DEARBORN – On Tuesday, Wayne County Executive Warren C. Evans delivered his annual State of the County address at the Ford Community and Performing Arts Center in Dearborn, to a packed house of state, city, regional and county officials and community leaders, as well as friends and family. He spoke about the milestones and many achievements of Wayne County over the past year, as well as his vision for the future.

“We recently passed our ninth balanced budget, a $2.2 billion budget that invests in health, public safety and our shared infrastructure,” Evans said. “Wayne County’s credit has been upgraded by all three major credit-rating agencies – Moody’s, Fitch, and Standard and Poor’s – elevating us to “A” level ratings across the board.”

Mounting debt from high medical bills has put a strain on the lives of many Wayne County residents, who had no choice but to seek medical care because of pain, illness or injury. As a result, many of them found themselves facing medical bills they couldn’t pay, ruined credit and being unable to take advantage of other financial opportunities.

“Partnering with R.I.P. Medical Debt, a non-profit dedicated to retiring medical debt, and local health systems, we’re wiping clean up to $700 million in medical debt for pennies on the dollar,” Evans said. “That means that thousands of Wayne County residents experiencing financial hardship will get a fresh start and peace of mind.”

Wayne County Executive Warren C. Evans delivering the State of the County address on Tuesday, March 12, at the Ford Community and Performing Arts Center in Dearborn.– Photos courtesy of Wayne County

While there have been challenges at the Juvenile Detention Facility (JDF), Wayne County has made significant strides in the last year.

“We’ve improved everything from food quality to education to recreation at the facility,” Evans said. “I remain committed to addressing the challenges head-on, working collaboratively to ensure the safety and well-being of our youth and staff. I care deeply about what happens to these children. They’re more than a news story to me, and they’re not just numbers on a chart.”

Wayne County is just months away from completing its criminal justice center. It will be the largest construction project in the county’s history. The building will be state-of-the-art, featuring more than 1,400 office spaces for employees and serve as a centralized hub for our  criminal justice operations.

Evans also used the speech to highlight the value of a good education and how it can help shape the future of the county and state.

“We’re investing in the pipeline between our education system and workforce,” he said. “To that end, we invested over $13 million into Wayne RESA (Regional Educational Service Agency) to support mental health services and improve math and literacy outcomes for K through 12 students.”

The county has invested $8 million into constructing a new 25,000-square-foot facility at the Kirksey Recreation Center in Livonia. The expansion will provide seniors with more space to thrive.

Evans also highlighted his work to spearhead a joint effort between the county, Detroit, the courts and state and local leaders to combat crime. The initiative led to Detroit experiencing its lowest number of homicides in more than half a century, accompanied by significant decreases in shootings and carjackings in 2023.

“I want to highlight two innovative linchpins of this work: Wayne County’s Violent Crime Reduction Initiative and the Fugitive Apprehension Services Team,” Evans said.  “Around here, we call it F.A.S.T. These teams operate in the background, coordinating efforts to identify the source of our most serious violent crimes. It’s working, and we’re just getting started.”

Around 1,000 guests packed the theater at the Ford Community and Performing Arts Center in Dearborn on Tuesday, March 12 to attend the State of the County address

What’s happening in the Middle East is not just unfortunate, it’s brutal and it’s inhumane. – Wayne County Executive Warren C. Evans

The Israeli war on Gaza affects the lives of many residents of Wayne County and Evans is concerned by the toll it is taking on them, as many of their loved ones are directly impacted by the unfolding tragedy there.

“The ongoing crisis in the Middle East has created a deep-seated emotional, anguish that is spilling over into our Arab, Muslim and Jewish communities,” he said. “And others with deep, humanitarian concerns.

“But let’s be clear about one thing here, what’s happening in the Middle East is not just unfortunate, it’s brutal and it’s inhumane.”

More than 31,000 have been killed by the Israeli army in the last six months of the ongoing brutal war against Palestinians in Gaza, mostly women and children, and more than 70,000 have been wounded. Some 1.5 million Gazans are trapped in the Strip without basic necessities like water, food, electricity and medicine.

“It is completely devoid of the spirit of compassion and global leadership that is so sorely needed right now,” Evans added.

Evans also described his recent visit to Lebanon.

Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan, Macomb County Executive Mark Hackel and Oakland County Executive David Coulter were among many dignitaries and elected officials that attended the State of Wayne County Address on Tuesday, March 12, at the Ford Community and Performing Arts Center in Dearborn.

“Last September, Deputy County Executive Assad Turfe and I traveled to the Middle East on a mission to enrich my personal education about the culture of the many Wayne County residents with personal, family and emotional connections to that part of the world,” he told the more than 1,000 guests.

During the trip Evans met high Lebanese officials, including the speaker of the Lebanese Parliament and the chief commander of the Lebanese Armed Forces, among other, as well as ordinary Lebanese citizens who have families in Wayne County.

“It was one of the most remarkable and fulfilling trips I have ever taken,” he said. “Unfortunately, some of the areas I visited are now under attack and siege.”

Evans asked the audience to keep in mind that more than 300,000 Arab Americans and Muslims live in Wayne County.

“They are part of the fabric of our county,” he said. “They are our neighbors, colleagues and co-workers. And some are our family. In fact, Wayne County is home to the largest concentration of Arab Americans in the United States.

“Their concerns have always mattered to me. I was one of the first elected officials to come out immediately and call for a permanent cease-fire. At the time this was a very unpopular position, but popularity is not leadership.”

He added that when it comes to humanitarian issues like the lives of children, access to basic food and water, or the right to shelter, “What’s right is right. And what’s wrong is wrong. It’s as simple as that.”

Evans mentioned the ceasefire resolution overwhelmingly approved by the Wayne County Commission on December 19. Commissioner Sam Baydoun, who has been very vocal about the Gaza conflict, was joined by his fellow commissioners Al Haidous, David Knezek and Melissa Daub, to make this resolution happen and to ensure its strong support.

Deputy Wayne County Executive Assad I Turfe speaks at the opening of the State of the County address on Tuesday, March 12,

Our journey has been marked by resilience, innovation and an unwavering commitment to the well-being of every resident. – Deputy Wayne County Executive Assad Turfe

Deputy Wayne County Executive Assad Turfe opened the event with a speech via video welcoming the crowd.

“Under County Executive Warren Evans’ leadership, our journey has been marked by resilience, innovation, and an unwavering commitment to the well-being of every resident,” Turfe said. “Today, we celebrate our achievements and are setting our sights on a bright future.” 

Thanks to Executive Evans, we’ve achieved financial stability, confronting fiscal challenges with strategic foresight,” he added. “Our ninth balanced budget, a $2.2 billion testament to fiscal responsibility, invests in public safety, health and infrastructure. It makes life better for Wayne County residents.” 

“Our unity has been our strength. And we are just getting started. With Executive Evans at the helm, we are accelerating toward a future of promise and opportunity. United We Thrive as One Wayne County, ready to conquer any challenge.” 

Turfe also said Wayne County has become a model of innovation and unity, “proving that when we come together, there’s no limit to what we can achieve.

“This means we’re not just keeping pace with our progress, we’re speeding up,” he said. “Our relentless energy is fueled by our determination to make Wayne County even better. We refuse to be satisfied.  Together, as One Wayne County, we embrace our challenges as well as our opportunities. We are united in our belief that the best is yet to come because the best is what we make it.” 

He encouraged attendees to join in shaping a Wayne County that “stands as a beacon of hope, prosperity, and unity.”

“Together, we are unstoppable,” he said.