Happy New Year!

 

Thanks for checking in on the second issue of eMacomb – Business Matters.  Based on feedback we received from many of you regarding our inaugural issue in November, we feel confident that this format is an effective method for communicating the work of our department to define business and life in Macomb County. 

With a new year already underway, I asked the program managers from each of our four service groups to share a little about their major initiatives for the remainder of the year:

 

Mike Rozny – Community Development

Despite challenges resulting from reduced federal funding, our group anticipates a good year with new projects and less paperwork for participating communities.  Building on partnerships forged over the past 4 years, we expect significant additional activity in the following areas:

• Affordable housing, including assistance for the homeless and special needs populations

• Eliminating blight and incipient blight in the community

• Enhanced planning to promote sound community and economic development

• Continuing coordination with neighboring communities, including those in Wayne and Oakland counties, to improve operations by sharing best practices and collaborating to address mutual concerns

 

Bob Tess – Economic Development

As we enter 2008, the department’s Economic Development Services Group finds itself operating within a state economy that lags behind the rest of the nation. With the increasing globalization of manufacturing, southeast Michigan has shed jobs by the thousands, having lost work to locales around the globe that offer cheap labor and maintain a lax regulatory environment.

Today, a retooling of the domestic manufacturing sector is underway. By adopting advanced technologies and employing improved methods, manufacturers are making incremental progress toward increasing their productivity and reducing operating costs. These same practices are helping businesses to successfully secure customers in a diversity of industries, rather than supplying only automotive.

For our part, the EDSG is helping to facilitate these changes as we focus on our key goals: provide services that maintain quality jobs and generate desirable, new job-opportunities; expand Macomb County’s tax base; promote the adoption of creative, technology-based solutions; and attract investment in our targeted industries.

Targeted industries are those that, through our research and knowledge of Macomb County’s manufacturing sector, are revealed to possess the greatest potential for growth and sustainability. These industries, as outlined in the 2007 Intellitrends report are:

• Advanced Automotive

• Advanced Manufacturing

• Aerospace

• Alternative Energy

• Defense/Homeland Security

• Medical Technology/Healthcare

Thanks to the department’s capable resources, which include the Small Business & Technology Development Center, the Macomb County Economic Development Corporation, the Macomb County Brownfield Redevelopment Authority, and a host of engaged partner-agencies and organizations, the EDSG is prepared to take on the considerable challenges that this “economy in transition” poses for us as we work toward achieving our goals.

 

Jeff Schroeder – GIS & Graphic Services

The Geographic Information Services group has a number of new projects and initiatives planned for 2008.  The major focus of these projects include expanded support for economic development initiatives, investment in critical hardware infrastructure and continuing to build and leverage partnerships at all levels of government.  Key projects and programs include:

• Partnership with the Planning and Environmental Services Group to support a multi-community initiative to provide planning, mapping and analysis services to downtown development authorities.

• Regional National Geospatial Agency 2008 project partner to acquire new color digital aerial photography for all of Macomb County.

• Assisting Macomb County Public Works Office with multi-year, GIS modernization project.

• Enhancements to E911 & emergency management datasets and services

 

John Crumm – Planning & Environmental Services

In 2008 Macomb County’s Planning and Environmental Services group will focus on engaging many of Macomb County’s municipalities with new coordinated planning efforts to include: 

• Outreach and assistance to Macomb County’s downtowns

• The unveiling of a diversity awareness and understanding initiative

• Continued analysis of the county’s aging population as well as the development of programs and services to assist in meeting the needs of residents from all generations

• Collaborations with the Michigan Department of Transportation and the South East Michigan Council of Governments to begin the Gratiot Avenue Access Management Study as a means of mitigating safety and development concerns along the corridor

• Working with municipalities within the county to compile information regarding new development and redevelopment activities on a countywide basis

• Ongoing coordination and administrative support services with the Macomb County Historical Commission     

 

As you can see, 2008 is designed to be a very busy and productive year.