• New Hires/Retirees
• Macomb Food Program's Elimination Raffle returns March 12
• Healthstyles March Lunch & Learn
• Recipe Corner
• Calendar of Events
• Press Pass
• Red Hot Macomb event raises money for American Heart Association
• Mark's Message
• Employee Focus
• Macomb's Memories - The Ghost of Market Street
• Macomb County Health Department employees celebrate Go Red for Women campaign
• Pets of the Month

New Hires/Retirees

Click here for a list of December 2014 new hires/retirees in Macomb County.

Macomb Food Program's Elimination Raffle returns March 12

Healthstyles March Lunch & Learn

Exercising with Resistance Bands

Learn how to increase strength and flexibility by using resistance bands. Matt Saval, an exercise specialist, will demonstrate and instruct the group on using these bands. They're great for a quick workout at the office, home or while traveling. Each participant receives a resistance band. RSVP for your spot – space is limited.

Click here for more information on Healthstyles Lunch and Learn.

Recipe Corner

Click here for delicious Cranberry-Pecan Butternut Squash recipe courtesy of MSUE.

Calendar of Events

Click here to view upcoming Macomb County events.

Press Pass

Below is a list of some positive press that has happened in Macomb County this past month:

Macomb County’s COMTEC in full operation and under budget

Macomb County’s top businesses honored

OneMacomb makes arts, culture top priority for 2015

Red Hot Macomb event raises money for American Heart Association

On Feb. 12, hundreds braved the cold and attended the Red Hot Macomb: Turn the Creek Red event at The Mall at Partridge Creek. Macomb County, Henry Ford Macomb Hospital, McLaren Macomb, Beaumont Health System, St. John Providence Health System, the Macomb County Chamber of Commerce and The Mall at Partridge Creek sponsored the event. Attendees got to enjoy dark chocolate, wine, shopping and jazz music to go along with the heart healthy theme. Organizers are still calculating how much was raised.

MMYH Blog continues to grow

If you haven't yet, you simply must check out Macomb County's Make Macomb Your Home blog. We have some staff, as well as community members, making fantastic contributions to this site. Visit http://www.mmyh.org/blog.html to see what was written about in February. Also, if you'd like to contribute, e-mail Sarah Cormier at cormier@macombgov.org. We'd love to add more writers to our team!

Click here to view a pdf version of Macomb Matters.

Mark's Message

In the beginning of the month, Punxsutawney Phil predicted six more weeks of winter, and boy are we feeling the chill now! I think it’s safe to assume that many of you are staying inside more now, especially during your lunch breaks. If you need some more scenery besides your work cubicle, take a visit to the lobby of the Macomb County Administration Building. Located on the first floor, the lobby is accessible from the front door situated at the corner of Cass and Main Street.

This month, the lobby was redecorated to include new carpet, televisions, tables and chairs. The new look is modern yet comfortable. Most importantly, it gives an inviting feel to both employees and those who visit our county. Also known as the Bobby Hill Welcoming Center, the lobby has specifically been dedicated to celebrate Macomb County’s diversity. The recent renovations are part of an overall, continuous plan to make sure the lobby is welcoming to all who enter its doors.

I’m inviting all of you to check out the changes, take a break and enjoy the updates!

Mark A. Hackel

Macomb County Executive

Macomb County employees are already enjoying all of the new, modern amenities the updated lobby offers.

Employee Focus

John Abraham - Department of Roads

By Sarah Cormier, Macomb County Executive Office

Sometimes it might seem like the endless traffic lights, signs and markings on the roadways are unnecessary. Who decides what signage is needed and not? How are traffic lights timed? Is anything ever done in the case of special events?

Here in Macomb County, it’s John Abraham who is often making the decisions related to those questions and many more. As the director of traffic and operations for Macomb County, Abraham oversees the county’s Traffic Operations Center, commonly referred to as the TOC, which is located in COMTEC in the Department of Roads building. The center employs two operators, six engineers and three technicians. The two operators are charged with overseeing the day-to-day flow of traffic in Macomb County’s intersections. Abraham says whenever there is a traffic backup, the operators can alert the engineers who have the ability to adjust the length of the traffic lights at the affected intersection.

Traffic backups often either happen from a car accident, or during a special event, such as the Selfridge Air Show or the Partridge Creek tree lighting. Staff meet with event promoters in the weeks leading up to the event to ensure that traffic is handled smoothly. Normally traffic lights are pre-programmed to go with traffic flows that are most popular during certain times of the day.

Click here to read more Employee Focus.

Macomb's Memories - The Ghost of Market Street

By Cynthia S. Donahue, Facilities and Operations

During the recent renovation of the old Mount Clemens fire station on Market Street, the current fire department received calls regarding a ghost. The caller, a teacher from a local school, claimed to have seen a ghost in a fireman’s uniform, trying to warn her about work being done on the old building. During a visit to the fire department, she immediately recognized a photo on the wall of former Fire Chief Frank A. Phillips as the ghost she had seen several times.

Click here to read more Macomb's Memories.

Macomb County Health Department employees celebrate Go Red for Women campaign

(Top) Macomb County Health Department employees celebrate Go Red for Women campaign.

(Left) First-ever department head selfie?! Macomb County Health and Community Services Director Steve Gold shows his support for the Go Red for Women campaign.

Pets of the Month

Floyd is a 2-year-old Jack Russell Terrier mix that was recently returned by an adopter because of an unforeseen allergy that her son had. We are sad to see him back, but he would be a wonderful addition to your home!

Smoky is a 6-year-old all gray short-haired cat that has been at the shelter for over two months now. He is very friendly and looking for a new home to curl up in.

For more information on us or any other available pets, call (586) 469-5115 or visithttp://macombgov.org/AnimalControl-Adopt.