Local Government

Published June 22, 2020

City of Ferndale, school district pass measures declaring intent to fight racism

FERNDALE — Amid nationwide and local protests of the death of George Floyd, police brutality and systemic racism, the city of Ferndale and its school district both recently passed resolutions dealing with racism.

Eastpointe to reinstate city ethics board

Published June 19, 2020

Roseville - Eastpointe Eastsider

Eastpointe to reinstate city ethics board

EASTPOINTE — The Eastpointe City Council voted unanimously at its regular meeting June 2 to reinstate the city’s ethics board, which had been disbanded since 2011.

Visitors to the St. Clair Shores Public Library are asked to stop, sanitize their hands and take a time card to track the library’s capacity.

Published June 19, 2020

St. Clair Shores Sentinel

St. Clair Shores City Hall, library, other SCS buildings reopen to public

ST. CLAIR SHORES — Masks, hand sanitizer and plexiglass dividers greet visitors to St. Clair Shores municipal buildings as they reopen after a nearly three-month shutdown due to COVID-19.

Published June 19, 2020

Sterling Heights Sentry

Sterling Heights tightens budget belt amid economic downturn

STERLING HEIGHTS — It required some targeted spending cuts and the use of rainy day funds, but Sterling Heights now has a new budget for the 2020-21 fiscal year.

Published June 19, 2020

Sterling Heights Sentry

Diversity discussed at council meeting

STERLING HEIGHTS — At the June 16 Sterling Heights City Council meeting, Sterling Heights Police Chief Dale Dwojakowski said city officials had more to say about law enforcement policies and governmental reforms.

Published June 19, 2020

C&G Newspapers

Macomb County a national leader in census response rate

MACOMB COUNTY — The COVID-19 pandemic moved the census deadline back to Oct. 31, but so far, Macomb County is exceeding expectations. At press time, the county was experiencing an approximate 78% response rate. For counties with 500,000-plus residents, Macomb County was leading the entire nation in response rate.

Published June 19, 2020

Warren Weekly

Center Line OKs status quo budget in ‘uncertain’ times

CENTER LINE — Despite a lot of uncertainty about the state’s finances and revenue sharing to local municipalities in the era of the coronavirus, Center Line officials adopted a “status quo” budget on June 1 for the 2021 fiscal year.

Published June 19, 2020

Madison - Park News

Council members reflect on Black Lives Matter movement

MADISON HEIGHTS/HAZEL PARK — The Black Lives Matter movement has taken the world by storm in the wake of George Floyd’s death, raising awareness for the hardships minorities suffer at the hands of police.

Published June 19, 2020

Madison - Park News

Hazel Park budgets cautiously amid pandemic

HAZEL PARK — While the budget unanimously adopted by the Hazel Park City Council late last month is essentially a mirror image of the previous year’s budget, it was approved with the caveat that aspects of it may need to be revisited in the future, as the full impact of the pandemic on the city’s finances becomes clear.

Published June 19, 2020

Madison - Park News

Madison Heights mayor resigns, takes oath for Hazel Park judgeship

MADISON HEIGHTS/HAZEL PARK — Brian Hartwell is no longer the mayor of Madison Heights, following his resignation in order to become the new judge of Hazel Park 43rd District Court.

Published June 19, 2020

Madison - Park News

Officials discuss COVID’s impact on their lives

MADISON HEIGHTS/HAZEL PARK — While they’re more visible in the public eye, the men and women elected to the City Council are still people at the end of the day, and like everyone else, they too have been tested by the ongoing pandemic.

Published June 19, 2020

C&G Newspapers

Macomb County emergency declaration likely won’t be extended

MACOMB COUNTY — Over the last several weeks, Macomb County has seen encouraging news in the number of new COVID-19 cases.

Published June 19, 2020

Mount Clemens - Clinton - Harrison Journal

Downtown Mount Clemens improvements discussed

MOUNT CLEMENS — The extension of a local state of emergency, and some ideas about downtown improvements, highlighted a recent Mount Clemens City Commission meeting.

Published June 19, 2020

Mount Clemens - Clinton - Harrison Journal

Supervisor discusses pandemic, other local issues

HARRISON TOWNSHIP — As the COVID-19 pandemic wages on, local municipalities are still attending to other matters.

Harper Woods and police and fire unions reach new OPEB agreement

Published June 18, 2020

Advertiser Times

Harper Woods and police and fire unions reach new OPEB agreement

HARPER WOODS — The city of Harper Woods reached a new agreement with its police and fire unions regarding other post-employment benefits that both the unions and city said they found favorable.

Employees of the city of Harper Woods were treated to a thank-you meal by city administrators on May 14 in recognition for the extra effort they took during the COVID-19 quarantine.

Published June 18, 2020

Advertiser Times

Harper Woods hosts lunch to thank staff for extra effort during quarantine

HARPER WOODS — The city of Harper Woods, in conjunction with the Wayne County Executive’s Office, took time May 14 to thank its employees with a lunch for going the extra mile to maintain city services despite the COVID-19 quarantine.

Published June 18, 2020

C&G Newspapers

Macomb County Public Works sues wipes manufacturers

MACOMB COUNTY — A Macomb County official and three Michigan-based legislators are calling on other federal lawmakers to pass legislation requiring a change in labeling and marketing of “flushable” wipes.

Published June 18, 2020

C&G Newspapers

Small businesses can stake claim for $20 million in grants

MACOMB COUNTY — On June 11, Macomb County Executive Mark Hackel and Macomb County Planning and Economic Development Director Vicky Rad announced the beginning of a small business sustainability grant program.

Published June 15, 2020

Fraser - Clinton Township Chronicle

Clinton Township residents again asked to complete strategic plan survey

CLINTON TOWNSHIP — Clinton Township officials are again asking residents for input related to the implementation of its strategic plan.

Published June 9, 2020

Farmington Press

DDA, city officials provide temporary relief to restaurants, retailers

FARMINGTON — As restaurants and retailers in Farmington begin reopening their doors to customers for the first time in more than two months, another round of help is on the way from the city’s Downtown Development Authority and other city officials.