The December 3rd Ways & Means and regular Washtenaw Board of Commissioners meetings were the last of 2008. 
 
There was no Working Session this week and the newly constituted Board will meet again for its first 2009 meetings on January 7th.  For rich detail, an archived combined webcast of the December Ways & Means and Regular Board meetings is available, as are the agendas.

Board Chair Jeff Irwin called the regular meeting to order for special business at 6:45 on Wednesday.  Two newly elected Board members, Kristin Judge representing District 7 and Wesley Prater, District 4, took their oaths of office. 

The swearing in, with Jason Brooks of the Office of the Clerk/Register administering the oath, took place early due to the necessary departure of Commissioners Mandy Grewal and Karen Lovejoy Roe who were elected to Pittsfield Township Supervisor and Ypsilanti Township Clerk, respectively, in November’s general election.

Commissioner Judge, whose husband, son and daughter watched the ceremony, has been a resident of Washtenaw County for 12 years and has a Bachelors degree in education, and Masters degrees in counseling and education.

Commissioner Prater is a familiar face on the Board, having served three terms as Commissioner from 2001 through 2006.  A longtime public servant, Commissioner Prater spent more than 25 years with the Ann Arbor Fire Department, retiring as Fire Marshall.  He has also served as Trustee of Ypsilanti Township, and Ypsilanti Township Supervisor.

After the brief swearing-in, the board switched back to the Ways & Means meeting with Commissioner Barbara Bergman presiding.  The Board presented a resolution commending MSU Extension’s Mike Score and the Food System Economic Partnership Team on receiving the 2008 John A. Hannah award. The five-county economic development initiative was honored for its role in catalyzing change in the food system of southeastern Michigan.

The Board passed a number of resolutions without comment including two concerning amendments to the Brownfield Plan for Washtenaw County approving tax increment financing for the “Maple Shoppes”, and Tax credit incentives for the “601 Forest, LLC-Green Urban Living” Brownfield Redevelopment Project in the City of Ann Arbor.

The Board heard a status report from Steve Puuri, Managing Director of the Road Commission, on this winter’s snow removal plans, after which the County’s Sheriff-Elect, Jerry Clayton, spoke and introduced his proposed new management team when his term begins in January.

When the Board rejoined its regular Board meeting, Board Chair Jeff Irwin presented a resolution recognizing MSU Extension's Terry Jones  for having been honored by the National Extension Association of Family and Consumer Sciences with their Continued Excellence Award.

At this final Board meeting of the year, the Board also took in public comment during a special public meeting on the adoption of a proposed amendment to the Washtenaw County Accommodations Ordinance.