New Washtenaw County Board sworn in; leadership committee elected

From left: Jason Maciejewski, Crystal Lyte, Shannon Beeman, Caroline Sanders, Justin Hodge, Annie Somerville, Andy LaBarre, Yousef Rabhi, and Katie Scott. (Photo courtesy Washtenaw County)

submitted by Washtenaw County

A new board was seated last Wednesday at the first Washtenaw County Board of Commissioners meeting for the year and term. The meeting was opened by Clerk Lawrence Kestenbaum, who also administered the Commissioners’ Oaths of Office. While all nine commissioners took the oath, two brand new commissioners joined the Board for the first time: Annie Somerville (District 6) and Crystal Lyte (District 2). They join returning Commissioner Yousef Rabhi (District 8) to round out the 2023–24 Board.

Commissioners also elected the leadership committee for the year. Justin Hodge (District 5) will serve as chair. He’ll be joined in leadership by Caroline Sanders (District 4) as vice-chair, Annie Somerville (District 6) as chair of the working session committee, and Andy LaBarre (District 7) as vice-chair of the working session.

“I am deeply humbled and honored to serve as chair of the Board of Commissioners,” Hodge said. “I believe that we work at our best when we are united and are focused on making the entire County stronger. I commit to doing everything in my power to help make our County a place where everyone has the opportunity to thrive. In earnest partnership with our local governments and community partners, we can make it happen. Let’s get to work!”

The Board also appointed commissioners to their various boards and committees. To view the meeting in its entirety or to review meeting materials, please visit here.

The Washtenaw County Board of Commissioners is comprised of nine elected officials representing different Washtenaw County communities. Click here to find the list of Commissioners by district. The current Board will serve from January 2023 through December 2024.

You can stay up to date on the latest from the Board of Commissioners by visiting Washtenaw.org/BOC or by following them on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

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by Marsha Chartrand

Marsha Johnson Chartrand, a founder, writer, and copy editor with the Manchester Mirror, is a 50-year resident of Manchester. She has a long history of volunteer and community involvement.