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Office of County Executive
Mark A. Hackel
(586) 469-7001

In This Issue....

New "Make Macomb Your Home"Website Launched to Promote Macomb County
Blue Economy Initiative Celebrated with Sprint & Splash Event
Locating a Business in Macomb Makes Dollars and Sense
Community Development Provides Stability in Our At-Risk Neighborhoods
County Employees Input Sought in Community Climate Survey
Mackinac Conference a Success for Macomb County
Macomb County Senior Citizen Services Department is Ready to Serve
Executive Focus Highlight: Outstanding Performance by Macomb County Employees
Baby Peregrines Make Macomb Their Home

New "Make Macomb Your Home"Website Launched to Promote Macomb County

By: Mark Hackel, County Executive

MarkHackel0.jpgWelcome to Make Macomb Your Home. Macomb County, home to a population larger than that of five US States has an economy that is adding on average over 1,100 jobs per month. Every day, our population grows by an average of 19 as new people decide to Make Macomb their home. As the County Executive, in addition to managing the day to day operations of county government, it is my job to market Macomb as an excellent community to make your home, locate your business, and enjoy your leisure. With that responsibility in mind, I am very pleased to share with you a new website created to showcase Macomb County and share resources that enable those interested in making Macomb their home to live, work and play.

 

MMYH-Color-rgb-t-web_0.pngAvailable at www.MakeMacombYourHome.com or www.MMYH.org, this new website is dedicated to bringing in more residents, jobs and visitors. Those who visit the site will find information about the county, its government and services, and the programs and resources available to help those interested locate in Macomb. 2I'm proud to say that the Make Macomb Your Home website is completely funded and sustained without the need of county taxpayer resources and is made possible thanks to the support of our wonderful business and community groups. I encourage you to please check it out, share it with others, and maybe you too will even discover something about Macomb that you didn't already know.

Blue Economy Initiative Celebrated with Sprint & Splash Event

By: Gerard Santoro, Program Manager Land and Water Resources

Sprint and Splash Logo_0.jpgMacomb County's Blue Economy Initiative is designed to celebrate the world-class assets of the Clinton River and Lake St. Clair as they relate to diversifying and transforming our local economy. In the spirit of promoting and celebrating our water resources, Macomb County will be holding the first-ever Sprint and Splash at Lake St. Clair on Saturday, June 9th at Lake St. Clair Metropark. The event is a unique and cool way to kick-off the warm-weather season with 3 options for participation: a family friendly 5K Fun Run/Walk, a duathlon – 5K Run & 5K Kayak, and a sanctioned stand-up paddle boarding competition. Participants of all ages and athletic abilities are encouraged to participate. The event will also feature a "Beach Village"with food, clothing, health/fitness and recreation vendors. Throughout the day there will be a DJ and Zumba on the beach. Those who register online will receive a carrying bag, T-Shirt, and other related materials. Participants are encouraged to register by Tuesday, June 5th and can do so online at the Sprint and Splash website www.SprintandSplash.com. All who participate in this event will be supporting organizations that are working to improve the regional economy by increasing tourism to Lake St. Clair and its coastal communities, while also striving to protect and restore Lake St. Clair, the Clinton River and the surrounding natural areas. If you are interested in volunteering for this event please visit http://www.newtontiming.com/ or call 586-469-5285. For more information on the event and participant fees, please visit the Sprint and Splash website.

Locating a Business in Macomb Makes Dollars and Sense

By: Stephen Cassin, Director Macomb County Planning & Economic Development

The buzz on Mackinac Island during this year's Detroit Regional Chamber Policy Conference was about Michigan's growing reputation as the "come-back"state. The Macomb County Department of Planning & Economic Development is proud to be contributing to the turnaround. Our priority is to retain existing businesses and attract new investment. During 2011, the companies we served invested nearly $106 million in facilities and equipment and retained or created more than 3,500 jobs. Our clients tell us that Macomb County is a great place to grow a business. Naturally, our exceptional quality of life is attractive. Other key factors include our proximity to customers and a rich supplier network, lower-than-average costs and the availability of suitable facilities and land. Macomb's safe neighborhoods, strong schools, excellent health care options and vast recreational opportunities satisfy the lifestyle needs of key personnel while providing a deep base of employee candidates. Within 500 miles of half of the population of North America, Macomb's growing and diverse population hits a wide array of target markets complimented by abundant opportunities for local business-to-business sourcing. Available buildings and land meet the specifications of businesses of all types and sizes. And, a new corporate tax structure coupled with low insurance rates and competitive wages make it is less expensive to do business in Macomb County. Our economic development staff connects businesses with currently available development resources. To learn more about our services, visit www.MacombBusiness.com or call 596-469-5285.

Community Development Provides Stability in Our At-Risk Neighborhoods

By: Mike Rozny, Program Manager Macomb County Community Development

Community development often serves as a safeguard against deterioration in a neighborhood. Each day in Macomb County resources that are provided by federal grants are utilized to support and revitalize our most in need neighborhoods. The funds for these projects are provided to the county through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and include the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program, HOME program and Neighborhood Stabilization Program (NSP). Through partnerships with local communities, these funds are directly benefitting Macomb County residents by providing affordable places to live for low income residents, helping the elderly remain independent and living in their homes and providing supportive services. Some of the projects that are serving the community include the redevelopment of Oakwood Middle School into 40 new units of affordable rental housing for seniors, a drain project in Shelby Township to remove recurrent water damage issues due to poor drainage, and emergency roof repairs and insulation assistance to homes in Macomb Township. These projects also provide spinoff community benefits as well. Remarkably, the department is able to accomplish all of this without the use of county taxpayer resources. In the last fiscal year (which ran from April 2011 through March of 2012), the community development program utilized over 3.5 million dollars in NSP funds, 1.5 million dollars in CDBG funds and just over 700 thousand in HOME funds, which went to providing essential services to Macomb County residents.

County Employees Input Sought in Community Climate Survey

By: Al Lorenzo, Assistant County Executive & Nick Posavetz, Macomb County Planning & Economic Development

Since 2009, Oakland University, in a partnership with the Macomb County Planning & Economic Development Department, has conducted four business climate surveys used to assess the conditions of Macomb's economic climate. The results of the survey have played a key role in measuring the health or our economy and have proven to be a useful tool in determining future needs. Following the success of the business climate surveys, Macomb County will be undertaking a new "community"climate survey. Utilizing web-based tools similar to those used to create the Business Climate Survey, the goal of the Community Climate Survey is to assess residents' satisfaction with important local conditions and services. The feedback gained from the survey will be used to better prioritize services and provide information to guide public policy decisions. Macomb County is a wonderfully diverse location, having communities that span the spectrum from urban to rural, old and new. The data collected will not only help us understand and manage resources for the county but will also be broken down by community and used to help assess needs and trends on a local level. We felt the best place to begin was to solicit the opinions of County employees, most of whom live in Macomb County. So please take a few minutes to tell us what you think and give us feedback on your experiences living in Macomb County. The survey is available online by clicking here.

Mackinac Conference a Success for Macomb County

By: Melissa Roy, Assistant County Executive

It was a fast and furious few days up at the Detroit Regional Chamber's annual Leadership Conference on Mackinac Island last week. More than 1,500 government, business, education and labor leaders attended the event to discuss important regional, state and national issues. For Macomb County, it was a great opportunity to advance our key programs, including the Make Macomb Your Home marketing campaign and the Blue Economy and Defense Capital of the Midwest initiatives. We started off on Tuesday with a lot of buzz about Make Macomb Your Home. The launch of the website filled the media airwaves and the halls of the Grand Hotel. County Executive Mark Hackel met with over 50 business leaders and conducted dozens of media interviews in two days. Every meeting was focused on introducing Macomb, who we are, what we have and making a pitch for supporting investment in the county. The conference is a once-in-a-year opportunity to gather with corporate CEOs, elected officials and executives from other sectors in a more social setting. But the gathering is far from casual. All of the top business leaders from around the region are within arms-length at the Grand Hotel. Important business takes place and gets done during one-on-one sidebars throughout the Grand Hotel. As a result of our meetings and media interviews, we have formed an executive committee of business and community leaders that will meet for the next year. This group will figure out where we can attract more corporate citizenship and non-profit support, market Macomb's assets and how to get more resources into Macomb communities.

Macomb County Senior Citizen Services Department is Ready to Serve

By: Rhonda M Powell, Director of Macomb County Senior Citizen Services

Macomb County is expected to see a huge increase in the aging population between the years 2015 and 2030. For every one resident gained under the age of 65, another seven residents age 65 and older will be added. Statistics project that by 2016 the population of Macomb County residents aged 55 and older will number about 251,422. Many new challenges will be faced as we greet the aging population. Macomb County Senior Citizen Services says "welcome"to the 250,000+ older adult residents. It is equipped and eager to serve with a variety of services. Over 32,000 telephone calls are received in our call center each year. Macomb County residents, aged 60 and older are assisted by many donation-only or low fee services, such as:

  • The Information and Referral desk provides information on most aging issues.
  • Adult Day Service provides respite for caregivers.
  • The Legal Assistance Program helps with legal matters.
  • A team of Resource Advocates assesses client needs and recommends services.
  • The Prescription Resource Network helps many seniors to receive their needed prescriptions at no cost or low fees.

Seniors face many difficult issues each day that require making decisions. Information is provided on many subjects when they attend events and seminars. Seniors can learn about health issues, retirement, social security, Medicare, Medicaid and how to avoid becoming a victim of identity theft. Collaborations with many agencies are created to form bonds between seniors, their families, communities and professionals, offering a safety net for the senior. Knowledgeable staff is passionate about serving older adults. Please call 586-469-6313 for more information or visit our website.

Executive Focus Highlight: Outstanding Performance by Macomb County Employees

Beginning with this issue, Executive Focus will highlight the outstanding work of Macomb County employees who demonstrate a high level of excellence and commitment to their work. To nominate an employee for future consideration, send an e-mail to Executive@Macombgov.org stating in 250 words or less why they should be featured.

The first employee to be featured in Executive Focus is Macomb County Director of Finance Peter Provenzano Jr., who has just been chosen as Crain's Detroit Business 2012 CFO of the Year. "I am honored to have been selected from such a talented pool of CFO candidates and I am grateful to the main department heads, elected officials and employees that have contributed to the county's fiscal stability,"said Provenzano. "This award would not have been possible without a very talented staff. I am very proud of the finance team we have assembled."Macomb County has always had a history of financial responsibility, but Provenzano has taken the concept to the next level through his leadership. "Pete inherited a budget that was structurally deficient,"said Macomb County Executive Mark Hackel. "Under his watch, the County has transitioned to a timelier and transparent budget process."As a result of Provenzano's improvements, Standard & Poor's awarded Macomb County a AAA bond rating, adding that the company anticipates the County will receive that same rating through at least 2013. This AAA bond rating allowed the County to refinance bonds and prevent possible job eliminations by saving the County an additional $1 million. Additionally, Provenzano started doing quarterly budget reports and Macomb County became the first in Michigan publish a comprehensive financial dashboard for the public to view. The County's budget documents were redesigned to improve the readability and transparency of financial operations. Moreover, the Finance Department was reorganized to reflect the County's focus on budgeting for long-term sustainability. Provenzano was recognized in the May 28 issue of Crain's Detroit Business. A reception for the winners will be held on June 12. Just prior to working for Macomb County, Provenzano acted as the controller/assistant city manager for Roseville for six years.

Baby Peregrines Make Macomb Their Home

Mount Clemens is once again host to baby peregrine falcons, an endangered species in Michigan. Two eggs were hatched to parents Hathor and Nick in the beginning of May atop the Old County Building in downtown Mount Clemens. The first was named Otis after 94-year-old Otis Hopson, who has worked as a shoe shiner in the lobby of the Macomb County Circuit Court in downtown Mount Clemens for the past 20 years. Hopson has lived in Mount Clemens for 88 years. The second chick was named Webber after Wayne and Joan Webber, a Chesterfield Township couple who head the Webber Foundation, which has generously benefited a number of educational, medical and other causes in the tri-county area for years. Wayne Webber is the former owner of W.W. Webber Inc., a highway construction firm that was sold in 2005. He still runs other business in Michigan and Texas, but his primary focus is pursuing philanthropic endeavors through the foundation. "Otis and the Webbers are fine examples of people who make up the fabric of what Macomb County is all about,"said Macomb County Executive Hackel who had the honor to name the birds. The Peregrine remains protected federally under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. In Michigan, Peregrines remain listed as an endangered species under state law. To learn more about Macomb County's Peregrine Falcons, visit http://www.macombgov.org/peregrine. Other successful nests in Macomb County include

  • 2011: Diana, Edna and Rosie
  • 2010: Harwell, Martha and Packard
  • 2009: Cass, Tucker and Wetzel
  • 2008: Clair, Clementine and Lenny
  • 2005: Alexa