Macomb County commissioners approve RFP for independent counsel, multiple committee recommendations and a federal settlement

The Macomb County Board of Commissioners on June 12 authorized the board chair to work with county purchasing to issue a request for proposals (RFP) for independent counsel services, approved multiple committee recommendations and accepted a settlement agreement in U.S. District Court case No. 21-12729. Most items were approved unanimously.

Key votes

- Motion to adopt the agenda: moved by Romano, supported by Howard; motion passed 12 to 0.

- Motion to approve full board minutes dated May 22, 2025 (including closed-session minutes): moved by Haw, supported by Groats; motion passed 12 to 0.

- Presentation (Leadership Macomb): motion to receive and file the presentation; moved by Haas, supported by La Cido; motion passed 13 to 0.

- Authorization for the board chair to work with purchasing to send out an RFP for independent counsel services: moved by Commissioner Haas, supported by Commissioner Wallace; motion passed 13 to 0. The chair said the process will include receiving bids and inviting bidders for formal interviews.

- Internal Services Committee recommendations (items 9a–9i): moved by Van Sickles, supported by Lucido; motion passed 13 to 0.

- Health & Human Services Committee recommendations (items 10a–10g): moved by Lacida, supported by Voinle; motion passed (recorded as 30 to 0 in the meeting record).

- Government Oversight Committee recommendation: settlement agreement for U.S. District Court case No. 21-12729 (item 11a): moved and supported as recorded in committee; motion passed 13 to 0.

- Finance, Audit & Budget Committee recommendations (items 12a–12m): moved by Goicky, supported by [support not specified on the record]; motion passed 13 to 0.

- Public Services Committee recommendations (items 13a–13m): moved by Wallace, supported by Groat; motion passed 13 to 0.

- Records & Public Safety Committee recommendations (items 14a–14f): moved by Romano, supported by Howard; motion passed 13 to 0.

- Resolutions (items 15a–15c): moved by Romano, supported by Groat; motion passed 13 to 0.

- Correspondence: receive and file invoice from Froussard and Associates, PC (transparency item related to a previously approved contract): moved by Crafts, supported by Romano; motion passed 13 to 0.

- Board office update: receive and file Crystal's report: moved by Hall, supported by Romano; motion passed 13 to 0.

- Motion to enter closed session for Macomb County Supreme Court case No. 2020-41904CZ: moved and supported; motion passed 13 to 0.

- After closed session, motion to concur with corporation counsel's recommendation in Macomb County Supreme Court case No. 2020-41904CZ: motion moved by Lucido, supported by Van Sickle; motion passed 13 to 0.

Meeting process and context

Chair Sabatini said the RFP for independent counsel is part of a periodic review; commissioners asked that staff provide current-year invoice totals for existing counsel services and that bidders would be interviewed in person. Several committee recommendation packages were approved en bloc; the board chair invited commissioners to request separations if they wished to pull specific items for discussion.

The board’s vote on the government oversight committee recommendation adopted a settlement agreement in U.S. District Court case No. 21-12729; the transcript records unanimous approval but does not disclose settlement terms on the public agenda.

All roll-call tallies are recorded as stated in the meeting transcript.