Thank you to everyone who could attend the inaugural MichWomen meeting last night! Here's how it...
Commissioner Tracey Slodowski shares insights on Saginaw County’s growth, community priorities, and the future of local leadership.
In this conversation with Saginaw County Commissioner Tracey Slodowski, we explore the local wins and ongoing challenges shaping our community. From economic development projects like the Medical Diamond to tackling the stray pet crisis, balancing the county budget, and championing collaboration over partisanship, Tracey shares her passion for public service and her vision for Saginaw's future. Get an inside look at what’s happening in our county and how leadership rooted in service is making a difference.
Table of Contents
- District 5 Map
- Politics Should Be About Service
- How Tracey Got into Politics
- Tracey's Work History
- The Shift to 4-Year Terms for Saginaw County Commissioners
- What it Takes in Local Politics
- 2 Out of 11: Women in Saginaw County Government
- What is the Executive Board?
- Issues in Saginaw County District 5
- The Memorial Cup Was More Than Just a Trophy
- The New Medical Diamond Will Transform Saginaw’s Downtown
- Women Are Designing Saginaw’s Future—and It’s Big
- New Surgery Center Offers Hope for Saginaw’s Pet Overpopulation Crisis
- The Budget Looks Good—And So Does the Future of Saginaw County
- Putting People Over Politics in Saginaw County
District 5 Map
Contact Tracey Slodowski, Saginaw County Commissioner, District 5: https://www.saginawcounty.com/departments/board-of-commissioners/commissioner-roster/district-5-tracey-slodowski/
Krista
Hi there. I'm Krista, the director of Michigan Women. And today, I'm so excited to have with us Tracy Slodowski. She's our Saginaw County Commissioner for District Five, which includes the northwestern part of Saginaw County. And we're going to talk to her today about how she got started.
00:01:45:28 - 00:02:10:11
You know, what's going on in Saginaw County, what's the vision for 2025? And I'm just really looking forward to learning more about Tracy and what's in store for our county. So with that, I would like to turn it over to Tracy. Tell us a little bit about yourself!
Tracey
Well, I'm happily married, and I'm the mother of 4, some teens, some early 20s.
00:02:10:14 - 00:02:37:00
Unknown
So I also have six pets, if that matters!
Krista
Oh, I have five. Yeah!
Tracey
Yeah, I'm an animal person. That's putting it mildly.
Tracey's Interest in Politics Started Young!
So, boy, my story is kind of unique. I actually started in politics in high school. Oh, I have always been interested in politics since Ronald Reagan came on the scene.
00:02:37:02 - 00:03:06:15
I actually asked my mother if I could stay home from first grade so I could watch him get sworn in.
Krista
When you were in first grade?!
Tracey
I was in first grade, and I got to stay home because this was before you could record things, obviously. And I got to watch Reagan be sworn in that day, and my parents were like, you are a very weird first grader! But I have always loved politics.
Politics Should Be About Service
https://michwomen.com/hubfs/videos/interview-shorts/tracey-slodoowski9-the-budget-looks-good-and-so-does-the-future-of-saginaw-county.mp4
00:03:06:15 - 00:03:33:13
It's something I've always been interested in, how things are run and serving other people. Because that's the main reason that you should get into politics. Right? And as we know, that's not always the case. But your main goal in leading or serving or being an elected official is serving. And I love doing it.
How Tracey Got into Politics
00:03:33:13 - 00:04:02:05
So, in high school, I started working on campaigns here in Michigan, and I continue to do that. I was very active in many campaigns for many years. And I had my kids and took a little break to raise them.
They were in need of a township clerk here in Merrill. And I put in that I would like to do that.
00:04:02:05 - 00:04:28:15
And I ran for it, and I was elected, and I did that for about eight and nine years until there was a county commissioner opening.
And I was called (while I was still in my pajamas) by someone from the county who said, "Hey, your district county commissioner is stepping down, and tomorrow they're interviewing for county commissioners. We think you would be the perfect person for it."
00:04:28:17 - 00:04:54:18
So, in the process of one day, I went from being a township clerk to being a county commissioner.
Krista
Oh, wait a minute. Don't we vote for our county commissioner?
Tracey
Well, I was appointed, and then I was elected, and then I was reelected.
Krista
Okay, okay.
Tracey
So I've been elected twice and appointed once.
Tracey's Work History
Krista
Okay. So, can I ask if you have ever had any other jobs?
00:04:54:20 - 00:05:18:28
Tracey
Oh, absolutely. When my kids were very little, I worked for Meijer. So, I did that for about 2 or 3 years to make some extra money to help out and, frankly, just get out of the house because I had four small children. So, my husband, you know, during the day, he would watch the kids, and I'd work, you know, 3 or 4 hours.
00:05:18:28 - 00:05:39:10
And, so, I've done that. And I also, as you know, as a teenager, as typical, I worked at Domino's and gas stations and the mall.
Krista
Yeah.
Tracey
In the 80s, I worked at the mall.
Krista
Where did you work at the mall?
Tracey
It was Woman's World, which is no longer there. It was a clothing store, which is no longer there.
00:05:39:10 - 00:06:00:09
It hasn't been in business for years and years.
Krista
Yeah, mine was JCPenney and Endicott Johnson. They were like a shoe store.
Tracey
Oh, how fun.
Krista
If I remember that name correctly, it was like many years ago.
Tracey
Well, I loved it because I got a 30% discount. And, of course, you remember the 80s. We were all about the clothes and the big hair and the whole thing.
00:06:00:09 - 00:06:28:08
But I love that job. That was so much fun.
The Shift to 4-Year Terms for Saginaw County Commissioners
Krista
Awesome. So, you've been doing this for three terms now?
Tracey
Yeah, I've been elected official for probably, and don't quote me on this, but I think close to 20 years.
Krista
Okay. How long is a Saginaw County Commissioner's term?
Tracey
Well, originally, it was two years up until the last election, and they switched it over to four years.
00:06:28:10 - 00:06:53:16
So now I'm on a four-year term.
Krista
Okay.
Tracey
Reason being is it was very difficult because you get elected as county commissioner and you automatically start campaigning for your next campaign. It was really hard for people to even get their feet wet because you were constantly campaigning. So, I like the four years better. Definitely.
Krista
Yeah. So this is your first time doing four years?
00:06:53:16 - 00:07:25:04
Tracey
Yes.
Krista
Okay. You have more time to get settled in. Focus.
What it Takes in Local Politics
What is it like to campaign for a Saginaw County commissioner?
Tracey
Well, campaigning is a lot of work. Really, you need to be campaigning all the time. And I don't mean that, you know, actively campaigning, handing people flyers, but you really need to be part of the community. This is what I tell people: you know, if you want to be in politics, you need to be involved.
00:07:25:06 - 00:07:46:06
Sometimes, you get people that you've never heard of, you've never seen them. They've never shown up to a meeting; they've never been involved in the community. And all of a sudden they want to be your representative.
Well, like I said, I've been very involved in this community for a long time. So, that kind of gave me an advantage with campaigning because everybody already knew who I was being the township clerk.
00:07:46:08 - 00:08:12:06
Obviously, if they wanted to vote, I was the person that they saw. So you know, you do the typical parades, and you know, you go to speaking engagements, which is always fun.
Krista
What kind of speaking engagements?
Tracey
Meet and greet with the different parties that want to get to know you. You can even put on your own fundraiser and have people come and meet you.
00:08:12:09 - 00:08:23:16
I did that the first time around. The last time I ran, I ran unopposed.
Krista
Oh, Okay.
Tracey
So, it was pretty safe to say I had the job.
00:08:23:19 - 00:08:52:12
Krista
Unopposed. Okay. And you're a Democrat or a Republican?
Tracey
Republican.
Krista
Oh, okay. See, I don't even know.
2 Out of 11: Women in Saginaw County Government
Tracey
I'm the only female Republican on the board.
Krista
Okay, well, how many women commissioners are there?
Tracey
Two.
Krista
Two. And the other one is, who's the other one?
Tracey
Lisa Cohn. And she's a Democrat.
Krista
Okay. So we had two out of 11.
Tracey
Two women out of 11. The funny thing is that the majority of Saginaw County is female.
00:08:52:15 - 00:09:18:23
The percentage, I believe, is that 54% of the residents of Saginaw County are female. And there's only two on the board. And up until this last election cycle, there wasn't a female on the executive board. And in this term, I am now the only female serving on the executive board, so I'm quite proud of that.
Krista
Yeah, absolutely.
00:09:18:29 - 00:09:43:27
What is the Executive Board?
What does that mean to serve on the executive board?
Tracey
It's basically when there are votes or very pressing issues, before it goes to the rest of the board for consideration, it goes to the executive board to work through and to recommend to the other boards. So, it's kind of the first stop for any issue.
00:09:44:00 - 00:10:02:27
Krista
Okay. I definitely want to get into some issues for sure. But before we go down that path, right, I want to find out more about, well, a lot more about your district.
I don't think we got into too much about where your district was. We said, at the beginning, it was northwestern Saginaw County.
00:10:03:00 - 00:10:35:29
And let's talk about your district: what's going on in your district? What's on people's minds out there?
Issues in Saginaw County District 5
Solar Farms in Hemlock
Tracey
Oh, solar, solar farms and wind farms. Ever since the state government took away local control, we have a huge solar project coming into Hemlock (Hemlock to discuss ordinance change as firm eyes possible solar farm), which is a rural community, farmland, small people like it. And a huge solar farm is scheduled to be put in in my district.
00:10:35:29 - 00:11:01:14
And the local government and the people really have no say in where it's going. And they're not happy.
Krista
Why don't the local people have any say?
Tracey
Because the state government took away our power, it is now in their hands. They have control of all that, and the local body of government has no say in it anymore.
00:11:01:16 - 00:11:34:24
Krista
Was there a new law that was passed or something?
(Michigan Resident Voices Concerns Over Proposed Hemlock Solar Farm)
Tracey
Correct.
Krista
You know, would you be able to share a little bit more about what that was?
Tracey
Well, basically, it's the state of Michigan that will determine like setbacks, where they can go. (The distance between solar panels and the edge of a roof or other structure) I mean, basically, down to how it goes in the ground. Before, especially when I was a township clerk, the local government set, you know, where they can be and how tall they can be.
00:11:34:24 - 00:12:06:10
And how much land they can be on.
But now the state controls all that, and really, we're at their mercy.
And, you know, we want to be a small community. We are a small farming community, especially Hemlock, where all these big, huge solar farms are going, and, you know, people feel that it's disturbing what, you know, what our community is. You know, we want to be small.
00:12:06:10 - 00:12:39:00
We enjoy our farmlands. We enjoy our views the way they are. And now we're we've got big wind turbines everywhere. And now they're going to be putting in solar panels.
So I've been to a lot of very heated, meetings. And, you know, I've advocated down at the state government, saying, "Please give us back our local control." Even the counties are saying, "Hey, you know, you took away our right to choose whether we want these to come into our communities."
00:12:39:00 - 00:13:00:13
Unfortunately, that has not changed. Hopefully, in the future, it may allow local government to make those decisions about what's best for the community. But right now we have no power. They're going to put them wherever they want to put them, and how big they want to put them.
Krista
Let me go back for a second. Do you know what agency at the Michigan State Capitol that's in charge of that now?
Tracey
Yeah, there's a whole committee that handles all the wind and solar.
Krista
A committee out at the capital.
Tracey
And, yeah, it's one of the committees.
Krista
Okay.
Tracey
The legislature.
Krista
And so they look at hemlock. And so what if people own this property or whatnot?
Selling Farms to Energy Companies
00:13:23:13 - 00:13:57:17
Tracey
They basically buy them out.
Krista
Are the owners of the property, do they have to sell, are they forced to sell?
Tracey
They are not forced to sell. However, they're— this is strictly my opinion—I think they're predators. They prey on people who may have failing farms or family members who don't know what to do with their farms.
00:13:57:17 - 00:14:24:07
They've inherited them. Because, as you know, you know, up-and-coming generations don't want a farm. My husband's parents are farmers, and he has no intention of farming.
The solar companies make people offers that are too good to be true, you know, more than they could make farming, unfortunately.
Krista
Okay, well, so then the people are actually choosing to give up their property, but they feel like maybe they don't like that
00:14:24:07 - 00:14:54:09
it's too good to be true. How can it be done? They don't really know what their options are.
Tracey
Right.
Local Sentiment About Wind and Solar
Krista
I'm curious about the people in your area. What are they saying about solar or the wind in their towns?
Tracey
We don't want it. We still want farming. We don't want these massive, wind turbines all over the place.
00:14:54:09 - 00:15:12:03
When I look out my window, I have a big bay window, and that's in. I look out to all this farmland and all these forests, and that's no longer there. All it is right now, I'd say I'm looking at about five wind turbines as opposed to the trees.
Krista
Five blinking lights.
Tracey
Right into my house.
Krista
Yeah, I hear you.
00:15:12:05 - 00:15:34:16
Yeah. Those blinking lights are something else. I'm not going to deny that. I drive down out there quite a bit. You know, if you head out anywhere out to the west on M46 at night, you're going to see a skyline full of blinking lights.
Tracey
You're going to see even more. It's coming.
Krista
Okay.
Tracey
You know, there's a few people, but I'd say the majority of people don't want them.
00:15:34:19 - 00:15:56:15
But like I said, I feel like these companies target some of our older farmers whose children no longer want to farm. And they seek these people out and they make them offers that are too good to be true. They buy their acres for, you know, five times what they can make farming.
Krista
Do the families stay around?
00:15:56:18 - 00:16:15:03
Tracey
You know it probably would be on an individual basis. It's hard to say because I don't know them all personally.
Krista
Right.
Tracey
Yeah I know, one of the big solar projects that's coming into the town, the woman inherited it from her dad: her dad passed away, and she inherited all this farmland, and she's selling it to the solar.
00:16:15:05 - 00:16:41:09
Krista
Okay. Got it. What's going on in the farming community? Tell us a little bit more about that. Anything exciting? Tell us about your agriculture.
Tracey
Well, we primarily grow corn and soybeans in my area. You know, there's farmland everywhere in my district, for the most part, except for Thomas Township,
00:16:41:09 - 00:17:01:02
but there's a little bit. Like I said, my husband comes from a farming family. Farming is very big.
Saginaw County District 5: Pole Barn Parties & Small-Town Pride
You know, in my community, if somebody puts up a pole barn, we have a party.
Krista
Okay! A pole barn party. Yeah!
Tracey
Because somebody put up a pole barn. And, you know, it's a big event.
00:17:01:04 - 00:17:23:28
People hunt and fish and farm out here. We like the fact that, you know, they say that everybody knows everything about everybody. But let me tell you, in this town, if something happens, we really pull together, and that's the part that I love about my community, is it feels like we're all one big family.
Krista
That's so
00:17:23:28 - 00:17:48:07
awesome.
Tracey
Yeah.
Krista
What are you thinking about for this year as you're going into 2025 for your county? I mean, so of course, you're going to, I imagine, still keep addressing the solar, right?
Tracey
Yeah. I think that's, you know, pretty much it's a done deal, and it's a losing battle. So we'll see how that goes. You know, it's kind of a wait-and-see at this point.
00:17:48:09 - 00:18:10:17
Krista
Okay. So, what else is going on in terms of Saginaw County.
The Memorial Cup Was More Than Just a Trophy
Tracey
Yeah. Okay! We've got big projects coming up. The biggest project coming up...Well, let me go back.
So, I'm not sure if you knew, but Saginaw County won the Memorial Cup, which is one of the big which is huge projects that we put on.
00:18:10:17 - 00:18:30:07
And, yeah, that took a lot of planning and a lot of money and a lot of coordination and the whole community coming together, and then we ended up winning it! So that was pretty exciting for Saginaw. You know, Saginaw tends to have a really bad reputation. But you know it was nice to get a win.
00:18:30:09 - 00:18:52:29
Krista
Yeah.
Tracey
We're going to be doing a lot more winning.
The New Medical Diamond Will Transform Saginaw’s Downtown
I don't know if you've heard of the medical diamond? ($30.3 Million for Saginaw’s Medical Diamond Project)
Krista
Yes, I have, and I've been thinking a lot about it.
00:19:13:16 - 00:19:46:06
But I would love to hear more from your perspective on what the medical diamond will look like for Saginaw County.
Tracey
The first phase—and it's going to be a while—the first phase is going to be, of course, they're going to build the CMU medical school, which is going to be dorms, restaurants, the school, parks, boat launches: I mean, this is really going to be first class.
00:19:46:08 - 00:20:14:09
No expenses spared, bringing in all these students and teachers into our community, which is going to revive Saginaw. Obviously, people have to live somewhere. They have to eat somewhere. They have to shop places. Yeah. It's going to be the first phase.
Our health department is going to be moving into the medical diamond. Then, of course, in the following phases, we're going to have a hospital.
00:20:14:12 - 00:20:58:01
Krista
Another hospital?
Tracey
Yes. What I've heard, but don't quote me if it's true, is that we will be the next U of M, our community will be the next U of M. We're going to be a place to go to have surgeries.
Like, right now, I have my oldest son has autism. Well, unfortunately, because of how difficult it is to, you know, operate or even, you know, even put an IV in, we have always had to go to U of M for those kinds of services because they have the equipment to be able to successfully deal with someone who's autistic, and have a successful outcome and the staffing and
00:20:58:01 - 00:21:20:12
things like that. And how nice would it be to be able to do that in my own community and not have to drive down to U of M. Like I said, this is just so exciting for Saginaw.
Krista
Is it $30 million?
Tracey
Well, you know, I've heard 30 million. And I have a feeling it's gonna be a lot more.
00:21:20:14 - 00:21:36:18
Women Are Designing Saginaw’s Future—and It’s Big
Tracey
I don't know if you've heard this, but the two architects who are designing this whole thing are women.
Krista
Woo hoo! I have to learn more about that. I gotta put that in our article.
Tracey
I don't know their names, but I can get them for you.
[Studio Gang is lead by Jeanne Gang, and is an architecture and urban design practice that helps people, organizations, and cities design their futures.
SCAPE Landscape Architecture is led by Kate Orff. It is an architecture and urban design practice that advocates for the ecologically restorative and socially engaged landscapes, urban environments, and natural infrastructure of the future.
Source: Future Saginaw Riverfront Park
00:21:36:19 - 00:21:53:23
Krista
Okay.
Tracey
But the architects, the two architects that are designing this whole entire project are women.
Krista
Okay. We need to talk to them for sure. Did you talk to them?
Tracey
I've never actually met them, but I've seen them at, like, talks and things, but I've never personally went up and talked to them.
00:21:53:23 - 00:22:25:18
But I can get those names for you because I think that's really something.
Krista
Yeah.
Tracey
What they plan on doing because, like I said, this is just, it's going to be beautiful. Parks. And, you know, where they can canoe and things. (Photos, models of proposed Saginaw Medical Diamond project revealed.)
Krista
I mean, yeah, the Saginaw River right there.
Tracey
This is incredible.
Medical Diamond Funding
Krista
And the money came from?
Tracey
Private investors, the state, the county put in a little bit, but I would say the majority of it is private investors.
00:22:25:21 - 00:22:46:15
Krista
I thought they got a big grant?
Tracey
We did, yeah, there was a grant from the state of Michigan. There was that too.
Krista
[So we had a little glitch there for a second.]
Yeah. The, infrastructure bill, the Biden infrastructure bill.
Tracey
Yeah. It's, basically it's a collaboration of a lot of money from different sources. So.
00:22:46:17 - 00:23:06:26
Krista
Okay. That's good to know. Yeah. I have to look into that more.
Medical Diamond Location
Where is it going to be? Is there a location?
Tracey
The reason it's called the medical diamond is because if you look from an aerial view where, like, Covenant Hospital is and the new Mid-Michigan Hospital, where they're putting this actually looks like a diamond.
00:23:06:27 - 00:23:31:19
So if, the way they have it shape from the air where they're putting it to all the different hospitals, it's diamond. So they're going to keep all the medical facilities in that diamond.
Krista
Okay.
Is it like by the highway entrance there, that little area down by I675?
Tracey
By where the Dow Event Center is.
Krista
Oh okay.
Tracey
It's going to run both sides of the river.
00:23:31:22 - 00:23:53:14
Krista
Do you know if it'll be on the north side of State Street there? You know, because State Street is the road Dow Center is on. I mean, because you got the Saginaw club there and the Temple Theater.
Tracey
Yeah, it'll be on both sides of that river down, you know, where all those buildings are.
00:23:53:14 - 00:24:23:28
Krista
And then by the new high school.
Tracey
Yes, yes, all in that area.
Krista
Wow. I am like, really excited about that.
Tracey
Yeah.
Is the Medical Diamond for sure happening?
Krista
And it's for sure happening.
Tracey
God willing, but I think there's too much money at stake. Like I said, phase one is going to be the medical school and the dorms, and I believe the park and the boat launches are going to be phase one.
00:24:23:28 - 00:24:48:14
County's role in further development of the Medical Diamond
Krista
So it's so exciting. And so that's so what is the county going to do over the, you know, to facilitate this. What are your what's your role?
Tracey
Well, our role right now initially was to make an initial investment, which was about 3 to $4 million. That's what we have put into it so far.
Krista
So that's our tax money dollars.
ARPA Funds for the Medical Diamond Project
00:24:48:17 - 00:25:19:00
Tracey
Yes. But most of it came from the ARPA funds that we were given from the federal government. I don't know if you're familiar with ARPA funds.
We were given $37 million from the federal government during Covid. So, like each municipality, each county, we were all given it, they call it ARPA funds right after Covid to, you know, revitalize the economy, all that kind of stuff.
00:25:19:02 - 00:25:43:15
So, the $4 million that we gave came out of those funds.
Krista
Okay.
Tracey
So it wasn't directly out of our budget. If that's, if that makes it clearer.
Medical Diamond Next Steps
Krista
All right that makes it. That helps. Yeah, absolutely. So, at this point, are there, like, planning commissions or?
Tracey
No, we haven't even got that far yet.
00:25:43:17 - 00:26:03:08
Krista
But there will be I'm sure.
Tracey
I'm sure there's going to be a whole lot of planning down the road. I see a lot of things coming: as you said, planning commissions and, you know, where do we fit in all this? I'm sure that, you know, the city of Saginaw and Saginaw County, we're going to have a big part in this.
00:26:03:10 - 00:26:26:22
Krista
Yeah. So, I imagine the architects will have maps, draft up ideas, and then they'll present it to somebody around here...
Tracey
Yeah, that would probably be the people who are paying for it, the majority of it.
Krista
So okay. And then they'll have to take it to the community.
Tracey
Correct.
Krista
So, I can't wait to learn more about that.
00:26:26:22 - 00:26:44:26
And you'll have all this on your website at your meetings.
Tracey
Yeah. It's, like I said; it's a work in progress. This kind of started two years ago. You know, it's going to be a long time to actually complete this. But they're doing like I said, they're doing it in phases.
00:26:44:26 - 00:27:18:10
Krista
So that's pretty exciting. What else is on the agenda for 2025?
New Surgery Center Offers Hope for Saginaw’s Pet Overpopulation Crisis
Tracey
I'm really excited to be personally involved in this. I chair the Saginaw, County Animal Control Advisory Board, and our Surgery Center will be opening this year, hopefully in April.
The advisory board, working with the director, has managed to get the donations needed and get all the equipment to get the Surgery Center operational where it's, you know, all up to code.
00:27:18:10 - 00:27:48:12
We have all the supplies, you know, fire inspection. It's almost ready to go.
And, you know, Saginaw County, unfortunately, has a huge population of stray animals. And it's not getting better. You know, we have to turn away every single day, so many people's animals because we just can't house every animal that needs to be housed.
00:27:48:14 - 00:28:15:27
And it's just it's very, very sad, especially after Covid. They were just inundated with animals.
Krista
People can't afford to take care of them anymore.
Tracey
So just recently, two days ago, I was over there talking to the director, and a car pulled up and opened the door with this beautiful black lab. They shoved it out the door and took off, you know, and of course, all the staff members, because it's right there, you know, the road,
00:28:15:29 - 00:28:39:03
and of course, all the staff members went running out to catch the dog. We're running all over the parking lot because we don't want the dog to get hit. But yeah, this stuff happens every single day.
They have 140 pit bulls that they've either rescued or they were dumped upon. This year, they came in, and they had a trash can, right by the door.
00:28:39:03 - 00:29:03:07
It was full of puppies.
So, Saginaw County—and it's not just Saginaw County, there's every county probably in Michigan—is up to our ears and unwanted pets. So, you know, opening the surgery center where people can go and get their pet spayed and neutered. And people who cannot afford it will be able to do so.
00:29:03:07 - 00:29:33:06
So, we can, you know, reduce the pet population here in Saginaw. Anything we can do that these poor animals, you know.
Why are there so many unwanted pets in Saginaw?
Krista
What's your take on the reasons why there are so many unwanted pets?
Tracey
In the United States, I mean, this is a United States problem.
Krista
What can we do as a community to help solve that?
Tracey
Unfortunately, you know, as a community to help solve that, you know, police can only do so much.
00:29:33:06 - 00:30:06:17
Dogfighting
And unfortunately, here in Saginaw, we have a lot of dogfighting and we don't have enough resources or police officers to effectively police that kind of thing.
Krista
That's a real thing that happens here in Saginaw county?
Tracey
Absolutely. You may want to talk to our director Rachel, because if people knew what was, you know, as far as dogfighting, the problem that we have here in Saginaw...Some of the animals they get in are just so torn up,
Krista
Where do they do this at?
00:30:06:19 - 00:30:29:12
Tracey
Well, it is just all over Saginaw. Like I said, Rachel would probably be— Rachel Horton is our director—would be definitely better to, you know, give you the specifics about everything that's been going on. But you as the taxpayer, you know, we get these animals in that have has their ears ripped off and their tails ripped off, and they're just ripped off.
00:30:29:12 - 00:30:56:11
And you, as the taxpayer, have to, you know, pay to fix up those animals. Because even though we're a no-kill shelter, you know, they only euthanize if the animal cannot be saved. But, you know, I don't think the taxpayers realize that they're paying for, you know, that kind of service on these dogs that have been just horrifically, you know, maimed from dogfighting and this, you know, this is going on.
00:30:56:11 - 00:31:16:10
It's a huge problem in Saginaw.
Krista
Well, that somebody is making money.
Tracey
Yeah, absolutely. But, and like I said Rachel, she could do a much better job than I can with all the specifics. It's just it's tragic. It's just there is no good way to put it. It's just a tragic situation and how you stop it, you know.
00:31:16:13 - 00:31:39:03
Too Many Unwanted Pets
You know, we can only do so much. And I think that's how, you know, every county feels. Midland has the same problem. Bay City has the same problem. You know, every county has the same problem. If you look online at the unwanted pets, I mean, every shelter's full of pitbulls, and I don't have the answer. I mean, how do you get people to be responsible?
00:31:39:05 - 00:32:06:00
You know, pets are our lifelong residents of our family. They're expensive, coming from somebody who has quite a few to deal with. One going to the vet tomorrow, you know. They're cute when they're small and they're puppies, but they grow up, and they're expensive. And yeah, I think it's just irresponsibility is the main reason that we have these problems here in Saginaw County.
00:32:06:00 - 00:32:31:15
But hopefully, you know, when we open up the surgery center: if we can even make a dent! This is what's so exciting for me, a dent in our community's population of animals that we're not having people, you know, opening car doors and dumping them out into our parking lot. That's an incredible thing. And I'm very as you can tell, I'm so passionate about this whole project that
Krista
I'm so glad that you're working on that.
00:32:31:15 - 00:32:51:19
I live down the road from the old Saginaw Animal Control Center, and it just broke my heart to drive past there because it was so small. And, you know, you go in there and those dogs have no space now. So I'm thankful as a taxpayer that my tax money can go to that. But I would love to find strategies or something we can do to help.
00:32:51:21 - 00:33:16:11
Tracey
Anything that anyone would like to constructively help. Unfortunately, we have a lot of people that are keyboard warriors that, you know, they have a lot of opinions, but yet, you know, a lot of these things that they think we should be doing are expensive, you know? And as you as a taxpayer, we don't have the funds for it.
00:33:16:11 - 00:33:38:11
And it just comes down to money, you know. Yes, we could be doing this. Yes, we could expand the shelter. Yes, we could put in all these different programs and hire more people. But we don't have the funds.
Krista
Right. Well, when I interviewed Rich Spitzer, he was talking about the budget. That's his main mojo.
Tracey
Yeah.
00:33:38:13 - 00:33:59:12
Krista
Rich said that one of his initiatives is to try to get more businesses to come in here. But so, when we look at the budget, what's your take on it? What are your feelings? How do you want to address it?
The Budget Looks Good—And So Does the Future of Saginaw County
Tracey
Well, first of all, we are actually for the first time, for last year's budget,
00:33:59:12 - 00:34:25:10
I mean, we are right on budget. I mean, we're pretty excited. It looks really good. We are, you know, staying within our budget. Things are getting done. We're not running in the red, so. Yeah, it's doing really well.
Saginaw, like I said, is looking up. Our budget in our finances are starting to look the way they should look, especially after Covid.
00:34:25:13 - 00:34:51:24
We're finally getting in our community, we're hiring prosecutors because we couldn't for the longest time after Covid.
I mean, it really took a hit for our employee base. I mean, people weren't coming back to work after Covid and we couldn't find lawyers.
There's been a shortage of lawyers. So, of course, you know, all the court cases are going to get backed up because we don't have enough people to litigate them.
00:34:51:27 - 00:35:18:04
We hired we just got two new prosecutors. And we're finally through our backlog of cases.
So like I said, there's I'm just so excited. I mean, good things are happening for Saginaw and things that we haven't seen in a very long time.
[Saginaw County Budget Booklet]
Krista
Like a balanced budget?
Tracey
A balanced budget and being able to hire the necessary staff, qualified people.
00:35:18:07 - 00:35:36:23
Like I said, our surgery center, medical center, we just won the Stanley Cup—or not the Stanley Cup—but the Memorial Cup!
Krista
No, not the Stanely Cup! LOL
Tracey
I wish! But, you know, I'm just so proud of the work that we've done—as you can tell I'm very passionate about everything,
00:35:36:23 - 00:36:05:13
the work that this group of commissioners, since I've been on board, has done, they've really, you know, rolled up their sleeves and thought outside the box of let's not do the same old, same old. And that's what I love because, you know, the same old, same old wasn't working.
How the Commissioners Got the Budget Back on Track
Krista
Right.
So how do you think, just for some examples, how did they get, like, the budget going on the way that it should be?
00:36:05:13 - 00:36:26:28
You know, in terms of at least being balanced?
Tracey
Well, commissioners were willing to say no to things that weren't necessary and that's what it boiled down to. You know, a lot of times people would come and ask for things that we just couldn't afford. And not to bash any other former boards because I wasn't there,
00:36:27:00 - 00:36:53:19
but there were times we had to say no. And it was, they were hard decisions. You know, when someone came to us and said, "We need the latest and greatest computers." Sorry. No. I mean, yours are three years old, let's make them till six. We had to say no.
Krista
Okay.
Tracey
You know, cut where we could cut and say no when it wasn't absolutely necessary.
00:36:53:19 - 00:37:20:20
That's how we got it done. And we finally, like I said, I got commissioners that were willing to say no.
How the Budget Works
Krista
Okay. Well, thank you for sharing that. Can you dive a little bit into when it comes to the budget? How are decisions made and what they're making decisions about? I know, you know, the police, the jail, the health department, the main things like how just in a little bit, how the budget works.
00:37:20:22 - 00:37:47:18
Tracey
Sure. Well, a lot of the ways that we have to spend money are mandated by the state of Michigan. Like, if you want to help a health department, you must have A, B, C, D, and you must fund it. So, so as far as the budget goes, you know, we have to fund these certain things like, vaccination clinics.
00:37:47:18 - 00:38:09:00
If you want to have the health department, you must have, you know, you must do this, and you must do that, and we must pay for them. Same with, like, juvenile detention and our jails. All that is mandated that we must pay for if we want to have that service for Saginaw County. So, a lot of our budget is out of our hands.
00:38:09:00 - 00:38:36:27
We know what it's going to cost and what we have to pay for. You know, and yeah, hopefully anything extra that we have that isn't mandated, we use those resources very wisely. And a lot of people don't realize that a lot of this comes down from the state of Michigan or even the federal government that, you know, we have to, you know, you have to pay for this and you have to pay for that.
00:38:36:27 - 00:39:00:26
Krista
So. Right. So there's not a lot of room, but what you do have room to control. You've been doing a good job.
Tracey
Yeah I am like I said we're right on track to where we should be, which is really great. When's the last time you've heard that about Saginaw? So how about any government?.
00:39:01:02 - 00:39:26:25
Krista
Yeah. You know, a lot of conversations. But we're going on a couple of weeks since Trump's taken office. Is there anything that is impacting our own county that you can see so far.
Putting People Over Politics in Saginaw County
Tracey
You know people believe what they see on TV and what they read on the internet. And there's only five Republicans and six Democrats.
00:39:26:25 - 00:39:49:09
You know what? We're a family. We’re a team. We don't play politics in our in our county government. It just doesn't matter. Like I said, we're just one big team. Very rarely does, though, you know, Republican, Democrat thing even come into play because we don't vote on those type of issues.
00:39:49:12 - 00:40:07:09
And because of the leadership that we've had since I've been on board, we had, Judge Chris, Boyd, who was, retired judge for 40 years. And now we have Jack Taney. We've had excellent leadership, and they fostered that we are all one big team: either we're going to sink or swim, we're going to do it together.
00:40:07:09 - 00:40:30:20
And this Republican Democrat stuff just, you know, it. All it's going to do is divide us. So, I can happily say, for as far as the county commissioners go, we are just one team. And it really does not matter if there are Republicans or Democrats. And I honestly don't even think that we should have to at the county level, run as a Republican or Democrat, because it doesn't matter.
00:40:30:22 - 00:40:53:28
You know, when it comes to whether I'm going to vote on lawn care for the, you know, the courthouse, does it really matter? I didn't know that Republicans had a platform on, you know, lawn care!
Krista
So no, I'm with you. It's about the people. It's about the community and what we need as a community, as an out your party.
00:40:54:05 - 00:41:23:12
Yeah. Because we represent such different communities. We represent our communities as commissioners and what our communities want and their best interests. And, you know, like I said, as far as, like the Trump stuff and all that, you know, what goes on the federal government, that has really no effect on us at the county level. It, you know, some of the policies may affect us, but as far as the way we vote or, you know, our fighting with each other, that it's just not even...
Local Impact of Trump Policies
(During his First Couple of Weeks in Office)
00:41:23:12 - 00:41:46:24
Krista
Well, I'm glad to hear that, but I really was more interested in like, is there any policy issues that are coming down, like all these mandates and everything? I don't know if anything that has been impact and what you…
Tracey
Nothing yet.
Krista
Nothing yet. Yeah. Okay.
Tracey
God forbid that something's not going to affect us so far. No.
00:41:46:24 - 00:42:05:09
Krista
Okay. Okay.
Tracey
No, as far as, like our sheriff and ice and all that stuff. Yeah. I have not heard a thing about anything like that.
Krista
Immigration. You know, maybe, like pulling services for maybe the health department if they provide, like, abortion?
Tracey
No, no, none of that now.
00:42:05:12 - 00:42:31:22
Krista
Okay.
Tracey
They do, they provide birth control, mostly drug testing, vaccinations. That's pretty much, you know, their forte. But as far as so far, as far as since Trump's been in office, we haven't really had any impact as of yet. You asked me that in a year and I might tell them different.
Krista
Well I do, I'm really curious.
00:42:31:29 - 00:42:57:12
You know, there’s all of this stuff that's happening, but what does it mean for our community? That's really what I'm trying to get to. I'm sure other communities, there's things that are impacting them more. But, you know, our community is very diverse, don't you think?
Tracey
Absolutely. I have the most conservative district. The second would be Danny Harris, Commissioner Danny Harris, which would be like Saint Charles, Chesaning.
00:42:57:14 - 00:43:22:06
But my community is very, very red. I mean, when I was a township clerk, the first time Trump ran, it wasn't even close. I mean, it was probably 15 to 1. I mean, Republicans overwhelmingly, went in this community. I don't think there's a single Democrat in my community.
Krista
I’m sure there’s somebody somewhere. But you might be right.
Tracey
Maybe.
00:43:22:06 - 00:43:45:20
But, yeah, I have a very, very conservative demographic that I represent.
Krista
Yes. And then I mean, our county and then you have other parts of the county that are completely the opposite.
Tracey
Yes. We don't even have a police department here in mayoral. There's no need for it. We don't have any crime. And we have one,
00:43:45:21 - 00:44:12:15
I think, Hemlock has one police officer that they share with someone else. The crime rate here is less than 1%. I mean, we just don't have it. You know, I don't know if you've ever heard the song, “Try that in a small town? That's what would happen if someone broke into my most conservative township, Marion Township,
00:44:12:15 - 00:44:39:14
I don't even think they'd be able to find the body, because I think every single person is armed. You know, I mean, I'm being realistic. It's probably true.
Okay. But, yeah, we don't have crime. It's a small town, and everybody knows everybody. And, you know, my neighbor watches my house like a hawk. And God forbid, if we were gone and somebody were trying to break into our house, you would be out there, you know?
00:44:39:14 - 00:44:42:24
Krista
Yeah.
00:44:42:27 - 00:45:07:02
Well, Tracy, it's been so great to talk with you. Let's wrap this up. Is there anything else that you'd like to share or, with our audience, with our community? About your role at the at the county or what? On the agenda or anything at all?
Tracey
Well, Oh, boy. Trying to think what's on the agenda, that's been coming up
00:45:07:02 - 00:45:31:14
that's big, other than….
Krista
Yeah.
Tracey
You know, basically, you know, this, I don't know if you've ever heard the saying good government is boring, and right now it's boring. And that that's the way it should be. There's nothing really overly exciting.
Oh, we do have the new mosquito control building that's going out on powerline, you know, that's coming up.
00:45:31:16 - 00:45:54:24
But really, our day-to-day business is just taking care of, you know, approving grants that different organizations have got. Really, really dull, boring things that we're voting on. I wish we had something more exciting to tell you, but like I said, right now, we're doing very well.
Krista
No, that's everything you said is exciting to me. I really appreciate you taking he time to sit with me and introduce yourself.
Tracey
Look at all the wonderful people we have here.
Krista
We do have a lot of very wonderful people, and I'm really excited for all of the things going on in Saginaw that I know. Yeah, I'm with you. We're going to make an awesome. Yeah.
00:57:58:00 - 00:58:09:29
Krista
And thank you so much Tracy.
Tracey
Oh no problem. Thank you. I appreciate it.
