey areas were then in Lapeer County.) [[Flint Township, Michigan|Flint Township]] followed in formation by the legislature on March 2, 1836, splitting away from Grand Blanc with the township areas of Burton, Genesee and Mount Morris plus additional township areas of the present day Clayton, Montrose, Flushing, Thetford and Vienna.<ref name=hgc>{{cite book |last = Wood |first = Edwin O. |title = History of Genesee County, Michigan, Her People, Industries and Institutions |publisher = Michigan Historical Commission |year = 1916 |url = http://www.usgennet.org/usa/mi/county/lapeer/gen/ch5/pio.html |url-status = live |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20061006120254/http://www.usgennet.org/usa/mi/county/lapeer/gen/ch5/pio.html |archive-date = October 6, 2006 |df = mdy-all }}</ref> On April 4, 1836, the county was fully organized.<ref name=hc1907/> Organized on July 26, 1836, [[Argentine Township, Michigan|Argentine Township]] included two township survey areas taking Fenton away from Grand Blanc Township plus the current Argentine area west of Fenton.<ref name=hgc/>

In the organizing act of March 11, 1837, two townships (Mundy and Vienna) were organized in the county. Mundy had an additional township area to the west. Vienna consisted of the northern tier of three township areas in the county at the time taking two areas from Flint Township. With this act just a week after Michigan's admission as a state, the county was fully cover with 5 township governments.<ref name=hgc/>

The townships of Genesee, Fenton, and Flushing were formed on March 6, 1838. Genesee and Flushing were split off from Flint Township.<ref name=hgc/>  Fenton was split off from Argentine Township. Genesee included half the survey area to the west. While Flushing included the other half of that survey area (township 8 North range 6 East), the full township area further west (township 8 North range 5 East) then another survey area and half the row below (township 7 North range 5,6 East).<ref>{{cite book |last1 = Ellis |first1 = Franklin |title = History of Genesee County, Michigan: With Illustrations and Biographical Sketches of Its Prominent Men and Pioneers |date = 1879 |publisher = Everts & Abbott |location = Philadelphia |pages = 199, 269, 328 |url = https://quod.lib.umich.edu/m/micounty/BAD0919.0001.001 |access-date = November 14, 2017 |via = University of Michigan Libraries |url-status = live |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20180511195222/https://quod.lib.umich.edu/m/micounty/BAD0919.0001.001 |archive-date = May 11, 2018 |df = mdy-all }}</ref> Thus Flint Township consisted of one and a half township survey areas.

Fifteen northerly sections of survey area township 7 north range No. 7 east in Flint Township plus southerly sections of Genesee Township were set off by the Michigan Legislature as [[Kearsley Township, Michigan|Kearsley Township]] in 1839. On March 7, 1843, the legislature abolished this township returning the sections back to Flint and Genesee townships.<ref>{{harvp|Ellis|1879|p=345|ps=.}}</ref> Thus Flint Township consisted of approximately one and a half township survey areas.

Two new townships were formed by the state on March 9, 1842. [[Thetford Township, Michigan|Thetford]] was the eastmost survey area split off from Vienna. While Gaines was formed with the western township survey of Mundy.<ref name=hgc/>

The county was enlarged on March 9, 1843, by adding a column of townships on its east from Lapeer County. From north to south, the townships were [[Forest Township, Genesee County, Michigan|Forest]], [[Richfield Township, Genesee County, Michigan|Richfield]], [[Davison Township, Michigan|Davison]] and [[Atlas Township, Michigan|Atlas]].<ref name=hgc/>

On March 25, 1846, an additional two townships were formed, Clayton and [[Montrose Township, Michigan|Pewanagawink]]. Clayton split the southernmost survey area from Flushing Township. Pewanagawink took the westernmost survey area from Vienna and changed its name to Montrose by act of January 15, 1848.<ref name=hgc/>

[[Mount Morris Township, Michigan|Mount Morris Township]] was created on February 12, 1855,<ref name=hgc/> from a single survey township area with its two halves taken from Flushing and Genesee townships. Flint Township was split into three parts upon the formation of the City of Flint. The County Board of Supervisors split the remaining township survey area into two; the western area become Garland Township (this name only last until the Flint name was restored on February 5, 1856) and the remaining eastern survey area became [[Burton, Michigan|Burton Township]].<ref name=hc1907/>

===Modern era===
Plans for the Genesee Recreation Area was placed in Flint's master plan in 1950. This was present to [[Charles Stewart Mott Foundation]] Board of Trustees in 1964 with C.S. Mott getting behind the plan.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Terry |first1=Tanya |title=Genesee County Parks celebrates 50 years  |url=http://davisonindex.mihomepaper.com/news/2018-05-24/News/Genesee_County_Parks_celebrates_50_years.html |access-date=August 22, 2018 |work=Davison Index |date=May 24, 2018 |language=en}}</ref> In 1968, the county park system was started with the purchase of vacant land.<ref name="scv">{{cite news |last1=Terry |first1=Tanya |title=Genesee County Parks turns 50 years |url=http://swartzcreekview.mihomepaper.com/news/2018-05-31/News/Genesee_County_Parks_turns_50_years.html |access-date=June 7, 2018 |work=Swartz Creek View |date=May 31, 2018 |language=en |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180612143616/http://swartzcreekview.mihomepaper.com/news/2018-05-31/News/Genesee_County_Parks_turns_50_years.html |archive-date=June 12, 2018 |url-status=dead }}</ref> with funds from the Mott Foundation, with a stipulation that a parks commission be formed.<ref name="University of Michigan-Flint">{{cite web |last1=Gifford |first1=Paul |title=Genesee County Parks and Recreation Commission Records summary |url=https://www.umflint.edu/archives/genesee-county-parks-and-recreation-commission-records |website=www.umflint.edu |publisher=University of Michigan-Flint |access-date=June 7, 2018 |language=en-us |archive-date=June 12, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180612140825/https://www.umflint.edu/archives/genesee-county-parks-and-recreation-commission-records |url-status=dead }}</ref>

Flint Community Junior College was turned into a county-wide institution with a referendum and millage proposal passing the voters in 1969. To reflect this, the college was renamed Genesee Community College on July 5, 1970. In 1973, it was renamed to Charles Stewart [[Mott Community College]] after the death of C.S. Mott.<ref name=ftp>{{cite web |url = http://www.flint.lib.mi.us/timeline/civics-buildings-01-00/mcc.html |title = Mott Community College |access-date = April 18, 2008 |work = Flint Timeline Project |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080530222152/http://www.flint.lib.mi.us/timeline/civics-buildings-01-00/mcc.html |archive-date = May 30, 2008 |url-status = dead }}</ref>

In October 2009, County Commissioners directed County Corporate Counsel to discuss with the County Prosecuting Attorney a possible merger of his office with the County Prosecuting Attorney's Office.<ref>{{cite news |last1 = Fonger |first1 = Ron |title = Genesee County prosecutor, corporation counsel offices talk about merger |url = http://www.mlive.com/news/flint/index.ssf/2009/10/genesee_county_prosecutor_corp.html |access-date = November 15, 2017 |work = The Flint Journal |date = October 2, 2009 |url-status = live |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20171116075416/http://www.mlive.com/news/flint/index.ssf/2009/10/genesee_county_prosecutor_corp.html |archive-date = November 16, 2017 |df = mdy-all }}</ref> As of December 2011, County Counsel Ward Chapman was intending to retire by the end of the year raising the possibility again of a merger.<ref>{{cite news |last1 = Fonger |first1 = Ron |title = Ward Chapman, Genesee County's top civil attorney for three decades, files retirement papers |url = http://www.mlive.com/news/flint/index.ssf/2011/12/ward_chapman_genesee_countys_t.html |access-date = November 15, 2017 |work = The Flint Journal |date = December 10, 2011 |url-status = live |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20171116080506/http://www.mlive.com/news/flint/index.ssf/2011/12/ward_chapman_genesee_countys_t.html |archive-date = November 16, 2017 |df = mdy-all }}</ref> By August 9, 2016, the two offices were merged.<ref>{{cite news |last1 = Young |first1 = Molly |title = County and Genesee Health System locked in battle over $10 million |url = http://www.mlive.com/news/flint/index.ssf/2016/08/county_genesee_health_system_i.html |access-date = November 15, 2017 |work = The Flint Journal |date = August 9, 2016 |url-status = live |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20171116082503/http://www.mlive.com/news/flint/index.ssf/2016/08/county_genesee_health_system_i.html |archive-date = November 16, 2017 |df = mdy-all }}</ref>

Emergency Management & Homeland Security Department was merged by the County Commission into the Sheriff's Department in June 2010 with the department director position being demoted to a manager level post while eliminating a programming coordinator.<ref>{{cite news |last1 = Fonger |first1 = Ron |title = Genesee County folds Emergency Management & Homeland Security Department |url = http://www.mlive.com/news/flint/index.ssf/2010/06/genesee_county_folds_emergency.html |access-date = November 15, 2017 |work = The Flint Journal |date = June 29, 2010 |url-status = live |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20171116081627/http://www.mlive.com/news/flint/index.ssf/2010/06/genesee_county_folds_emergency.html |archive-date = November 16, 2017 |df = mdy-all }}</ref> In July 2010, the County Board voted to merge the clerk and register of deeds offices, effective January 1, 2013.<ref>{{cite news |last = Fonger |first = Ron |title = Genesee County commissioners vote to merge clerk, register of deeds offices |url = http://www.mlive.com/news/flint/index.ssf/2010/07/genesee_county_commissioners_v.html |access-date = April 7, 2011 |newspaper = Flint Journal |date = July 24, 2010 |url-status = live |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20100809045659/http://www.mlive.com/news/flint/index.ssf/2010/07/genesee_county_commissioners_v.html |archive-date = August 9, 2010 |df = mdy-all }}</ref>

On October 26, 2010, Genesee County became a founding member of the [[Karegnondi Water Authority]] with Board of Commissioners Chair [[Jamie W. Curtis]] representing the County on the Authority Board.<ref name=fj>{{cite news |last = Thorne |first = Blake |title = Karegnondi Water Authority sets course for cutting ties with Detroit water |url = http://www.mlive.com/news/flint/index.ssf/2010/10/karegnondi_water_authority_set.html |access-date = December 6, 2011 |newspaper = [[Flint Journal]] |date = October 27, 2010 |url-status = live |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110401195904/http://www.mlive.com/news/flint/index.ssf/2010/10/karegnondi_water_authority_set.html |archive-date = April 1, 2011 |df = mdy-all }}</ref><ref name=fj0>{{cite news |last = Fonger |first = Ron |title = Years in the making, Karegnondi Water Authority is ready to set new course for water |url = http://www.mlive.com/news/flint/index.ssf/2010/10/karegnondi_water_authority_is.html |access-date = December 6, 2011 |newspaper = Flint Journal |date = October 23, 2010 |url-status = live |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110917085959/http://www.mlive.com/news/flint/index.ssf/2010/10/karegnondi_water_authority_is.html |archive-date = September 17, 2011 |df = mdy-all }}</ref>

On May 30, 2012, it was reported Genesee County has had 45 confirmed tornadoes since 1950 (most notably the [[1953 Flint–Beecher tornado]]), more than any other county in Michigan in that time period.<ref>{{cite news |url = http://www.mlive.com/business/mid-michigan/index.ssf/2013/05/frequency_of_genesee_county_to.html |title = Tornado Alley of Michigan is Genesee County, with more than any other since 1950 |work = The Flint Journal |date = May 30, 2013 |url-status = live |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20130611084654/http://www.mlive.com/business/mid-michigan/index.ssf/2013/05/frequency_of_genesee_county_to.html |archive-date = June 11, 2013 |df = mdy-all }}</ref>