Welcome

The Michigan Association of Counties (MAC) is an alliance of Michigan counties working to enhance county government through advocacy, shared services and education.

Founded on Feb. 1, 1898, MAC is the only statewide organization dedicated to the representation of all county commissioners in Michigan. MAC is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization that advances education, communication and cooperation among county government officials in Michigan. MAC is the counties’ voice at the state and federal level, providing legislative support on key issues affecting counties.

NEW!: Board member Klinefelt talks about her work with MAC

Legislative Conference presentations are online

All of the presentations and handouts from the 2017 Legislative Conference can be found in the MAC Archive.

Sights from the 2017 Legislative Conference

Currie takes over as MAC's executive director

Steve Currie, a Pennsylvania native who came to Michigan to attend college and fell in love with the state, became MAC's fourth executive director since 1968 on Jan. 1, 2017.

Currie, formerly MAC's deputy director, was nominated and selected to replace Timothy K. McGuire by the MAC Board of Directors in November, after McGuire announced his intention to focus on the work of the Michigan Counties Workers' Compensation Fund (MCWCF).

"Steve has done an excellent job in modernizing our daily operations and finding new ways to help county governments provide the best services, while keeping a lid on costs" explained Board President Shelley Taub of Oakland County. "The Board is excited to work with Steve as he builds on the foundation created by Tim."

(PHOTO: Shelley Taub and Steve Currie review documents during a break at a New Commissioner School in Novi in December.)

McGuire and other board members praised Currie's skills and his selection at the board session.

"I became involved with MAC at approximately the same time that Steve came aboard, so the two are kind of synonymous in my mind," said First Vice President Matthew Bierlein of Tuscola County. "His breadth of knowledge of MAC's initiatives, from lobbying on the details of transportation funding to landing clients for the workers' comp fund, will continue to pay dividends for MAC members."

As executive director, Currie will run MAC and oversee the work of the MCWCF and MAC's Service Corporation (MACSC). He will be an ex officio member of the boards governing all three entities.

Currie has been leading MAC's daily operations since he came aboard as deputy director in 2011, plus has spurred new initiatives such as CoPro+, a collaborative purchasing program for public entities. For the past year, Currie has focused on a new program where MAC is assisting Wayne County with modernizing its procurement efforts.

"Through year one, we are on track to not only save Wayne County substantial sums, but, through our contract, earn revenues for MAC to ensure we are able to deliver top-flight services to all 83 members," Currie explained.

"A point I reiterate again and again to our staff is that the strength of our organization is the membership. When we take 83 counties and then speak with one voice, our effectiveness in Lansing and Washington, D.C., trebles," Currie said.

Currie holds degrees from Hope College and Michigan State University and is involved extensively in Lansing-area philanthropy, aiding the Sparrow Foundation and St. Thomas Aquinas Parish, among others.

News

MAC joins call for state attention to infrastructure crisis

MAC joined with a broad coalition of government and business groups at a May 30 event to highlight the ongoing, and worsening, crisis in Michigan's...

First 4 standards for indigent defense approved; 180-day compliance clock started

The first standards from the state's Indigent Defense Commission (MIDC) were approved late Monday (May 22) by the Department of Licensing and...

MAC praises Rep. VerHeulen for leading effort to resolve court funding questions

Legislation filed today by Rep. Rob VerHeulen (R-Kent) that would keep funding for local trial courts stable and create a special commission to study...

April calls tackle mentally ill in county jails

The National Association of Counties (NACo) urges counties to participate in the following call: "Join the Stepping Up partners for the second...

MAC praises new report on vital role of county services

A new report unveiled at MAC's 2017 Legislative Conference could help the state take a broader view of the importance of proper funding for county...