DETROIT — Chairman Gary Woronchak has announced committee appointments for the 2015-16 Wayne County Commission, which for the first time in 12 years will work alongside a new county administration and new county executive. 

Commissioners Joseph Palamara (D-Grosse Ile Twp.), Raymond E. Basham (D-Taylor), Burton Leland (D-Detroit), Tim Killeen (D-Detroit), Diane Webb (D-Livonia), Richard LeBlanc (D-Westland), Shannon Price (R-Canton Twp.) and Ilona Varga (D-Lincoln Park) will each chair one of the eight standing committees.

Commissioners are assigned to committees, which study matters in detail before they are forwarded to the full Commission for final consideration.

The two committees mandated by the Home Rule Charter of Wayne County – the Committee on Audit and Committee on Ways and Means – will be chaired by Commissioners Basham and Palamara, respectively.

For Basham, it will be his second term chairing audit, which receives and discusses reports prepared by the county’s Office of Legislative Auditor General. Palamara, meanwhile, takes over the seven-member ways and means committee, which deliberates over the county’s annual budget.

“This new term of the Wayne County Commission features members who have a great deal of government experience dealing with issues, not only at the municipal and county levels, but in the state House and state Senate, as well,” Woronchak said. “In addition, we have two new commissioners, Al Haidous and Terry Marecki, whose unique skill sets will bring fresh ideas and provide valuable insight into local community leadership.”

Woronchak will chair the Committee of the Whole, which is called to discuss selected issues, and the Special Committee on Rules.

Commissioner Alisha Bell (D-Detroit) was selected for a third straight term as Commission vice-chair and Commissioner Jewel Ware (D-Detroit) will serve as vice-chair pro tempore for a second consecutive term.

The two new commissioners – Al Haidous (D-Wayne) and Terry Marecki (R-Livonia) – have each been appointed as vice-chairs of one committee: Audit for Haidous and Health and Human Services for Marecki. Both will also serve on the Committee on Public Services and Committee on Youth Services.