It's been a long time, but there's finally some news from Lansing.

For too many months my proposal to abolish my office was caught up in the budget debacle, but that's no longer the case.

After 54 years of waiting, voters in Cheboygan County will be allowed to abolish the office of drain commissioner at the next election under legislation introduced by Representative Rick Jones, a Republican from Grand Ledge.

Jones, a former county sheriff, is the sponsor of House Bull 5216 -- which would allow counties with a population under 35,000 to abolish the drain commissioner's position and devolve the duties and responsibilities to the county road commission.

And with the commitment from House Speaker Andy Dillon, a Democrat from Redford Township, to allow my proposal to come up for a vote, I'm optimistic this good-government reform will pass through the Legislature and get signed by the governor.

My proposal is commonsense and reforms the way government is structured in Michigan by allowing taxpayers to decide the type of government that best serves their local community.

Under current law, drain commissioners are required -- regardless of need -- in all counties with a population over 12,000.

The position, which dates to Michigan's statehood in 1837, is responsible for overseeing water resources.

For the record, Cheboygan County has not had a drainage project since World War II.