Eaton County Drain Commissioner Richard Wagner, father of Casey Wagner, has inserted himself into public defense of the $41 million Bank Intercounty Drain project despite having no formal oversight role under the Drain Code. Campaign finance records show Wagner received substantial contributions from Spicer Group Inc., the engineering firm prominently connected to the project. Wagner himself appoints the Board of Determination that decides project necessity — creating a documented conflict between his campaign donors and his structural authority over the approval process. All characterizations of potential conflict are allegations; no formal finding has been issued.
When Eaton County residents raised documented concerns about the $41 million Bank Intercounty Drain project — and the size of individual special assessments it generated — the official who appeared to defend it was Richard Wagner, Eaton County Drain Commissioner and father of Casey Wagner. The problem: Wagner has no formal oversight role over the project under the Drain Code. The additional problem: his campaign has received substantial financial support from the very firms profiting from the project.
No Oversight, But Plenty of Influence
According to reporting from FOX 47 News, Wagner met with residents facing large special assessments related to the Bank Intercounty Drain — one of the largest public infrastructure assessment projects in Eaton County’s history. In that capacity, Wagner offered explanations and defenses of the project’s necessity and process.
Under Michigan’s Drain Code, projects of this nature are governed by a Board of Determination, not by county commissioners. The Board — composed of three property owners who own land in the county but not in the affected municipalities — holds a public hearing and determines necessity. What matters here: it is Wagner who appoints the Board of Determination. Once his appointed board finds the project necessary and the 10-day circuit court challenge window closes, the process is effectively irreversible under the Drain Code.
Wagner appoints the body that determines project necessity. Wagner’s campaign received documented contributions from the engineering firm whose work depends on those projects being approved. Wagner then inserted himself into public defense of a project his appointed board had already approved — while having no formal authority to do so under the Drain Code. The intersection of campaign finance, appointment authority, and public advocacy creates a documented conflict of interest concern that has not been formally adjudicated.
Follow the Paper Trail: Campaign Cash from Spicer Group
According to campaign finance records and local disclosures, Wagner’s campaign received contributions from Spicer Group Inc., the engineering firm connected to the Bank Intercounty Drain project. Spicer is prominently featured in project documents, including the drainage district map and planning materials. Spicer is not the only financial contributor to Wagner’s campaign with ties to related infrastructure work — legal firms connected to the project and associated infrastructure deals have also contributed, directly or through associated PACs.
Is Richard Wagner advocating for Eaton County residents facing $41 million in assessments, or is he protecting the financial ecosystem that funds his campaigns — with the structural authority of the Drain Code appointment process as the lever?
Father of Casey Wagner. Oversees a budget of nearly $1 million. Appoints the Board of Determination under Michigan’s Drain Code. Campaign finance records show contributions from Spicer Group Inc., the engineering firm prominently named in Bank Intercounty Drain project documents. Engaged directly with residents in public defense of the project outside his formal procedural role.
Sources and Documentation
Rita Williams, Follow the Money Down the Drain: Eaton County Commissioner’s Ties to Bank Intercounty Drain Project, Clutch Justice (July 28, 2025), https://clutchjustice.com/2025/07/28/follow-the-money-down-the-drain-eaton-county-commissioner-richard-wagners-ties-to-bank-intercounty-drain-project/.
Williams, R. (2025, July 28). Follow the money down the drain: Eaton County commissioner’s ties to Bank Intercounty Drain project. Clutch Justice. https://clutchjustice.com/2025/07/28/follow-the-money-down-the-drain-eaton-county-commissioner-richard-wagners-ties-to-bank-intercounty-drain-project/
Williams, Rita. “Follow the Money Down the Drain: Eaton County Commissioner’s Ties to Bank Intercounty Drain Project.” Clutch Justice, 28 July 2025, clutchjustice.com/2025/07/28/follow-the-money-down-the-drain-eaton-county-commissioner-richard-wagners-ties-to-bank-intercounty-drain-project/.
Williams, Rita. “Follow the Money Down the Drain: Eaton County Commissioner’s Ties to Bank Intercounty Drain Project.” Clutch Justice, July 28, 2025. https://clutchjustice.com/2025/07/28/follow-the-money-down-the-drain-eaton-county-commissioner-richard-wagners-ties-to-bank-intercounty-drain-project/.
