Washtenaw County · issues
Civic issues
Topics getting the most attention in Washtenaw County public meetings, ranked by how frequently they come up.
Rising employee health insurance costs
Health insurance claims keep climbing, and filled positions have tripled since 2022. If trends continue, the county could need $12.5 million more per year by 2030 — which the CFO warned 'will break programs.'
2027-2030 Quadrennial Budget adopted
Chief Financial Officer presented the recommended quadrennial budget, focusing on stabilizing 2027 operations amidst economic uncertainties and funding key board priorities.
Barrier busters municipal contributions
Commissioners asked for a breakdown of which local municipalities contribute to barrier busters and at what level. Ypsilanti Township's contributions (ARPA-funded) ended in 2025, and staff will report on cost recovery percentages.
Draft Board Rules Changes
A Ypsilanti Township resident asked the board to shorten its own debate time rather than shrink public comment, and commissioners traded views on restructuring comment periods.
AFSCME 3052 2026 compensation agreement
County workers in AFSCME 3052 have a tentative 2026 compensation deal that the board approved.
Federal HUD funding instability
Federal HUD changes threaten up to $3 million in permanent supportive and rapid rehousing funding, with a $432,000 immediate gap starting April. County staff and providers asked the county to lead a bridge-funding response; commissioners signaled support but no vote was taken.
Data center tax revenue uncertainty
The board reversed course, withdrawing its resolution welcoming U-M's computing center at Willow Run after learning U-M closed on the Textile Road site, and instead voted to support local data center moratoriums. Residents from Ypsilanti Township opposed the project over neighborhood impacts, militarization concerns, and safety.
Health millage replacement funding gap
Commissioners are weighing a 0.2-mill, three-year healthcare millage to backfill the Washtenaw Health Plan and public health programs hit by federal cuts. Critics say residents are millage-fatigued and many taxpayers wouldn't be eligible for the services; supporters call it an emergency response for people losing coverage.
PA 152 health care cost exemption
The board chose the 'exemption' option for 2027, letting the county pay health care costs above the state cap rather than capping them, and ratified the labor coalition's health insurance deal.
County administrator selection
A Pittsfield Township social worker questioned whether Interim Administrator Derrick Jackson should get the permanent job, citing his failed sheriff's race and ethics concerns. Commissioners pushed back, with Somerville noting he came close to winning and has 20+ years of county leadership.
Delinquent tax surplus shortfall in the county budget
CFO Catherine Jones-Alther presented the Q2 budget update, projecting a $4.3 million general fund shortfall that is largely covered by planned fund balance use. Commissioners discussed various expenditure increases, including legal fees, jail food/medical costs, and overtime.
Living wage exemption for mental health providers
The county would exempt certain Community Mental Health contracted service providers from its living wage ordinance for the coming fiscal year.
Land records portal access fee
A new $50 24-hour subscription would let title searchers and others access county land records online for short periods instead of paying $600 for a week.
Senior nutrition program millage funding
Partners currently get reimbursed at wildly different rates, which staff call inequitable. The proposal: a flat $5 per meal for partners using the county caterer (which costs the county $7.50, about $12.50 total) and $10 per meal for the two large Meals on Wheels organizations that run their own catering and assessments.
Commissioner flex accounts, mileage, and travel
Rules proposals would let flex accounts pay for event sponsorships and memberships — Rabhi wants tighter controls to prevent money flowing to commissioners' pet political organizations. Sanders argued commissioners shouldn't have to eat mileage costs for board service and pushed for a fairer travel account system.
Animal Control Services Funding Deficit
Commissioners raised ongoing questions about animal control spending and municipal contributions to the Humane Society contract. Discussion touched on potential cat licensing and fee structures to recover costs.
Community Mental Health funding
The board approved a $156.5 million operating budget for Washtenaw County Community Mental Health for the upcoming fiscal year. The budget includes position reclassifications, creations, and eliminations to support mental health services.
Board honors Terrence Williams and Brady Peck
The board said goodbye to two beloved county leaders: Terrence Williams (14 years, including the Racial Equity Office and county administration) and Brady Peck (Director of Operations). Both passed 9-0.
Health Department budgets and grant funding
The board approved the Health Department's $22.5 million final budget for this year and a $20.9 million agreement with the state for next year, plus a federal grant application worth up to $2 million over four years for maternal and child health. Commissioners also discussed chronic difficulty hiring and keeping public health nurses and social workers because county pay lags health systems.
Healthcare millage for November 2026 ballot
Multiple residents urged the board to put a healthcare millage on the November 2026 ballot to counter federal Medicaid cuts that could strip coverage from 15,000–18,000 county residents. The board took no vote yet, but the idea drew broad support from community advocates, the Shelter Association, and United Way.
Federal formula grants for human services
HUD will honor current homelessness funding agreements — roughly $4 million starting in October — but future structural cuts are coming. Commissioner LaBarre proposed a board working group to prepare.
Older Persons millage implementation
The county approved single-reading contracts to continue funding older persons millage transportation and expanded senior nutrition programs.
2026 County Millage Rate
The board set the 2026 county property tax rate at 7.3230 mills and scheduled a public hearing on the rate.
Cost-Sharing Equity for Small Communities
Ypsilanti's city manager warned that the proposed ~$80,000 cost-share equals nearly a full-time employee for a small city with a third of its property tax-exempt. Commissioners debated whether the formula should account for communities' taxable base and staff capacity.
County Work from Home policy
A county parks employee flagged that the new remote-work policy creates a two-tier workforce — office staff stay home while frontline workers commute and use PTO for snow days. The board put the policy off to May 6 instead of passing it.
2025 Year-end Financial Position
Good news: the county ended 2025 nearly $7 million in the black, with a $72 million fund balance and cost-containment wins at the Sheriff's Office — cushion for 2026 uncertainties.
Ann Arbor DDA Tax Capture Expansion
The board voted to keep county tax dollars out of the Ann Arbor DDA's proposed expansion, meaning roughly the taxes that fund county services won't be diverted to the unelected DDA board. Critics of the opt-out warned it could strain city-county partnerships; supporters said voters' dollars should be spent by elected officials.
Delinquent tax borrowing and treasurer's surplus
The treasurer's annual bond issue to front delinquent taxes passed — but only after a frank discussion about a $2.2 million budgeted surplus that came in at $1.5 million, leaving Sanders warning about budgeting money she doesn't have in hand.
Continuum of Care housing funding gap
HUD's new funding rules could cut the county's $7.5 million in annual CoC funding by 40–100%, endangering permanent supportive housing and rapid re-housing that serve 500–600 people at a time. An immediate $432,000 gap hits in April, and a potential $3 million long-term hole could return hundreds of households to homelessness. Commissioners signaled willingness to have the county step in as funder of last resort.
Nonprofit financial review and accountability
75% of commissioners supported requiring a financial check of grantees before money goes out — verifying nonprofits can actually deliver the services they're funded for. Debate centered on whether that means a designated staff person or a standardized checklist process.
Sustaining human services funding after NHSP expires
The New Human Services Partnership — $15.2 million over five years, shared with the City of Ann Arbor — sunsets June 30, 2027, and commissioners are trying to figure out what replaces it. This affects dozens of nonprofits and thousands of residents who rely on food, housing, and health services funding.
Centralized visibility of county funding
Right now no single place shows all the human services dollars flowing out of county departments — OCED, Public Health, CMH, the Racial Equity Office and others each fund separately. Commissioners want one clear picture so they (and the public) can see who gets what and cut duplication.
County Labor Agreements for 2026-2027
The board approved new compensation agreements with AFSCME 2733 and the Michigan Nurses Association, covering county workers' 2026 (and 2027 for nurses) pay.
Community Priority Fund outcomes and possible CPF 2.0
The ARPA-funded Community Priority Fund delivered measurable results across five areas — rent help, violence intervention, housing, child care, and literacy — but ended when the money did. Evaluators and the equity office urged commissioners to consider a successor fund with lump-sum payments and streamlined reporting.