By: Carol Cain

Gov. Rick Snyder may have to dig a little deeper in his bag of CEO leadership tools to convince regional leaders to work closer together.

Amid the gnashing of teeth over reductions of movie incentives, funding of education and other things, there are rumblings, too, from some leaders in southeast Michigan about suggestions of doing more together.

"I'm not sure it would be a realistic proposition for those of us running larger counties to suddenly merge more operations," said Mark Hackel, new Macomb County executive who is putting together his outline of how the suburban Detroit county will be set up.
He's working under a 180-day deadline mandated by voters.
"Local control is always a key impediment" to getting more things done, Hackel said. "These decisions also should not be driven by simply saving money. They should be done because they make sense."

Included in Hackel's plans will be more about his "blue economy" of creating opportunities around Lake St. Clair with a pier, giant freshwater aquarium, campsites and maybe even a casino.

To the west, Oakland County Executive L. Brooks Patterson wasn't feeling all warm and fuzzy about embracing all nearby counties.

"I would look at doing more. But I would pick my merger partners," said Patterson.
He's already pursuing joint economic development efforts with Genesee, Livingston and other northern counties.

Patterson said he would not be as favorable to being lumped in with Wayne County as "they have huge debts I would not want to be saddled with."


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