Oakland County boss touts new jobs but plugs values in Michigan's richest county
Oakland County still leads Michigan in adding new high-paying tech jobs, but there's far more to quality of life than dollar signs — and the boss of Michigan's richest county says he'll provide it with a new program to be funded in many cases using federal money.
The push for quality of life is symbolized on new "challenge coins" that Oakland County's top elected official, County Executive Dave Coulter, handed out by the hundreds Tuesday night at his State of the County speech. For the first time, the annual event was held at the Jewish Community Center in West Bloomfield, inside the plush Berman Center for the Performing Arts, and the reason was related to what's on those coins.
Antisemitism and other bigotry are on the rise, said emcee Gilda Jacobs, a former state senator, as she introduced Coulter, who has a long record of seeking protection and inclusion for minorities. With that, Coulter took the microphone to ask, "How do we stand up for these values?" He held up a challenge coin and said it's a handy reminder of what he wants in his county: tech and great jobs, in line with Oakland's booming history, but also "living our values." The coins, besides listing the county's website address, show the words "Inclusion, Respect, Gratitude, Community."
Here are highlights of Coulter's speech, telling what's new and what's hot in Michigan's most affluent, big county delivered in front of Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan, Wayne County Executive Warren Evans and Macomb County Executive Mark Hackel.
∎ New Acorn2Oak mini-grants, with amounts yet to be decided, will be earmarked for youth ages 8-18, to help low-income students with special projects and trips, from hosting fundraisers to attending out-of-town robotics events. The cash will aid ambitious youngsters, "not just to add a bullet point to their resume or college application but to lead, innovate and lend a genuine hand to people in their communities," Coulter said.
∎ Big progress on Oakland 80, the educational push to see 80% of Oakland County residents gain at least a two-year college degree or industry training certificate by 2030. Toward that, the county's level rose from 61% to 67.5%, according to the Michigan Department of Education, a stunning jump in a nation where the average is 52%. Using American Rescue Plan dollars, the county hired a team of "education navigators," and they've counseled more than 700 residents on how to earn crucial education after high school, which raises incomes for individuals while filling key jobs in Oakland County's high-tech economy, Coulter said.
∎ Expanded county health care, including an urgent care clinic in Pontiac that will offer walk-in mental-health care, a more cost-effective and patient-friendlier venue than hospital emergency rooms, available regardless of ability to pay. The pilot plan, using a $5 million grant from the state, could expand to other counties. As shown by the nation's rising rates of suicide, domestic violence, drug addiction, and mass shootings, "Mental health care must be on par with our physical health care, in our attitudes and our services," Coulter said.
∎ More low-income housing, thanks to federal funds, will provide $1 million in grants each year to rehabilitate and preserve affordable housing in Oakland County, the site of some of Michigan's most-costly mansions and most-upscale gated subdivisions. Yet, more than two out of five Oakland County residents spend more than 30% of their monthly income, a dangerously high level that puts them at constant risk of being homeless, Coulter said. So, the federal grant money isn't enough, he said. The squeeze on affordable housing has been well-documented, nationwide, as it strikes many who once were comfortably middle-class. Thus, in addition to the grants, the Oakland County Board of Commissioners is investing $5 million to launch a new Housing Trust Fund, which will encourage builders, landlords, and community leaders to expand affordable housing in numerous ways, Coulter said.
∎Aid to Ukrainians, in the form of sponsoring and financially supporting Ukrainian refugees who've fled their country since the Russian invasion. Oakland County "is the number one county in the state" to give that crucial support, having helped more than 630 families, Coulter said.
From the audience, the chair of the Oakland County Board of Commissioners — David Woodward, D-Royal Oak — texted to the Free Press: "We will respond to the call for action from Executive Dave Coulter. Next month, we will take action to implement the Acorn2Oak program and lift up the next generation to change the world.
"We've also set up a plan to allocate an additional $2 million annually to the Housing Trust Fund. And we are just getting started. This is what leading from values looks like!"
Contact Bill Laytner: blaitner@freepress.com
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Dem atop Michigan's richest county leans left from old guard's values
