Wayne Executive Feted for County's Financial Turnaround

DETROIT, MI – Wayne County Executive Warren C. Evans has picked up a national award for his work to turn around the county’s finances.

Evans was named the 2016 County Executive of the Year at the 32nd Annual Economic Development Conference of the National Organization of Black County Officials.

When Evans took office in January 2015, Wayne County had a $52 million structural deficit, a $100 million annual decline in property tax revenues and an unfunded pension system that put the county on the verge of bankruptcy.

The county had a surplus for the first time in eight years in the fiscal year ending Sept. 30, 2015, and the unfunded pension liability has been reduced by $850 million. Actions credited for the turnaround included the consolidation of multiple departments to improve service delivery, and renegotiation of union contracts.

Those decisions prevented bankruptcy and the appointment of an emergency manager, NOBCO chairman Roy Brooks said in a statement.

"Wayne County CEO Warren Evans came into office and hit the ground running,” Brooks said. “His innovative approach to solving problems is the type of leadership that every municipality could use.”

Evans said he’s honored to have been selected County Executive of the Year, NOBCO’s highest honor.

“I often get a lot of the credit, but I have assembled an outstanding team dedicated to carrying out my vision for Wayne County,” he said in a statement. “While we’ve made tremendous progress in a short period of time, we will not stop until our mission is complete.”

Image: From left, Keith Golden and Derek Albert, both of the NOBCO, Wayne County Executive Warren C. Evans, and Roy Brooks, NOBCO chairman. (Photo courtesy of Eric Hobson)