Washtenaw County Commissioner Jason Maciejewski, who represents District 1 in the western portion of the county, provided updates on two major projects: the broadband expansion initiative and the proposed Western Washtenaw Service Center.
Broadband Expansion Progressing Ahead of Schedule
Maciejewski reported that the county’s broadband expansion project is making rapid progress and is now expected to be completed ahead of schedule. “The construction and roll-out of service to the unserved households is anticipated to be completed by the end of 2025,” he said.
The effort to expand broadband access in Washtenaw County has been underway for several years, with key planning work done by the county’s Broadband Task Force. Maciejewski was an early advocate for leveraging multiple funding sources to complete the project, including the Rural Development Opportunity Fund, Connecting Michigan Communities Fund, and the American Rescue Plan Act.
“The work that we did in the Broadband Task Force back in 2018 and 2019 is paying really big dividends now. To see that we’re going to complete this project by the end of the year is really, really exciting for so many people,” he said.
The commissioner noted that improved broadband access is making a tangible difference in residents’ lives, allowing for telehealth visits, online learning, remote work, and access to essential services. “I run into residents of my district who are really excited when they get their broadband finally hooked up and running, and the speeds they are getting are incredibly fast,” Maciejewski said.
He emphasized that this initiative has been a bipartisan effort, with leaders from both sides of the political spectrum working together to bring reliable internet to underserved areas. “With the Broadband Task Force, every township had the opportunity to participate. We had people from both ends of the political spectrum that were participating in that and trying to move it forward,” he said.
Western Washtenaw Service Center Proposal
Another significant project Maciejewski has been advocating for is the creation of a Western Washtenaw Service Center, which would provide a permanent home for district court services in the Chelsea area while also offering additional county services to residents in western Washtenaw.
“I really, really appreciate the leadership of Mayor Pacheco and others in the City of Chelsea in trying to preserve the district court services that are located in Chelsea,” he said.
Maciejewski has been pushing for the inclusion of this service center as part of the county’s long-term office space planning process. “Over the course of the last 12 to 18 months, I’ve been advocating for the creation of the Western Washtenaw Service Center, and we’ve been successful in getting that as part of what the county is calling the space planning process,” he explained.
He envisions the new center as a hub for multiple county services, reducing the need for residents to travel to Ann Arbor or Ypsilanti for assistance. “The idea that we can have that on the western part of the county as well is something I’ve been working for over a couple of years at this point,” Maciejewski said.
A final vote on the proposal is expected in the coming months, and Maciejewski is hopeful that progress will continue. “I’m hopeful that at some point this spring or summer, we can vote through that plan and work on actually bringing that service center to life and bringing resources to services out to people here in western Washtenaw.”
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