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Wayne County honors outgoing Commissioner Al Hajduz with tributes and recognition
Summary
The commission held an extended tribute to outgoing Commissioner Al Hajduz, with remarks from Wayne County Executive Warren Evans, colleagues, community leaders and family members highlighting his decades of local public service, leadership and community programs.
The Wayne County Commission devoted a substantial portion of its final 2024 meeting to tributes for outgoing Commissioner Al Hajduz, who is retiring after decades of public service at the city and county levels.
Wayne County Executive Warren Evans led off the remembrances, calling Hajduz “a real statesman” and praising his ability to listen and persuade. “He has been, in my mind, a real statesman all of his life,” Evans said in remarks recognizing Hajduz’s 50 years in the city of Wayne and 10 years on the county commission.
Numerous commissioners, public officials and community members offered personal remembrances and examples of Hajduz’s community work: starting youth baseball leagues, operating a family market that became a neighborhood hub, service as Wayne mayor, work with SMART and the airport authority, and long engagement with civic groups. Alan Wilson, the incoming commissioner for Hajduz’s district, recounted Hajduz’s encouragement during Wilson’s run for local office and pledged to continue work in the district.
Hajduz spoke near the end of the ceremony, thanking colleagues and family and reflecting on local fiscal progress during his tenure: “When I got elected in 2014, the county was in bad shape on edge of bankruptcy … we went from passing our $2,000,000,000 budget ... to a surplus,” he told the commission, and he emphasized gratitude for colleagues, staff and his family.
Why it matters: The tributes document the outgoing commissioner’s local legacy and the county’s institutional memory, offering context for transition in District 11’s representation.
What’s next: The commission presented resolutions and commemorative items and invited a group photograph and luncheon to follow the meeting.
