Inaugural State of the County address celebrates Washtenaw County’s recent achievements

Washtenaw County leaders held the county’s inaugural State of the County address at Washtenaw Community College (WCC) on April 13. The public event served double-duty as a celebration of the county’s bicentennial and was marked with the slogan “Past. Present. Possible.”

The event focused on county government’s recent accomplishments, but began with a look back at the county’s history. A video by Irene Mora, a fellow in history and women’s and gender studies at the University of Michigan, acknowledged the Indigenous communities that preceded the formal county government. Ahead of the presentation, County Commission Board Chair Katie Scott said she felt the video would resonate with attendees.

“We’re talking about the last 200 years, but there is focus on what was here before,” she said. “I recognize we have a bicentennial of a formal county government, but it’s not a bicentennial of people being here. There have been people here for a long time before county government was formed.”

Scott delivered the formal State of the County address. Early on, she stressed that county work is focused on resident needs – whether people can see a doctor, stay in their homes, access mental health support, or receive veterans’ benefits.

Scott, a full-time nurse in an open heart unit, recalled the loss of 642 county residents to COVID‑19, while pointing to countywide mobilization that saw a death rate less than half of the state’s average. County public health infrastructure, she said, has proven critical in responding to a tuberculosis outbreak affecting more than 170 people and a current measles outbreak.

As she spoke further to public health, she emphasized that the county’s work is not just about response, but the removal of barriers. 

“We’ve expanded crisis response so that anyone facing a mental health emergency can access health 24/7. We’ve invested in a mobile crisis team, navigation services, and care rooted in community. We’ve partnered across the county to expand access for young people, adults and older adults,” Scott said. “Through public awareness campaign efforts like the Wish You Knew campaign, we’re working to reduce the stigma and open the door to conversations that save lives.” 

Making a link between housing, stability, and the local and national housing crisis, Scott cited Dorsey Estates near Ypsilanti’s Depot Town as an example of what strategic investments can achieve. The 46-unit affordable homeownership development was supported by county brownfield financing and nearly $1 million in down payment assistance. 

When it comes to finances, Washtenaw County is currently the only county in Michigan to hold the “Triple Crown” in public finance. The region has garnered national recognition in budgeting, financial reporting, and public communication. 

Scott also emphasized the county’s longstanding commitment to protecting natural assets. The county has secured nearly $600,000 in grants for stormwater management and green infrastructure, and is investing in dam safety and flood protection. More than 42 miles of the Border-to-Border Trail currently connect communities via non-motorized routes.

 “Washtenaw County is a place defined by its natural beauty, our rivers, our lakes, our parks, our open spaces. They’re part of who we are,” Scott said. “They shape how we live, how we connect, and how we experience this community. And protecting them is not optional. It is essential.”

Scott also emphasized the importance of equity in county government, noting that every county resolution includes an equity component.

“It matters whether the systems we build create opportunity for everyone or only for some,” Scott said. “In Washtenaw County, we’ve made a clear commitment. Equity is not a side note.”

Looking to the future, Scott talked about various events and investments such as the Eastern Washtenaw Community Recreation Center. 

“This effort has been grounded in affordability and accessibility, because a space like this only matters if it’s truly open to everyone, especially those who’ve been too often left out of investments like this,” she said. “When you listen to the community, the impact becomes clear. As one leader put it, ‘We want to save lives, and we think this center can do it.'”

Scott closed by reflecting on arriving in Washtenaw County as a hopeful undergraduate in 1995 and deciding it was where she wanted to build a life. 

“The next generation of young people arriving here, and the people who are living here, they’re all hopeful and searching, and they’re all full of possibilities,” she said. “Our responsibility is to make sure that this county remains a place where they can build a life, a place that’s open and welcoming and affordable, a place where opportunity is real.”