 By Mark Hackel, Macomb County Executive
This December I delivered my second State of the County address for Macomb County. I am proud to share how we are leading the way in efficient, economic and ethical governance. It was an excellent opportunity to reflect on all of our accomplishments in 2012 and to present a clear vision forward for the future.
We are only 24 months into the new executive form of County government and already we have made tremendous progress. For the first time, we are marketing and branding our county as a world class place to live and do business. Through initiatives such as Make Macomb Your Home and the Blue Economy, we are seeing a positive reception and very real results. Residents and businesses are taking notice of our success. We are adding more new residents than any other county in Michigan.
This year marked the creation of new programs and resources designed to spur investment and grow more jobs in our county. The launch of the “Home in Macomb Business Retention Program”, the opening of the Michigan Defense Center at Velocity, the location of a new planning and economic development satellite office in Eastpointe, and many other advances will all help drive new investment in Macomb County.
We’ve worked hard to maintain and improve public safety by creating the M.A.D.E. safe council, getting the dangerous K2 drug off the streets and away from our children and laying the groundwork for a new county integrated communications center.
Importantly, we did all of this and much more with a balanced budget and no tax increases. Macomb County has one of the lowest tax rates in the entire state and continues to be a leader in providing value to the public. We are one of only three counties in Michigan to have a top AAA bond rating.
The progress we made in 2012 sets the pace for momentum in 2013. We have laid the foundation for smarter and more efficient government in the future. All of our accomplishments are possible because of the hard work and commitment of our employees and our dedicated partners. I want to again thank them all for their continued support and shared vision of a brighter future for Macomb.
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By Pete Provenzano, Finance Director
Macomb County is a role model for fiscal responsibility. We
are one of only three counties in Michigan to maintain the top AAA bond rating
and one of only 67 counties nationwide. In 2011, 2012 and 2013 the county
balanced a budget that did not tap into general fund balances and increased our
reserve fund balance to $55 million.
By Stephen Cassin, Director Planning & Economic Development
This was a successful year for the department of Planning
and Economic Development. Our office has always been a leader in collaboration
and we continued that trend in 2012. We further developed our existing
partnerships and formed new ones to deliver a wider range of services for our
business and municipal clients.
By Melissa Roy, Assistant County Executive
This year we have focused on coordinated, more efficient and more cost effective government. Working with our local communities, we have implemented more shared programs through policing, economic development and our new integrated operations and communications center. The State has recognized our work in this arena and awarded the County the second largest economic vitality grant in Michigan. All of these programs are making county government more efficient and offering coordinated services with local governments. Last year, we implemented a program to honor innovative local communities. This program awarded eight communities this year and will award seven different communities next year.
By Al Lorenzo, Assistant County Executive
Although County government has no direct responsibility for
education, the enormous impact that education has on a community is of interest
to everyone. That’s why enhancing access
to high quality and relevant educational opportunities at every level is an
essential component of the County’s economic and workforce development
initiatives.
By Sandy Jurek, Chief Information Officer
One of the most critical challenges facing Macomb County
today is the imperative to stay current with the increasing demand and rapid
pace of change in technology. I was
selected as the new Chief Information Officer in August 2012 to oversee the
County’s entire portfolio of technology projects, services, vendors, and
staff. My role also includes ensuring
that technology investments are wisely aligned to strategic goals, and to help
the County more cost-effectively deliver the highest quality technology solutions.
By Mark Deldin, Deputy County Executive
Our strong sense of community is a large part of what makes
Macomb County such a wonderful place to live and own a business. In county
government, we work hard to deliver great services and would like to give
thanks to our many community partners that make this possible.
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