Oakland County Executive Dave Coulter highlighted “Our Strength, Our Purpose, Our People” during his 2024 State of the County address, delivered Thursday night at The Hawk in Farmington Hills, where hundreds gathered to hear his message.
“Oakland County’s strength lies in our ability to address issues head-on, find solutions to problems, and provide excellent services to our residents,” Coulter said. “Our purpose is defined by the way we step in to help our residents and each other. It has to do with providing support at every corner to ensure people are living their best lives here in Oakland County.”
Coulter emphasized the significant success achieved in the past year, particularly the expansion of a countywide public transit system, a development driven by both Oakland County leadership and the voting populace.
“Public transportation is progressing in Oakland County,” Coulter declared. “Multi-year agreements with SMART, Western Oakland Transportation Authority (WOTA), North Oakland Transportation Authority (NOTA), the Older Persons’ Commission (OPC), and People’s Express (PEX) are in place after voters approved the millage in November of 2022.”
He noted substantial increases in ridership for NOTA, WOTA, OPC, and PEX since the expansion of routes and service hours last year, significantly improving mobility for residents.
Coulter announced the deployment of 15 Oakland80 navigators in high schools, expanding his initiative to ensure 80 percent of Oakland County adults have a post-secondary degree or certification by 2030 to include a focus on younger students.
Oakland County has already launched programs in Pontiac and Hazel Park schools to provide coaching and mentors for students who did not think that college or advanced training was within reach. For instance, the I Am Pontiac program paired students with internships at area businesses that gave them their first taste of the work world. Some of those students have transitioned to full or part-time employees with those businesses.
“We’re committed to starting much younger with our high school students so that no matter what their circumstances, they know there are options for success,” Coulter explained.
The county executive also shared his recent trip to Asia, aiming to attract investment for future job creation for degree earners. Coulter highlighted the success of attracting auto supplier TYC Genera, which announced an expansion in Wixom.
Business attraction, Coulter stressed, is integral to the county’s mission of economic growth. As Oakland County continues to pursue opportunities for growth and international partnerships, it is imperative to forge connections with key stakeholders in countries such as South Korea and Taiwan, underscoring the county’s commitment to fostering global collaboration, attracting investment, and promoting innovation.
Coulter remembered Dr. Calandra Green, Oakland County’s late health officer, whose legacy inspired the creation of a scholarship fund for nursing students at Oakland University. When it comes to our strength, our purpose, and our people, Dr. Calandra Green, Oakland County’s health officer whom we tragically lost last May, comes to mind, Coulter said.
“Calandra was a passionate advocate for public health services across the country, especially in communities of color,” Coulter recalled.
He detailed various successful initiatives, including the establishment of a Housing Trust Fund, funding for Oakland SAVES, debt relief programs, investments in community centers, and collaborations to provide health services.
“These are just a few of the many successes highlighted in Coulter’s address,” the executive’s office noted, pointing to further information available on the county’s website.
Coulter’s address underscored the commitment of Oakland County to its residents and its vision for continued progress and prosperity.
“We’ve had remarkable success on a number of fronts in the past year, from transit to mental health care, affordable housing to sustainability, small business coaching to education and training,” Coulter said. “We were able to provide these innovative programs with the support of the Board of Commissioners… And these programs have touched hundreds of thousands of people.”
Some of the successes included:
Establishing a $20 million Housing Trust Fund that is working with developers to provide more affordable housing options in the county through incentives and gap financing. Projects have already been approved in Southfield, Royal Oak Township, Pontiac and Rochester Hills. One of the projects will provide desperately needed housing for adults with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities. It is only the second such development in all of Michigan.
Funding Oakland SAVES with $5 million in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) dollars to provide grants, primarily to low-income residents who wanted to make energy efficiency improvements in their homes. The interest and need were so high that, by Friday of that same week, the entire $5 million in funding was spoken for, providing assistance for 1,100 residents.
Leveraging $2 million in ARPA funds to wipe out the medical debt for up to 80,000 residents for pennies on the dollar.
Investing $2 million in ARPA funds with Micah 6, a community-based organization that is transforming the former Webster Elementary School into a center that will provide much-needed services to the Pontiac community.
Collaborations with Corktown Health and Honor Health resulted in nurses visiting 11,000 homes of pregnant mothers or young families and providing specialty health care services for nearly 3,400 children. The county also provided more than 32,000 immunizations.
These are just a few of the many successes highlighted in Coulter’s address, which included the Oakland Thrive non-profit to support small businesses, Project DIAMOnD to provide 3D printers to small manufacturers, and the successes of the Workforce Development team.
To read more about what Oakland County is doing to drive “Our strength, Our purpose, and Our people,” visit oakgov.com/exec and click on the State of the County tab to read or view the speech.
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