Washtenaw County Board of Commissioners create new positions for Sheriffโs Office, Prosecutorโs Office
WASHTENAW COUNTY, Mich. โ Washtenaw County is looking to fill three new positions in the Washtenaw County Sheriffโs Office and Washtenaw County Prosecutorโs Office. โAs a Board, we are committed to supporting efforts to increase the fairness and effectiveness of the criminal justice system in Washtenaw County,โ said Sue Shink, Chair of the Board of Commissioners and Commissioner for District 2, in a release. โThe Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion will build on the racial equity work already being done by the county,โ said Washtenaw County Sheriff Jerry Clayton in a release. Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion / Deflection ProsecutorWithin the Washtenaw County Prosecutorโs Office, this role will oversee all cases that have been diverted through the LEADD program, track program participant progress and ensure participant needs are addressed. Program CoordinatorWorking in the Washtenaw County Sheriffโs Office, the program coordinator is responsible for daily operations of the LEADD program, including coordinating with community partners to design, implement, and sustain program activities.
Washtenaw County Sheriffโs Office forgives over $500,000 in jail debt
ANN ARBOR, Mich. โ The Washtenaw County Sheriffโs Office announced that it has forgiven $509,888 of outstanding debt incurred by 31,614 individuals while at Washtenaw County Jail. The decision, made by Sheriff Jerry Clayton and supported by the Washtenaw County Board of Commissioners, affects community members incarcerated between January 1, 2013, to December 31, 2020. โOur decision to eliminate this debt reflects our understanding of the stress and financial burden of incarceration,โ said Clayton through a release. AdThe sum of $509,888 was identified after a review of the jail debt owed since 2013. In 2019, it increased the amount of money an indigent incarcerated individual was allowed from $3 per week to $5 per week and expanded what items that money could buy.
Michigan General Election Results for Washtenaw County Board of Commissioners on Nov. 3, 2020
The 2020 General Election will be held on November 3. You can find results for Washtenaw County Board of Commissioners here. Find more election results and news on the Decision 2020 page. ๐ Become an Insider ๐Introducing WDIV Insider: A new way for loyal Local 4 fans to gain access and customize your ClickOnDetroit news experience. Learn more about WDIV Insider - and sign up here!
Submit questions, participate in public Q&A session on Gelman 1,4-Dioxane litigation
ANN ARBOR โ Local and federal officials will hold a joint public session via Zoom on Thursday, Sept. 24 at 6:30 p.m. to answer questions residents have about the Gelman dioxane plume and ongoing litigation. Trustees of Scio and Ann Arbor townships and heads of the Huron River Watershed Council have been invited to take part in the session. The plume is a toxic pollution by chemical plant Gelman Sciences in Scio Township thatโs been seeping into the areaโs soil and groundwater since the late 1960s. Trace levels of the chemical have been detected in the city Ann Arborโs drinking water supply from Barton Pond starting in Feb. 2019. Questions for the Sept. 24 event should be submitted to gelmanquestions@a2gov.org by Sept. 18 at 5 p.m.For more information on the case and cleanup efforts, visit the city of Ann Arborโs Gelman 1,4-Dioxane Litigation website.
Washtenaw County declares end of COVID-19 state-of-emergency
ANN ARBOR< Mich. โ The Washtenaw County Board of Commissioners has announced an end to the county-wide state-of-emergency. In a special meeting Friday morning, county commissioners voted on a resolution to end the state-of-emergency, which was declared on March 18 at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. The decision comes 10 days after the statewide โStay Home, Stay Safeโ order was lifted. In a statement, chairman of the Washtenaw County Commissioners Board Jason Morgan stated that actions taken over the course of the pandemic helped to flatten the curve of COVID-19 cases. Related: Washtenaw County courts remain closed amid reopenings
Service industry workers petition to extend closures in Washtenaw County over public health concerns
Everyone was feeling very nervous about reopening and afraid for their safety, said Van Wassehnova. As a result, the group launched a petition on Friday to present to the Washtenaw County Board of Commissioners calling for the closure of dine-in service until the pandemic no longer presents a threat to public health. As of Tuesday morning, the petition had 700 signatures and the group is confident the petition will reach its goal of 1,000 signatures soon. However, for other service workers in the area, this is not the case. There are essential businesses out there that should stay open but people definitely dont need to sit down and have a beer or dinner during a pandemic, said Van Wassehnova.
Washtenaw County declares state of emergency over coronavirus
ANN ARBOR โ Chair of the Washtenaw County Board of Commissioners, Jason Morgan, declared a countywide state of emergency on Wednesday morning. See Morganโs full statement below:โFor the health and safety of all residents of Washtenaw County and for the long-term stability of our local economy, public safety and criminal justice system and community social safety net, I am declaring a state of emergency. "Many of our community members look to the county for their safety net services, and now more than ever, we must be there to assist.โFor the latest information on the COVID-19 situation locally, check the Washtenaw County Health Departmentโs site www.washtenaw.org/covid19. United Way of Washtenaw County is a close community partner of the Washtenaw County Government. Read: United Way of Washtenaw County launches COVID-19 Community Relief Fund