Lynn R. Harvey

Contact Me

Former Chair, Professor Emeritus, and State and Local Government Extension Agent
Department of Agricultural, Food, and Resource Economics

Email:
harveyl@msu.edu

Degrees:
Ph.D., 1989. Michigan State University
M.S., 1978. Michigan State University
B.S., 1969. Michigan State University

Bio-Info

John Hannah Award for Program Excellence. 1989.
4 H Centenial Award - Harvey. 2002
Farm Foundation – Harvey Bio Listing

Lynn R. Harvey, Professor Emeritus and Extension Specialist in the Department of Agricultural, Food and Resource Economics at Michigan State University.

“The skills that 4-H imparted that have been most important in my life and career were organization and meeting management. Little did I know 50 years ago that learning how to conduct meetings, organize tasks and building consensus would become daily used skills in my career at Michigan State University.”

Lynn Harvey retired from Michigan State University in 2007 after a 39 year career with MSU Extension and the Department of Agricultural, Food and Resource Economics. During his tenure at MSU he was recognized as one of the most knowledgeable specialists in in the areas of state and local government and was frequently called upon by the local government associations, the Michigan Legislature, counties and municipalities, and the media to provide expert witness on a variety of topics. For 33 of his 39 years at MSU, he worked with public officials in the areas of public finance, county and municipal budgeting, property tax administration and intergovernmental contracting and consolidation. He was co-author of the John Hannah Award-winning county commissioner training program that served as a national training model. In addition to his faculty and extension specialist role, he served as acting chair for one year for the Department of Agricultural Economics and two years as Associate Director of MSU Extension. Since his retirement he has maintained an active local government consulting business.

Harvey’s community service includes six years (two as a board chair) as a member of the board of directors of St. Vincent’s Catholic Charities in Lansing and was instrumental in raising funds for a new St. Vincent’s Home for Children. He is also an active member of the East Lansing Kiwanis Club. He and his wife Mary are members of the MSU‘s Hannah Society, supporting the Michigan 4-H Children’s Garden, the WKAR Radio Talking Book Program, WKAR TV and MSU Wharton Center.

Professional Interests

Use-Value Assessment of Agricultural Lands
Revenue-Expenditure Trends in Michigan County Government
Conditional Transfer Agreements for Economic Development
City Consolidation: Case Study of Two Cities and Village in Iron County, Michigan