Carol Griffith: Livingston County sees improvement
Collaboration was a main component Carol Griffith attributed to Livingston County’s 2014 success during her State of the County address Tuesday night.
Whether it was economic development or engaged community members, Griffith was pleased with the constant improvement she has seen in Livingston County in the past year.
“2014 was a sign of recovery,” said Griffith, chairwoman of the Board of Commissioners. “We have continued to recreate our county into something suitable for everyone.”
In her speech at the John E. LaBelle Public Safety Complex in Howell Township, Griffith discussed how new construction brought more jobs to the area, how home values jumped from $175,000 to $219,000, and how active and open-minded local government has been toward employees and toward the public. 
“The passion and commitment this county and the county board has shown has made me extremely proud,” Griffith said. “It’s only going to continue to be a better place for jobs and a more desirable place to live.”
Griffith went into detail about the county’s 2015-2020 strategic plan. Areas she touched on in her speech included communication, public safety, technology, courts and visionary planning— all of which Griffith believes will attract new residents.
“There’s stability here,” she said. “Public safety is our first priority.”
With the jail expansion on track for 2015, she also said roads will play a hand in making public safety a priority. She encouraged everyone to become educated on the upcoming sale tax proposal to fix Michigan’s roads. Residents will be able to vote on the proposal in May.
“It’s important we stay up to date on how this will affect us in the long run,” Griffith said. “The Livingston County Board of Commissioners has no problem answering any questions about the tax proposal.”
Communicating more actively with the community and residents was something Griffith believes will strengthen over the course of this year. With that, she also said technology has allowed the county more access to collaborations and allowed it to gain resources it wouldn’t regularly have.
The court system and police departments have continued to provide “exceptional service to the community,” something Griffith said she commends them for.
“Looking to continuously improve and move forward has been a great thing to be a part of,” she said. “I am very proud to live in Livingston County.”
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