Yes, word was buzzing around the county buildings downtown between the different departments about the coming layoffs leading up to yesterday's meeting.

Yes, the Macomb Sheriff's department was a little antsy (yet only had three at the beginning, then two deputies in attendance at the end of the meeting).

Yes, the room was filled with county employees who, on cue, applauded when someone criticized the Board over their job cuts, how the board arrived at the job cuts, tried to play on the board's sympathy (the employee who talked about her child and how she would afford treatment), and question the Board's dedication to promoting "Public Safety" (the gas station owner and clerk on 32 Mile).

Yes, the media was there. Strangely enough, it was only Channel 4.

But in the end, the meeting was relatively well behaved. Even when Don Lobsinger gave his suggestion to dealing with the rising crime wave from Detroit.

Not that I was under the impression that the top of the Taj Macomb would be in flames with soon-to-be ex-county employees tossing commissioners out of the Ninth Floor en masse and the end of the meeting. But I expected to see...something.

To say that things were unusually quiet was an understatement.

Now, will things be the same at the next meeting (Public Comment on proposed 2009 Macomb County budget December 10 & Full Board - December 11) before their budget takes effect?

Stay tuned.