The untold stories of Mark Hackel’s State of the County

The extravaganza that was County Executive Mark Hackel’s second annual State of the County Address on Wednesday provided some laughs and gossip for those in local political circles.

For those who weren’t there, the funniest moment of the speech came when Hackel was talking about the promotional “Make Macomb Your Home” billboard on northbound I-75 near Mackinaw City. A reproduction of the billboard, prominently featuring Hackel’s face, flashed on the massive screen behind Hackel on stage.

Then, Hackel talked about a second billboard he wished he had erected on I-75. Behind him flashed an identical Make Macomb Your Home billboard but with Hackel’s face replaced by a photo-shopped image of Oakland County Executive L. Brooks Patterson.

The crowd erupted in laughter.

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Patterson (seated in a wheelchair due to his auto accident injuries) made his way to Hackel’s event, as did Wayne County Executive Bob Ficano and Detroit Mayor Dave Bing.

The mayor of Macomb County’s largest city, Warren Mayor Jim Fouts, was a no-show. As was county Clerk Carmella Sabaugh. The other members of the “Big Five” countywide elected officials were seated front row/center at the Macomb Center for the Performing Arts, so Sabaugh’s absence was very noticeable.

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Prior to the speech, various landscape photos of Macomb County were shown on the big screen. This slideshow also featured headshots of local elected officials, but not the county commissioners.

Grosse Pointe Shores Mayor Ted Kedzierski, who represents less than 100 Macomb County constituents, and Armada Village Council President Kathleen Stork were shown in the presentation. The 13 commissioners’ faces never surfaced.

At some point during the speech, Hackel introduced Board of Commissioners Chair Kathy Vosburg, seated with several other commissioners, to the crowd. After spending two years shunning the board – and engaging in several political battles with the commissioners – perhaps that was all the executive could stomach.

Don’t think the commissioners didn’t notice.