Macomb County board approves committee recommendations, appoints Jacqueline Catanella; issues proclamations and presents charity grant

The Macomb County Board of Commissioners on Aug. 21, 2025, unanimously approved a package of committee recommendations, appointed Jacqueline Catanella to a county board and adopted a resolution to retain legal services for the prosecuting attorney. The board also issued two proclamations — recognizing Sanders' 150th anniversary and honoring Noelle, an inductee into the Olympic and Paralympic Hall of Fame — and presented a charitable grant to Carol's Angels and Warriors.

The actions were taken during the board's full meeting at which Chair Joe Sabatini led the session. Moved motions passed without substantive debate and most votes were unanimous; several committee recommendation bundles passed on voice votes recorded as 13 to 0 after the full board seating.

Why it matters: The approvals clear several administrative and program items ahead of the county's budget season and place the county's formal support behind local recognitions and a community nonprofit. The resolution retaining legal services affects the prosecuting attorney's office; the set of committee approvals advances procurement, internal services and other county operations.

The board approved committee recommendation bundles from the Health and Human Services Committee (item 10a), Internal Services (items 11a–11ks), Government Oversight (12a–12f), Public Services (14a–14c), Finance/Audit/Budget (CIC project referenced) and Records & Public Safety (15a–15d). All committee recommendation motions were moved and adopted without discussion; recorded votes on these bundles were 13 to 0. A separate resolution, listed in the packet as 2025-13907, to approve legal services for the prosecuting attorney passed 13 to 0.

The board appointed Jacqueline Catanella after a roll-call nomination process. Commissioner Haw (moved) and another commissioner (support) put the nomination forward; the motion to appoint Catanella passed on a recorded vote that the clerk announced as 12 to 0. After the appointment the board seating increased to 13 members and subsequent votes registered as 13 to 0.

The board presented two proclamations. One honored Sanders on its 150th anniversary; Sean Crystal, who said he and a colleague manage Sanders’ local operations, accepted the proclamation and told commissioners, “on behalf of everyone at Sanders, we just want to say thank you for this honor. It means a lot to us.” The board also recognized Noelle for induction to the Olympic and Paralympic Hall of Fame; Noelle described her long involvement in adaptive sports and coaching and recounted being part of a U.S. women’s wheelchair basketball program that won gold at the 2004 Paralympics.

The board presented a check to Carol’s Angels and Warriors (also referred to as CAW in meeting remarks), a nonprofit that provides cash grants to victims and survivors of domestic violence via Turning Point. Emily Schenke, co-founder of Carol’s Angels and Warriors, described the nonprofit’s origin following the loss of her mother to domestic violence and told commissioners the group was created to help survivors cover unexpected costs tied to leaving abusive situations. “Sometimes survivors have unexpected costs that are a result of their abuser, and we came to the conclusion that that is not okay,” Schenke said.

Board office and other updates: Crystal (board office staff) gave the board update noting that October begins the county’s budget season and that calendar invites for budget meetings were recently issued. The board office said the charity casual-day application form will open Sept. 2 for 2026 participation and that a flyer and online criteria were available. Crystal summarized recent outreach events (including a town hall and a large “Yoga at the Hill” event), noted growth in the county’s YouTube and social media metrics, and described ongoing ordinance work groups on the county seal, contracting and ethics; the contracting work group expects a committee review soon.

Retirement board report: Commissioner Hall summarized the retirement board actuarial update and said the pension system is at or about 100% funded with assets reported in the meeting remarks as $1,330,000,000 and that the system ranks highly in national comparisons. The commissioner clarified that continued contributions remain part of contractual obligations and that the fund will continue receiving contributions from employees.

Public participation and other remarks: During the public comment period Dalton Atwell, who identified himself as a candidate for the U.S. House in the Ninth Congressional District, introduced his campaign and provided contact materials. Several commissioners used their time for board and commission updates, including comments about coordination with other counties on a mental health funding issue and an RFP timeline noted as short by a commissioner.

Votes at a glance

- Adopt agenda: Moved by Commissioner Romano; supported by Commissioner Wallace. Vote: 12–0 (announced). Outcome: adopted.

- Approve minutes dated July 24, 2025 (closed session): Moved and supported as recorded. Vote: 12–0 (announced). Outcome: adopted.

- Appointment — Jacqueline Catanella: Motion to appoint moved by Commissioner Haw; supported by (record). Vote: 12–0 (announced). Outcome: appointed to the board (full board presentation followed).

- Health & Human Services committee recommendations (item 10a): Motion moved and supported; Vote: 13–0. Outcome: approved (receive and file / approval per agenda).

- Internal Services committee recommendations (items 11a–11ks): Moved by Commissioner Wallace; supported by Groat. Vote: 13–0. Outcome: approved.

- Government Oversight committee recommendations (items 12a–12f): Moved by Haw; supported by Van Sickle. Vote: 13–0. Outcome: approved.

- Public Services committee recommendations (items 14a–14c): Moved by Van Sickle; supported by Perna. Vote: 13–0. Outcome: approved.

- Finance/Audit/Budget committee recommendations (CIC project referenced): Moved by Crafts; supported by Wallace. Vote: 13–0. Outcome: approved.

- Records & Public Safety committee recommendations (items 15a–15d): Motion moved and supported. Vote: 13–0. Outcome: approved.

- Resolution 2025-13907 — Approve legal services for the prosecuting attorney: Motion to adopt moved and supported; Vote: 13–0. Outcome: adopted.

- Receive and file — board office update: Motion moved and supported; Vote: 13–0. Outcome: received and filed.

What the board did not decide: The meeting record shows no substantive debate, detailed amendments, or policy changes on the items that were approved. Where details were not provided in the meeting packet or discussion (for example specific contract amounts, ordinance text, or detailed budgets tied to committee bundles), the board record presented those items as bundles or consent items without further specification.

Ending: Commissioners were reminded that budget season begins in October and that the county will open the application period for next year’s casual-day charities on Sept. 2. The board scheduled further ordinance work-group meetings and will advance contracting and ethics ordinance reviews to committee in coming weeks.