Macomb County · issues
Civic issues
Topics getting the most attention in Macomb County public meetings, ranked by how frequently they come up.
Community Food Bank grant funding
An $84,549 increase to the federal TEFAP program would boost emergency food distribution through Macomb Community Action — more food for pantries and families in need.
County Seal Ordinance
A draft ordinance would set official standards for who can use the county seal and how — aimed at preventing misuse of the county's official emblem. Discussion only at this stage.
Next Generation 911 Implementation
The Sheriff's Dispatch Office needs an extra $165,100 of contract authority with Mission Critical Partners to finish its transition to the new Axon 911 phone system. Officials stressed it's a spending ceiling, not a commitment to spend it all.
Sheriff's Road Patrol Staffing Increase
The Sheriff is 19 deputies short with 13 recruits graduating in December, plus six corrections and three dispatcher vacancies. The crime suppression unit (one sergeant, two deputies) made it into the general fund budget after four years of requests, but a Macomb Auto Theft Squad lieutenant position did not.
Opioid settlement funds to add mental health therapists
Opioid settlement money will pay for two more MCCMH therapists at the intake center — part of a push to connect people in the justice system with treatment.
Courtroom space shortage
Chief Judge Biernat says the courts are out of room — one judge is sharing a conference room with another judge, and pending legislation could add three new circuit judges the county has no space for. A space needs assessment backs him up.
Federal Crime Victim Compensation Access
A Kent County resident told the committee that crime victims and survivors struggle to access federal compensation funds, and urged the county to find middle ground between fraud concerns and victims' needs amid a dispute over the county executive's signing of a federal grant certificate.
Missing sheriff's deputy at prosecutor's child support unit
The prosecutor's third-floor cooperative reimbursement unit — open to the public, with DNA testing that brings in children — hasn't had an armed deputy since COVID. There was a fight there this year. The office wants the position restored, with 66% grant-funded.
Obsolete courtroom recording equipment
The courts' 15-year-old electronic recording system is failing mid-trial — one judge had to move her trial to another courtroom. A vendor was chosen in August 2026, but the pilot was shelved over funding; the judge says a clean trial record is legally essential.
Juvenile Justice Center facility upgrades
A $900,930 video surveillance system for the Juvenile Justice Center was postponed to September while the board sorts out its capital funding process.
Firearm safe storage and youth gun violence
Another child was shot with an unsecured gun the same day as the meeting. Commissioner Howard urged residents to pick up free gun locks from any police department — no questions asked — or call him directly for one.
MSHDA Emergency Solutions Grant funding for homeless services
The board added state and federal dollars for homeless and housing providers, senior transportation services, and home weatherization help — money that flows to struggling households in Macomb County.
Traveling petting zoo animal welfare
A resident alleged a petting zoo at Freedom Hill's Harvest Fest violated Michigan's anti-cruelty statute and USDA licensing rules, leaving animals without shelter, and urged the county to investigate since the venue is overseen by the county.
Resident complaint about county domestic violence resources
A domestic violence survivor told the committee that county-funded Care House and Turning Point services failed her family, said she was denied interpreter services, and asked the board to revisit her August 2026 claim.
Public Defender's Office Indigent Defense Funding
The county Public Defender's Office will keep managing attorney appointments and invoices in Shelby Township District Court for another year under an extended interlocal agreement.
42-1 District Court (Romeo) Facade Renovation
The 1991-built Romeo court building has serious water intrusion from a failing exterior insulation system that caused rot and mold. A $1.3 million fix replacing the cladding and roof was recommended 9-2.
Prosecutor–County Executive grant standoff
Prosecutor Peter Lucido asked the board for up to $60,000 in outside counsel to sue County Executive Mark Hackel for refusing to sign federal grant certifications — blocking millions in grants for domestic violence and sexual assault services. Hackel showed up in person, said he won't sign blindly and wants open dialogue instead of litigation. The committee sent both requests to the full board, where commissioners hope to broker a resolution.
Prosecutor Tele Town Halls on Senior Scams
The Prosecutor's Office will spend up to $91,797.50 on a phone-based town hall platform, but two commissioners objected to paying a telemarketing-style service to reach residents.
Crisis response unit — deputy plus mental health professional
The Sheriff's Office wants a new two-person crisis response team — a deputy paired with a mental health professional — to handle behavioral health 911 calls, with the goal of treatment instead of jail. Community Mental Health is picking up part of the cost.
DOJ Grant Certifications and Separation of Powers Dispute
Prosecutor Peter Lucido asked the board for up to $60,000 in outside counsel to sue County Executive Mark Hackel for refusing to sign federal grant certifications — blocking millions in grants for domestic violence and sexual assault services. Hackel showed up in person, said he won't sign blindly and wants open dialogue instead of litigation. The committee sent both requests to the full board, where commissioners hope to broker a resolution.
Aging county building systems
The Juvenile Justice Center's 23-year-old surveillance system, 2002-era chillers and boilers, and 1990s warehouse HVAC units all need replacement — but the money questions killed two of the three requests.
Regional measles vaccine stockpile
The county will host a regional stash of measles immune globulin so neighboring communities can respond quickly to an outbreak, with the state covering $10,000 of storage costs.
Substance Use Disorder Oversight Policy Board appointments
Two seats are open on the board that oversees substance use disorder policy. Candidates including people in long-term recovery and a veteran family advocate spoke, and the full slate now goes to the full Board for a vote next week.
Medical Examiner equipment funding
The Health Department found $45,500 within its own budget to replace the Medical Examiner's long-obsolete microscopes. Commissioners praised the internal funding move.
Juvenile Justice Center Food Service Contract
A new vendor, Variety Food Services, will provide meals to youth at the Juvenile Justice Center for up to $200,000 a year after being the sole bidder. Staff say the quality and quantity have been vetted.
Countywide Avigilon card-access system expansion
The committees recommended $1.33 million in spending to finish replacing outdated security systems: badge access for the Sheriff's Office and cameras at the Juvenile Justice Center, where about 20 cameras — including entrances — are down on a 22-year-old system. Staff say the camera failures are a real safety concern at a 24-hour facility.
Macomb County Jail security electronics replacement
An electrical survey found a wiring fault causing problems throughout the jail tower. A $162,300 fix by Motor City Electric is on the way ahead of the CIAC project.
Prosecuting Attorney staffing and legal services
The board unanimously overrode County Executive Hackel's veto, restoring its approval of legal services for the Prosecutor's Office — a rare show of board independence.
Emergency preparedness funding (Cities Readiness Initiative)
The Health Department landed $134,059 in state grant money, mainly for conference audio-visual equipment at the VERC building.
Public Participation Policy for People with Disabilities
A new Corporation Counsel-recommended policy formalizes how residents with disabilities can participate in county meetings.
WIC Services for Arabic-Speaking Families (ACCESS)
A renewed $311,000 grant-funded contract keeps ACCESS providing WIC nutrition services to about 2,200 Arabic-speaking clients a month — roughly 18% of the county's WIC caseload.
Sheriff scheduler replacement
The Sheriff's decade-old, in-house scheduling system can't keep up with increasingly complex union contracts, so the county is buying a specialized FieldWare system with Workday integration for $110,685.
Specialty court treatment and testing services
Drug court participants will keep getting outpatient mental health and substance abuse treatment plus required drug testing through four grant-funded contracts — Commissioner Howard praised the program for 'helping people versus incarcerating people.'
Infant health funding for Macomb County (RPQC subaward)
A $129,738 state grant increase supports the Maternal Infant Health Program staffing and public health infrastructure, including batch scanners and video cameras at the medical examiner's office.
County fleet replacement purchases
The committees recommended about $2.3 million in replacement vehicles for the Sheriff's Office, Animal Control, Emergency Management, Facilities, Public Works and county leadership. Most are bought off state bid pricing since no Macomb County dealers currently hold the state bid.
Elevator maintenance and modernization strategy
Commissioners dug into how proprietary elevator systems limit competition — Otis holds the maintenance contract for the downtown campus because most of those elevators are proprietary, while Martha T. Berry and the new jail chose non-proprietary systems.
Breast cancer screening access
Commissioners Howard and Goike used the Cancer Society recognition to highlight that women of color and younger women are often denied MRI screening by insurers, and that 10% of breast cancer cases occur in men but often go undiagnosed.
Sheriff in-car camera systems
The Sheriff's Office is getting 15 new in-car cameras for its transport fleet for $119,154 through 2029, paid from grant funds. It plugs into the camera contract the county recently renewed so all equipment refreshes together.
42-2 District Court Magistrate appointment
The 42-2 District Court in New Baltimore needed a new magistrate after its longtime magistrate retired. Attorney Genevieve Taylor, who has practiced in Macomb County since 2008 and already completed magistrate training, got the committee's unanimous nod.
New Baltimore Court Gets a Permanent Deputy
The board replaced a court officer position with a sheriff's deputy at the New Baltimore District Court — same cost, but law enforcement staffing instead of court staffing.
Radio Encryption Mandate for Police
New federal rules require police to be able to talk on encrypted channels by October 2026. The county is buying $152,128 in software to upgrade 340 existing radios instead of buying a whole new radio fleet — a cheaper fix that keeps officers compliant and their communications secure.
AED Replacement in Sheriff Patrol Vehicles
Some of the Sheriff's defibrillators could fail when needed most — the manufacturer flagged the defect. The county is leasing 52 new AEDs plus first aid kits for $219,820 over two years, with 28-day inspections. Leasing beat buying because each unit runs about $1,200 and batteries and pads keep costing money.
Community Mental Health Board appointments
A crowded field of 17 applicants vied for four CMH board seats; Commissioner Wallace was among those reappointed, and Lori Phillips praised the board's support of mental health services.
Cybersecurity Grant Funding
The county landed an extra $166,798 in federal/state cybersecurity grant money to fund security assessments and offset the cost of its Zscaler protection software.
Prosecutor Legal Services Veto Override
The board overrode County Executive Hackel's veto and funded outside legal services for the Prosecutor's Office, 12-0 after closed session.
Prosecutor's Office Leadership Restructuring
With chief appellate lawyer Josh Abbott retiring after 22 years, the Prosecutor's Office is swapping that position for a chief of staff attorney role — budget neutral — and fixing a clerical error that dropped the victim witness coordinator. Abbott will return part-time.
Juvenile Justice Center police labor contract
A new contract for about 40 juvenile justice center employees is headed to the full Board after workers rejected an earlier deal and mediation produced a settlement.
Additional Sheriff's Deputy and Vehicle for Harrison Township
Harrison Township is paying for one extra sheriff's deputy and vehicle through the end of 2027, boosting patrol coverage there. The township reimburses the county, so county general taxpayers aren't footing the bill.
Kratom ('gas station heroin') sales to minors
Commissioner Howard warned that Kratom — addictive and sold at dozens of gas stations countywide — is surging again, and said patchwork municipal bans aren't enough. He's calling for a countywide solution to keep it away from kids.
State grant cut forces sheriff staffing shuffle
The state reduced the Secondary Road Patrol grant, so two deputies have to move back onto the county's general fund — a $270,192 budget amendment plus a two-position change. Board Chair Sabatini flagged unresolved questions about how the county tracks sheriff positions and wants answers before the full board votes.