Focus Macomb - August 2023

Message from Mark
Concerned about child care in Macomb County? Input from families, providers and employers needed to develop potential solutions
Genisys Credit Union makes record donation to Macomb Community Action’s Walk For Warmth program
Macomb County Health Department program receives national and state recognition
Macomb County Department of Roads recognized for innovative traffic management and operations
Macomb County, Chesterfield Township unveil plaque and host dedication of new trees planted with $25,000 grant
Save the Date(s)
Macomb in the News, Macomb Business Blog

Message from Mark

Hello and welcome to the August edition of Focus Macomb.

It’s hard to believe that we're nearing Labor Day weekend and headed towards fall. But warm weather is still in the forecast, so I’d like to begin this message by highlighting one of our beloved local waterways – Lake St. Clair. This lake is an incredible resource, not only for our community, but for our entire state. And with our efforts around the Blue Economy initiative, we’re working to ensure that it remains a top priority when it comes to investment, enhancement and preservation for many years to come. For instance, this summer Macomb County Planning and Economic Development unveiled its first ever Lake St. Clair Coastal Study, a report which will be used to market the region, address deficiencies and opportunities, and support funding requests that will strengthen the natural asset and its surrounding areas. One of the most notable statistics to come out of the report is that our Blue Economy provides $1.6 billion in economic value for the region and supports 18,692 jobs. That’s incredible, and it’s why the County is working with the Macomb County Chamber to establish a taskforce that will work to protect, preserve and promote the lake and its shoreline. Stay tuned for further updates on this exciting initiative and how it will help our community.

Now, as always, I like to highlight how many great things Macomb County has to offer in the summer months. Fun events like Bass, Brews and BBQ and the Armada Fair have kept my weekends busy, and while these occasions have passed, there’s still plenty to look forward to this season! You can run, walk, bike and hike our incredible parks and trail systems. We’ve also got baseball at Jimmy John’s Field, farmers markets, outdoor concerts and festivals like the Richmond Good Old Days and the Romeo Peach Festival. Speaking of, I’m extremely honored to have been selected as the Grand Marshal of the 92nd Romeo Peach Festival Parade taking place Monday, September 4 at 1:30 p.m. This parade draws a very large crowd of approximately 40,000 people and really is a lot of fun! Learn more about the parade and the festival here. I hope to see you there.

Labor Day is just around the corner, and for many, this marks the end of the summer season and the beginning of fall. So when you get the urge to go to a local orchard for apple picking, cider and donuts, or want to find festive or spooky events, visit www.makemacombyourhome.com or the Make Macomb Your Home Facebook and Events pages. These resources can be your one stop shop for everything fall in the County.

So, as you can see, there’s something for everyone in the County. It’s truly why so many people make Macomb their home.

Thank you and take care,

Mark

Concerned about child care in Macomb County? Input from families, providers and employers needed to develop potential solutions

Seeking to gain a better understanding of how child care impacts the region, Macomb County Planning and Economic Development (MCPED) is studying the issue with a goal of developing a set of recommendations that addresses concerns raised by families, employers and providers.

“We know that finding child care can be an incredible challenge for families,” said Vicky Rowinski, director, Macomb County Planning and Economic Development. “We also know that when care isn’t available, our workforce is impacted and this has a negative effect on employers. So our goal with this survey is to find out what the barriers to child care are and why they exist so we can work on a local level to remove them. It is therefore important that anyone dealing with these issues provide feedback so we can have an accurate picture of care in Macomb County.”

Funded by a grant provided through the Michigan Department of Education, MCPED formed the Macomb County Child Care Coalition in early summer to gain perspective from impacted stakeholders. Currently, the roster includes more than 60 individuals representing families, providers, employers, municipalities and other agencies.

The next step is to gain input through surveys designed for families, child care providers and employers. Each survey should take no more than ten minutes and individuals are encouraged to complete more than one, if appropriate, as a parent or guardian of a child, as the owner or manager of a child care program or as an employer whose workforce is impacted by child care issues.

Results of the surveys will be shared with the coalition who will work together to build a report that describes the current child care system and develop a set of recommendations that seeks to alleviate concerns identified by all stakeholders.

“This will be an ongoing effort,” said Rowinski. “The Coalition is made up of local parents, employers, child care providers and experts that have come together with a common goal of improving child care in our community. So we’ll use the survey data and other input to make care in Macomb County more accessible for all.”

Administered by the Early Childhood Investment Corporation, MCPED is one of 16 statewide recipients of a Regional Child Care Planning Project. The grant is supported by funding provided from the Michigan Department of Education utilizing American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding, the Office of Child Care, Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

As a means of developing a statewide strategy that addresses the needs of families, child care providers and employers, the 16 regional coalitions will convene to share results and develop statewide solutions that may pertain to access, affordability, quality, workforce needs and more with an overall goals of addressing Michigan’s pressing need for high-quality, affordable child care.

More information about the Macomb County Child Care Coalition and access to the surveys can be found: https://ped.macombgov.org/ped-MacombCountyChildCareCoalition.

Genisys Credit Union makes record donation to Macomb Community Action’s Walk For Warmth program

Genisys Credit Union makes donation to MCA

Genisys Credit Union proudly announced its continued support for Macomb Community Action’s Walk for Warmth program by presenting a major donation of over $8,000. This year’s contribution is the largest ever in the history of the program, aimed at assisting low-income residents with heating bills, furnace repairs, replacements and heat-related emergencies.

“We are grateful for Genisys Credit Union's commitment to our community and their continued support for the Walk for Warmth program,” said Macomb County Executive Mark Hackel. “Their generous donation will make a significant difference in the lives of residents in need, ensuring they can stay warm and safe during the colder months."

Since its inception, the Walk for Warmth program has raised over $780,000 to help local families facing heating-related challenges during the winter months. Held annually in February or March, it has become an essential lifeline for many vulnerable individuals and families in Macomb County. The donation from Genisys Credit Union will help ensure that local residents can stay warm and comfortable in their homes come winter time.

“Working in partnership with service agencies like Macomb Community Action gives Genisys an opportunity to provide support to our community neighbors who need it,” said Jackie Buchanan, President & CEO of Genisys Credit Union. “My deepest gratitude to our employees, members, friends, and family for the dedication and enthusiasm they have towards our fundraising efforts to benefit MCA. The impact made would not be possible without your support.”

In addition to sponsorship from Genisys Credit Union, other event supporters included Consumers Energy and San Francesco Church.

Macomb County Health Department program receives national and state recognition

The Macomb County Health Department’s (MCHD) Women Infant and Children (WIC) program recently received national and state-level awards at the 2023 Michigan WIC Training Conference held in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

The first award – a National WIC Association Leadership Award – was presented to the MCHD WIC program for its work in health equity to support its Advancing Health Equity to Achieve Diversity and Inclusion (AHEAD) project. Program activities focused on improvements in the overall WIC client experience. Program strategies included an equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) organizational assessment to determine capacity and readiness; EDI workshops for WIC staff; and consultation with industry leaders to identify ways EDI can be further incorporated into WIC program procedures, policies, and operations. The MCHD WIC program was one of six organizations nationally to receive a National WIC Association Leadership Award.

The second award – an Advanced Competent Professional Authority (Advanced CPA) award – from the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services’ WIC program – was achieved by Jill Ondreyka, a nutritionist for the WIC program at MCHD. The Advanced CPA award serves as recognition of the ability to provide direct nutrition services to WIC clients as well as technical assistance and consultation to local agency staff and other health professionals in nutrition services. Ondreyka is one of four recipients of an Advanced CPA award in Michigan.

"We are extremely proud to be recognized on both national and state levels which is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our entire team at the Macomb County Health Department,” said Macomb County Executive Mark Hackel. “We remain committed to improving the health and well-being of our community through innovative programs and a focus on health equity, diversity, and inclusion.”

“We’re all incredibly proud of the work of the entire WIC team,” said Krista Willette, director of the Macomb County Health Department. “Our staff has always been focused on client service, and these awards are proof-positive of the great work they do.”

In 2022, the Macomb County Health Department’s WIC program served an average monthly enrollment of 12,081 clients. For more information on the Macomb County Health Department’s WIC program, call (586) 469-5471.

Macomb County Department of Roads recognized for innovative traffic management and operations

The Macomb County Department of Roads (MCDR) was recently presented with a Transportation Achievement Award for Transportation Systems Management and Operations (TSMO) from the Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE) Great Lakes District. The annual ITE awards program honors outstanding achievements and excellence in the advancement of transportation.

The ITE Great Lakes District includes Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, and Wisconsin. MCDR was recognized for innovative concepts in traffic signal operations for the agency’s use of data and innovative solutions to identify traffic patterns, improve traffic flow, reduce congestion, and enhance safety on Macomb County’s corridors. Reducing delays on the roadways reduces the potential for motorists to increase their speed or make aggressive and unsafe maneuvers.

Through planning, monitoring and maintenance as part of year-round traffic operations, MCDR performs corridor and intersection rankings, analyzes data and implements the latest traffic and safety technologies to ensure safe and efficient travel for residents, motorists and visitors traveling on Macomb County roadways.

“Being recognized by our colleagues and fellow road agencies within the Great Lakes region and beyond is a tremendous honor and a testament to the work of our traffic department and personnel,” said MCDR Director Bryan Santo. “The Department of Roads has taken a strategic approach to develop a comprehensive and reliable real-time traffic operations system to deliver a safe, efficient, and informative traveling experience for the motoring public.”

Macomb County’s advanced communications network is the core of the Communications and Technology Center (COMTEC), a 25,000-square-foot state of the art facility at the Department of Roads that monitors road conditions for the department, residents, motorists and first responders, and houses the Traffic Operations Center (TOC). Under the direction of MCDR, the TOC at COMTEC serves as the hub of activity for the operation, maintenance, and monitoring of Macomb County’s deployments of advanced traffic signal systems, cameras, and the Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) communications network.

To learn more about the Department of Roads use of transportation technology, visit roads.macombgov.org.

Macomb County, Chesterfield Township unveil plaque and host dedication of new trees planted with $25,000 grant

On Monday, August 7, Macomb County held an official dedication ceremony of 20 new trees planted in Chesterfield Township through a $25,000 grant from CN Railway and the America in Bloom program. A plaque was unveiled at the event to acknowledge partners and funders of the project. Speakers included Macomb County Executive Mark Hackel, Laura Kunkle and Marvin Miller from America in Bloom, Kevin Donahue from CN Railway, Chesterfield Township Supervisor Brad Kersten and Rotary Club representative Randy McCoy. The group praised the new additions to the County’s tree canopy at Pollard Park and the efforts that went into making the project possible.

“Our Planning and Economic Development Department is committed to improving the quality of life in our communities. One way we do that is by planting trees, and oftentimes that work is supported through grants,” said County Executive Mark Hackel. “I’m proud of this team, because their efforts not only secured funding for new trees for Chesterfield Township, but also for additional plantings this fall in Lenox Township, New Haven and Clinton Township.”

Through its Green Macomb program, Macomb County is working to double the tree canopy across its 27 communities. The County’s current tree cover is 26 percent, which falls short of the USDA recommendation of a 40 percent cover or better in urban areas. To reach this goal, the County is pursuing grant funding to support tree plantings, including this $25,000 grant from CN Railway and America in Bloom. A portion of these funds were used for the new trees in Chesterfield Township at Pollard Park planted in spring 2023.

In addition to the America in Bloom and CN Railway grant, the Pollard Park planting was supported through funds from the Rotary Club of Anchor Bay, with volunteer assistance provided by 30 local high school students.