Macomb County Executive Mark A. Hackel tonight delivered his 12th State of the County address at the Macomb Center for the Performing Arts. The event, which was presented by Velocity, covered a wide-range of topics, starting with community metrics.
- Population - The county’s foreign-born population is now over 100,000, which shows that now more than ever, people from around the world are choosing to make Macomb their home.
- Housing - To meet increasing demand, 2,300 homes have been added to the county’s inventory, and median home values have risen to nearly $260,000.
- Jobs - Employment numbers are strong, with more than 460,000 residents in the labor force.
- Education - Residents are increasingly pursuing education. More than 61% of Macomb County’s population has some form of post-secondary education, degree or certification.
- Income - Median household income has hit a historically high level, and currently is near $79,000. This figure is $11,000 higher than the state average.
- Fiscal stability - For 14 consecutive years, the county has built a structurally balanced budget, creating a healthy fund balance of more than $120 million and resulting in a AA-1 bond rating with a positive outlook.
“These numbers tell us that the State of Macomb County is strong,” Hackel said. He then transitioned to the topic of partnerships, and the powerful impact they are having in Macomb County. “A lot of the good things happening in Macomb County are not the result of one person or one organization,” he said. “But they come about because of people working together.”
Six areas were then given as examples of where collaboration has been key for progress:
- Economic development
- Quality of life
- Roads and infrastructure
- Health and community services
- Public safety
- Education
In economic development, Hackel cited how local municipalities work with the county and businesses to bring large projects to life. Examples of this include the redevelopment of Lakeside Mall, the plans for General Sports and Entertainment to construct a new headquarters in downtown Utica, and the $5 million reenvisioning of Cherry Street Mall in downtown Mount Clemens.
Hackel also discussed how the county’s Blue Economy and Green Macomb initiatives bring together public and private entities to improve quality of life by promoting, protecting and preserving local assets like Lake St. Clair, the Clinton River, public trails and open spaces. These collaborative efforts have resulted in millions of dollars of state, federal, and private grant funding coming into the county, including:
- A $1 million dollar grant for a new pedestrian bridge over the Clinton River Spillway in Harrison Township.
- A $500,000 forestry grant to help local communities plant thousands of trees and increase the region’s green canopy.
Hackel noted other achievements related to the power of partnerships while speaking on roads and infrastructure, health and community services, public safety and education, including:
- The nationally recognized Innovate Mound project, which was made possible through partnerships with local municipalities and with the support of a federal INFRA grant.
- The work done by the county, local volunteers and care providers, which makes it possible for more than 500,000 Meals on Wheels deliveries to be made in a year. These partnerships have also created an environment for the formation of the Macomb County Elder Justice Alliance, which now has 80 organizations working together to combat elder abuse.
- A new Community Impact Fund included in the 2025 budget, which will involve the county partnering with Advancing Macomb to target grants and philanthropic dollars which can be invested in nonprofit development, parks and public spaces, small business innovation, senior citizen advocacy and childhood achievement
- The Macomb County Juvenile Justice Center becoming a model for regional and statewide collaboration. The facility now serves eight counties across the region, while also aiding the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services through a contractual relationship involving a state-run detention and treatment program.
- The county’s strong relationships with the MISD and Macomb Community College, which has resulted in programming for thousands of students, events and other opportunities that fuel the talent pipeline for the region.
“As you can see, a lot of great things are happening in Macomb County,” Hackel said. “But what’s behind it all? I don’t know that there is a single answer to that question, but I think there’s a reason that often gets overlooked. It’s our values. We believe in doing things together, not going it alone. We believe in bringing people in, not shutting them out. We believe in lending a hand, not pointing a finger. We believe in giving credit where it’s due, not assigning blame. Quite simply, Macomb County is a place where collaboration turns ideas into realities. And you’d be hard-pressed to find another community doing it better.”
The entire State of the County address can be found via the 2024 livestream page.
Tom Lehrer
586-463-3523
lehrer@macombgov.org
