Gaines Charter Township

What Gaines Charter Township does

Gaines Charter Township is a municipal government entity operating as a charter township under Michigan state law, located in Kent County, Michigan, with its administrative office at 8555 Kalamazoo Ave., SE in Caledonia. The township delivers a full suite of local government services to residents and property owners within its jurisdictional boundaries, including property tax collection and assessment, water and sewer utility billing (administered through the Byron Gaines Utility Authority), building inspections and permits, planning and zoning administration, public safety via two fire stations (Cutlerville and Dutton) and the Kent County Sheriff South Substation, elections administration, cemetery management across three cemeteries, parks and recreation (notably the 45-acre Prairie Wolf Park), and FOIA coordination. The township is governed by a seven-member elected Township Board (Supervisor, Clerk, Treasurer, four Trustees) and operates with approximately 30 staff across all departments under a Township Manager structure.

The township's service delivery model combines a physical township hall for in-person transactions with digital channels via BSAOnline (uid=411) and accessmygov.com for online bill payment, permit applications, and property lookups. Revenue is derived non-commercially from property taxes (summer and winter levies), quarterly water and sewer utility charges, permit and inspection fees (e.g., irrigation permit $920, building permits across residential/commercial categories), cemetery lot sales ($500 resident / $2,000 non-resident), and miscellaneous service charges. The technology stack consists of standard civic platforms — BSAOnline for payments, REGIS GIS and Kent County parcel mapper for mapping, Adobe Acrobat Reader for forms, and a Revize-powered content management system for the website — with no proprietary technology products or AI/ML capabilities.

The township's competitive position is defined by its statutory monopoly within its geographic boundaries rather than any market-based differentiation. Strategic positioning leverages proximity to Grand Rapids and Gerald R. Ford International Airport, access to three major highways, and coordination with Kent County, three public school districts, the BGUA, and the Kent County Sheriff South Substation. The go-to-market approach is purely civic — public meetings, community newsletters, the township website, social sharing, and community events (National Night Out, Movies in the Park) — reflecting the non-commercial, public-service nature of the entity.

Name

Gaines Charter Township

Legal name

Gaines Charter Township

Website

https://gainestownship.org

Company type

Public

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Gaines Charter Township is a Michigan charter township government serving residents and businesses in Kent County with property tax collection, water/sewer utilities, building permits, planning/zoning, fire and sheriff public safety, elections, parks, and cemetery services delivered via a township hall and BSAOnline digital portal.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Municipal Government Services

NAICS

Administration of Housing Programs, Urban Planning, and Community Development (925), Water, Sewage and Other Systems (2213)

SIC

Services-Facilities Support Management Services (8744), Services-To Dwellings & Other Buildings (7340)

akta.pro primary industry

Public Works & Municipal Infrastructure (Streets, Stormwater, Facilities) (BPAIACAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Planning, Zoning, Permitting & Code Enforcement (BPAIACAE), Parks, Recreation & Cultural Services (BPAIACAI), Urban & Regional Planning (Land Use, Zoning, Master Planning) (BPAIANAD)

Keywords

• Municipal government services
• Property tax administration
• Public safety services
• Water and sewer utilities
• Planning and zoning

Headquarters

HQ city

Caledonia

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Others, Marketing or Sales

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Gaines Charter Township is a Michigan charter township that provides municipal government services to residents and property owners within its Kent County boundaries. Core offerings include public safety (fire and sheriff patrol coordination), water and sewer utility services, property tax collection and assessment, building inspections and permits, planning and zoning administration, elections administration, parks and recreation, cemetery services, and FOIA/document coordination. Services are delivered through a township hall, an online portal (BSAOnline), and field operations including fire stations and inspection crews.

Product overview

Gaines Charter Township operates as a Michigan charter township providing digital and in-person services to residents through a combination of core municipal functions and third-party integrated platforms. The township's digital service portfolio centers on Online Bill Payment Services via BSAOnline and accessmygov.com for taxes, utilities, and permits; Building Permit Services for residential and commercial construction; Property Tax Services managed by the Treasurer; Water and Sewer Utility Services; Voter Registration and Election Services; Cemetery Management; Planning and Zoning Services; Public Safety including fire and police coordination; Assessing Services; Document Center and FOIA administration; Prairie Wolf Park and Recreation; and Community Room Rentals. These services are delivered through the township's Revize-powered website with integrations to BS&A Software for property records, REGIS/Kent County GIS for mapping, and Adobe Acrobat Reader for document access.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Online Bill Payment Services Digital platform enabling residents and property owners to pay property taxes, water/sewer bills, and building permit fees online through BSAOnline and accessmygov.com third-party integrations.
• Building Permit Services Online application and payment system for building permits including residential, commercial, electrical, mechanical, plumbing, roofing, swimming pool, and demolition permits administered through the Building Inspections Department.
• Property Tax Services Collection and management of summer and winter property tax bills, tax bill lookups, millage rate information, and property tax estimator tools handled by the Treasurer's office.
• Water and Sewer Utility Services Quarterly billing for water and sewer services, irrigation meter installation, leak detection support, and connection/disconnection services managed through the Byron Gaines Utility Authority.
• Voter Registration and Election Services Voter registration, absentee ballot applications, polling location information, and precinct maps coordinated by the Clerk's office across nine precinct locations.
• Cemetery Services Management of three cemeteries within the township (North/South Blain Cemetery, Dutton Cemetery, South Gaines Cemetery) including lot sales, burial records, and cemetery ordinance administration.
• Planning and Zoning Services Current planning activities including site plan review, land divisions, zoning board appeals, and special land use permits, along with long-range planning and master plan implementation.
• Public Safety Services Fire department with two stations (Cutlerville and Dutton), police protection via Kent County Sheriff South Substation, community outreach officer, fire prevention programs, and emergency response services.
• Assessing Services Property inventory, taxable property valuation, ownership records, assessed and taxable values, property characteristics, and market data maintenance including Principal Residence Exemption and property transfers.
• Document Center and FOIA Services Digital repository for township documents including budgets, meeting agendas and minutes, ordinances, planning documents, building permits, and Freedom of Information Act request coordination.
• Prairie Wolf Park and Recreation 45-acre passive use park featuring trails, prairie restoration, butterfly exhibit, creek access, and seasonal recreational activities, also coordinating with Kent County parks.
• Community Room Rental Rental of township community room (capacity 150, 18 tables, 100 chairs) with kitchen facilities and optional audio-visual equipment, available to township residents.

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration8 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Kent County Sheriff (South Substation)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSince 1995, the Kent County Sheriff South Substation has served Gaines, Caledonia, and Byron Center Townships with three patrol units dedicated to Gaines Charter Township, providing routine and emergency public safety services. The substation is co-located at 8557 Kalamazoo SE with a Community Outreach Officer (Deputy Jeff Bylsma) assigned to the township.
• Byron Gaines Utility Authority (BGUA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBGUA manages the operation and maintenance of the township's water distribution and sanitary sewer collection systems. BGUA staff perform meter installations, system maintenance, and respond to water/sewer emergencies. The township is a wholesale water customer of the City of Wyoming and wholesale sewer customer of the City of Wyoming and City of Grand Rapids.
• City of WyomingcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGaines Charter Township is a wholesale water customer of the City of Wyoming, which supplies treated water distributed to township residents through the BGUA-managed system.
• City of Grand RapidscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGaines Charter Township is a wholesale sewer customer of the City of Grand Rapids, which provides sewer treatment capacity for the township's wastewater collection system managed by BGUA.
• Kent CountyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerKent County provides various shared services including the Register of Deeds, elections administration support, parcel mapping (REGIS GIS), and access to Kent County parks (Brewer Park, Creekside Park, Dutton Shadyside Park) within the township.
• Gaines Township Library (Kent District Library - Gaines Branch)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Gaines Branch Library at 421 68th Street SE serves as a community resource and one of nine voter precinct locations for township elections.
• Gaines Chamber of CommerceminorGTM or Marketing PartnerChamber of Commerce referenced as a community partner on the township website, supporting local business community and economic development.

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Oshtemo Charter Township, Michigan: Kalamazoo County charter township of similar suburban profile near a regional airport with comparable planning, building, and utility service structures. Directly comparable as a growing suburban charter township in West Michigan.
• Alpine Township, Michigan: Kent County general township providing municipal services (assessing, planning/zoning, building, police/fire coordination, parks) of similar scope. Comparable as a neighboring suburban municipality drawing from the same Kent County support infrastructure.
• Byron Township, Michigan: Adjacent Kent County general township that shares the Byron Gaines Utility Authority (BGUA) with Gaines Charter Township and is jointly served by the Kent County Sheriff South Substation. Directly comparable in suburban character, service mix, and partnership model.
• Caledonia Charter Township, Michigan: Neighboring charter township in Kent County also served by the Kent County Sheriff South Substation and operating a similar suburban municipal service portfolio (planning, zoning, assessing, fire coordination). Same governance form and adjacent geography make it a like-for-like comparable.
• Plainfield Charter Township, Michigan: Kent County charter township north of Grand Rapids with comparable suburban population, full-service municipal functions, and similar reliance on shared police/fire partnerships. Directly comparable in scale, governance form, and service breadth.
• Georgetown Charter Township, Michigan: Ottawa County charter township adjacent to the Grand Rapids metro offering a similar suburban municipal service mix (planning, building, water/sewer, fire coordination). Comparable in form, scale, and regional context.

Regional players

• City of Wyoming, Michigan: Adjacent city that is Gaines's wholesale water and sewer supplier. Operates a similar mix of municipal services and utilities but as a more urbanized jurisdiction; relevant as both a service partner and a structural comp for utility operations.

Broad incumbents

• Kent County, Michigan: The county-level public administration that provides Register of Deeds, elections support, parcel mapping (REGIS GIS), and sheriff patrol services to Gaines Charter Township. Comparable as a larger, broader public-sector entity that Gaines depends on for shared services.
• City of Grand Rapids, Michigan: Regional hub that provides wholesale sewer treatment capacity to Gaines and shares GIS/parks resources. Comparable as a much larger municipal government operating similar utility and planning functions at scale.

Others

• Byron Gaines Utility Authority (BGUA): Joint-venture utility authority co-controlled by Gaines Charter Township and Byron Township that operates the township's water distribution and sanitary sewer systems. Directly comparable as the operational arm through which Gaines delivers its core utility service.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=http://www.gainestownship.org
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/gaines-charter-township

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Gaines Charter Township