{"id":207643,"date":"2026-03-06T17:49:18","date_gmt":"2026-03-06T17:49:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/207643\/"},"modified":"2026-03-06T17:49:18","modified_gmt":"2026-03-06T17:49:18","slug":"oakland-county-executive-gives-state-of-the-county-address-video","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/207643\/","title":{"rendered":"Oakland County Executive Gives State of the County Address (Video)"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Oakland County Executive Gives State of the County Address (Video)<\/p>\n

(Oakland County, March 6, 2026)<\/p>\n

Oakland County, MI \u2013 On Thursday, March 5, Oakland County Executive David Coulter delivered his seventh annual State of the County Address to an audience of more than 600 people at Oakland University\u2019s Oakland Center in Rochester Hills.<\/p>\n

Watch the full address here:<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Throughout his speech, Coulter balanced celebrating Oakland County\u2019s successes while acknowledging residents\u2019 anxieties about the future. He reaffirmed Oakland County\u2019s mission to serve communities through collaborative leadership \u2013 regardless of politics and party.<\/p>\n

\u201cTo skeptics who claim local government can only get in the way of opportunity, we say, see for yourselves what we are doing in Oakland County,\u201d he said. \u201cWe continue to believe that our county government can improve the lives of all our residents \u2013 and we\u2019re proving it every day.\u201d<\/p>\n

Coulter then reviewed the county\u2019s ongoing achievements and support for residents.<\/p>\n

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Employees Go Above and Beyond<\/p>\n

As the newly established arm of the county health division, Oakland Connects<\/a> assists residents experiencing food and housing insecurity, unemployment, medical issues and more. And with help from the Oakland County Animal Shelter and Pet Adoption Center, Oakland Connects is providing emergency shelter for pets while their owners find permanent housing for themselves.<\/p>\n

The Veterans Services Department<\/a>, which serves 53,000 local veterans, ensured a widow received the federal benefits owed to her, dating back to 2007.<\/p>\n

Since 2014, Welcome Oakland<\/a> has hosted two naturalization ceremonies for dozens of new American citizens.<\/p>\n

In three years, Oakland80<\/a> navigators have helped more than 42,000 residents complete applications for college, apprenticeships, or certified training programs.<\/p>\n

The county and its employees donated time and resources to help Forgotten Harvest and Gleaners and other charities distribute food<\/a> to residents in need. The Facilities Management Department even secured trucks and drivers for food deliveries.<\/p>\n

After partnering with the New Birth International Church, 60 people have access to a safe place to sleep at night. The Oakland County Sheriff\u2019s Office also gifted a washer and dryer to the new shelter.<\/p>\n

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Partnerships and Funding Large Initiatives<\/p>\n

Undue Medical Debt<\/a> has purchased uncollected debt from healthcare providers for pennies on the dollar since 2024. So far, the non-profit has helped 14,000 local families eliminate $9 million in medical debt. An additional 6,300 residents will have more than $6 million in medical debt forgiven in the coming weeks.<\/p>\n

In partnership with Savi<\/a>, a company committed to solving the student debt crisis, more than 1,000 residents reduced their student loan debt by an average of $42,000 and saved $143 per month.<\/p>\n

The Oakland Together Housing Trust Fund<\/a> launched in 2024. Since then, Oakland County has used $20 million to develop more than 1,100 affordable residential units in Pontiac<\/a>, Hazel Park, Southfield, Rochester Hills, Auburn Hills and Ferndale.<\/p>\n

With $3 million from the Penske Foundation, Oakland Cunty celebrated the grand opening of a Pontiac clinic that provides integrated physical and mental health services \u2013 Oakland 360<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Using a $4.6 million grant from the Ballmer Group<\/a>, Oakland Connects can reach more families in need of vital services through the Southfield and Hazel Park Public Schools.<\/p>\n

In collaboration with Rx Kids<\/a>, Oakland County has provided vital cash assistance to hundreds of pregnant moms and their newborns in Pontiac, Hazel Park and Royal Oak Township to give them a healthy start in life.<\/p>\n

On Sept. 15, 2025, the last of the above-ground structures of the Phoenix Center were cleared, making way for the county government to return to the county seat. By 2027, 700 county employees will relocate to Pontiac\u2019s downtown<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Oakland County has continued to make itself attractive to numerous international manufacturers looking to expand, including \u00a0Astemo Americas<\/a>, whose parent company is investing $95 million in a new regional headquarters and tech center that will add 375 auto industry jobs in Wixom.<\/p>\n

Oakland Thrive<\/a>, a nonprofit that supports local entrepreneurs, served 9,000 small businesses last year alone.<\/p>\n

The transit millage<\/a>, which was approved by voters in 2022, has continued to serve riders. NOTA (North Oakland Transit Authority) and WOTA (Western Oakland Transit Authority) each exceeded 100,000 riders, while SMART buses ferried more than 7 million riders on its scheduled routes and another quarter million on-demand trips.<\/p>\n

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Collaboration in Oakland County<\/p>\n

Coulter closed his speech by focusing on unity and trust during these uncertain and polarizing times.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe next time someone tells you that our democratic way of life is doomed,\u201d he said. \u201cBring them to Oakland County, where the hard-working and dedicated public servants get up every day determined to preserve and expand the extraordinary opportunities our county provides.\u201d<\/p>\n

Oakland County Board of Commissioners Chair Dave Woodward applauded the updates, saying \u201cOakland County is making life more affordable for working families. Executive Coulter outlined how we are lowing health care cost, lowering student debt burden, improving transit, addressing the housing crisis, and so much more. These things don\u2019t happen by themselves, but when the executive and the Board are committed to using every resource available and adopt an \u201call of the above\u201d strategy to make people\u2019s lives better \u2013 there is nothing we can\u2019t achieve together. Proving once again, while Washington and Lansing are broken, we get things done in Oakland County.\u201d<\/p>\n

To learn more about Coulter\u2019s State of the County Address, go to OakGov.com\/SOTC<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>\"\"<\/a>\"\"<\/a>\"\"<\/a>\"\"<\/a>\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

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