Washtenaw County, Michigan
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Washtenaw County, Michigan | |
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| Map | |
 Location in the state of Michigan |
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| Statistics | |
| Formed | 1826 [1] |
|---|---|
| Seat | Ann Arbor |
| Area - Total - Land - Water |
1,871 km² (723 mi²) 1,839 km² (710 mi²) 33 km² (13 mi²), 1.74% |
| Population - (2000) - Density |
322,895 176/km² |
| Website: www.ewashtenaw.org | |
Washtenaw County is a county in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the population was 322,895. It is part of Metro Detroit. The county seat is Ann Arbor6.
The USS Washtenaw County was named in honor of the county.
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[edit] Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 723 square miles (1,871 km²), of which, 710 square miles (1,839 km²) of it is land and 13 square miles (33 km²) or 1.74% of it is water.
[edit] Adjacent counties
- Livingston County (north)
- Wayne County (east)
- Jackson County (west)
- Monroe County (southeast)
- Lenawee County (southwest)
- Oakland County (northeast)
- Ingham County (northwest)
[edit] Demographics
As of the census² of 2000, there were 322,895 people, 125,327 households, and 73,692 families residing in the county. The population density was 455 people per square mile (176/km²). There were 131,069 housing units at an average density of 185 per square mile (71/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 77.40% White, 12.29% Black or African American, 0.36% Native American, 6.30% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 1.04% from other races, and 2.57% from two or more races. 2.74% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 125,327 households out of which 29.20% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.40% were married couples living together, 9.30% had a female householder with no husband present, and 41.20% were non-families. 29.50% of all households were made up of individuals and 5.90% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.41 and the average family size was 3.02.
In the county the population was spread out with 22.10% under the age of 18, 17.10% from 18 to 24, 32.10% from 25 to 44, 20.60% from 45 to 64, and 8.10% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31 years. For every 100 females there were 98.90 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.10 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $51,990, and the median income for a family was $70,393. Males had a median income of $49,304 versus $33,598 for females. The per capita income for the county was $27,173. About 5.10% of families and 11.10% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.60% of those under age 18 and 5.80% of those age 65 or over.
[edit] Cities, villages, and townships
| Cities | Villages | Charter Townships | Townships | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
There are also a number of unincorporated communities, such as Bridgewater, Dixboro, Delhi Mills, Geddes, Mooreville, Salem, Stoney Creek, Whittaker, Whitmore Lake, and Willis.
[edit] Government
The county government operates the jail, maintains rural roads, operates the major local courts, keeps files of deeds and mortgages, maintains vital records, administers public health regulations, and participates with the state in the provision of welfare and other social services. The county board of commissioners controls the budget but has only limited authority to make laws or ordinances. In Michigan, most local government functions — police and fire, building and zoning, tax assessment, street maintenance, etc. — are the responsibility of individual cities and townships.
[edit] Controversy Within The Ranks Of Government
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The neutrality of this section is disputed. Please see the discussion on the talk page. |
The budget for the county Sheriff's department caused much controversy in 2006. Three townships within the county (August, Salem, and Ypsilanti) are suing the county government and the Sheriff over a controversial increase in service fees for police services. Currently local communities pay approximately $90,000 per year for one Deputy Sheriff officer per 36-38 hours of coverage per week, which is projected to double to approximately $180,000 per year in the next few years. Some claim the center of controversy is the county government pressuring the small communities to sign extended contracts without any price negotiation or planning; others claim that smaller communities have been receiving a huge subsidy on police services paid by taxpayers elsewhere in the county, and that although reduced subsidies are still being offered by the county, the townships have taken a litigious approach to lengthen the period they can obtain the largest subsidy possible.[citation needed]
It should be known that most communities in the area provide their own police services in the $90,000 to $115,000 per officer range.[citation needed]
A recent election "cleaned house" and changed seats of the commissioners that sided with the County's budget changes that started this whole ordeal.
The Sheriff, Dan Minzey, is suing the Board of Commissioners, the County, and the County Administrator Bob Guenzel.
Much of this controversy originated from Washtenaw County's desperate need for a larger correctional facility. The "ousted" commissioners were allegedly "doing what was right" for the county by making budget changes. The current county jail system is extremely overcrowded and requires the regular use of contracting other counties to house inmates. The commissioners have decided that there is no other way for the county to raise money to build a jail facility except by raising police contract rates.
[edit] Washtenaw County elected officials
- Prosecuting Attorney: Brian L. Mackie (Democrat)
- Sheriff: Dan Minzey (Democrat)
- County Clerk/Register of Deeds: Lawrence Kestenbaum (Democrat)
- County Treasurer: Catherine McClary (Democrat)
- Drain Commissioner: Janis A. Bobrin (Democrat)
The Board of Commissioners has eleven members, elected from single member districts, on a partisan ballot, in November of even-numbered years. The term is two years.
| District | Commissioner | Party | Positions |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mark Ouimet | Republican | |
| 2 | Martha Kern | Democrat | Working Sessions Vice-Chair |
| 3 | Stephen Solowczuk | Republican | Working Sessions Chair |
| 4 | Wesley Prater | Democrat | Board Chair |
| 5 | Rolland Sizemore Jr. | Democrat | |
| 6 | Ronnie Peterson | Democrat | |
| 7 | Mandy Grewal | Democrat | |
| 8 | Barbara Levin Bergman | Democrat | Ways & Means Vice-Chair |
| 9 | Lean Gunn | Democrat | Board Vice-Chair |
| 10 | Conan Smith | Democrat | |
| 11 | Jeff Irwin | Democrat | Ways & Means Chair |
Information as of June 2006
[edit] External links
- Washtenaw County Government
- Past and present of Washtenaw County, Michigan by Samuel W. Beakes Chicago: The S.J. Clarke publishing co., 1906.
- Washtenaw Community Cafe An online discussion group for the county of Washtenaw.
