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Photo Gallery: Oakland County Commissioners at Work for You
Oakland County Commissioner Mattie McKinney Hatchett shares a moment with Channel 7 talk show host Chuck Stokes, who moderated the Tri-County Summit leadership panel at the 2009 Tri-County Summit. The event was held on Friday, September 18, 2009 in Dearborn, Michigan, at Henry Ford Community College. In the background at the far left is Oakland County Executive L. Brooks Patterson.
Commissioners and local leaders from the Tri-County area met to discuss a myriad of issues affecting the region. A leadership panel consisting of Detroit Mayor Dave Bing, Macomb Board Commission Chair Paul Gielegham, Oakland County Executive L. Brooks Patterson, and Wayne County Executive Robert Ficano was moderated by Channel 7's Chuck Stokes. Oakland County received the baton from Wayne County to host the 2010 Tri-County Summit in Oakland County.
Pictured left to right: Les Pulver of Plante Moran, Deputy Chief Financial Officer, Budget and Planning Richard Walker chat with Oakland County Commissioner Jeff Potter at the Annual Tri-County Summit held at Henry Ford Community College in Dearborn, Michigan on Sept. 18th. Oakland Officials joined elected officials and leaders from Macomb, Wayne, Oakland counties and the City of Detroit to discuss various issues relating to regionalism, transportation and the economy.
Pictured during a break at the Tri-County Summit are Wayne County Commissioner Burton Leland and Oakland County Commissioner Shelley Goodman Taub.
Oakland County Commissioners share a moment with Wayne County Officials at the 2009 Tri-County Summit held Friday, September 18, 2009 at Henry Ford Community College in Dearborn.
Pictured left to right: Wayne County Board Chairman Ed Boike,; Oakland County Commissioner Mattie McKinney Hatchett, Oakland Commissioner Thomas F. Middleton; Wayne County Executive Robert Ficano; Oakland County Board of Commissioners' Vice Chairman Michael Gingell, Oakland County Commissioner Janet Jackson and Oakland County Commissioner Eric Coleman.
Oakland County Commissioners Tim Greimel (left) and John Scott (right) honor Matchan Nutrition Center with a Proclamation celebrating the center's 25th Anniversary. Robert Harper, Chairman of the Board, accepted on behalf of the Matchan Center.
The Proclamation thanked the dedicated volunteers and the Matchan Center for their years of valuable service in the Greater Pontiac Community. Matchan Center feeds the needy and provides a variety of social, spiritual, educational, employment and community services which have made a positive impact in the lives of so many people in Oakland County.
Oakland County Commissioners Tim Greimel, Board Vice Chairman Michael Gingell and Sue Ann Douglas present a proclamation celebrating Rochester College's 50th Anniversary to College President Dr. Rubel Shelly at a special student and faculty assembly in the college's auditorium on September 29, 2009. They each shared a personal story about their experiences on the campus over the years.
MY HOME, MY FUTURE: Seminars with advice on how to avoid home foreclosures.
Commissioner Jim Runestad (District 6) makes a point at the My Home, My Future Seminar in White Lake on September 21.
Topics at these frequent seminars include budgeting, credit, choosing the right mortgage when refinancing, steps to stop the foreclosure process, and how to find assistance when homeowners need it. Also participating was the Oakland County Community & Home Improvement Division.
Commissioners Jim Runestad and Thomas Middleton (District 4) pose with Oakland County Community & Home Improvement Division Housing Counselor Lon Shook and the Lighthouse of Oakland County Financial Counseling Manager Greg Stearn at the My Home, My Future Seminar on September 21 in White Lake.
District 5 Commissioner John Scott makes a point at a July 21st Seminar in West Bloomfield to provide information to homeowners in danger of losing their homes. This My Home-My Future Home Ownership Retention Seminar was co-sponsored by Commissioners Scott, Marcia Gershenson, and Shelley Taub.
OAKLAND COUNTY COMMISSIONERS HOLD FIRST OF FOUR NIGHT MEETINGS OF 2009
Oakland County Commissioners are holding once-monthly evening meetings to see if more members of the public attend. Meetings are normally held on Thursday mornings. There were quite a few citizens who took advantage of the opportunity, and used it to address the Board. Their concerns included health insurance for the poor and the Friend of the Court advisory board.
Commissioners Helaine Zack (District 22), Janet Jackson (District 21), and Eric Coleman (District 23) honor the Southfield Community Foundation's Executive Director Warren Goodell, Southfield Centers for Youth Executive Director Lauren King and Southfield Centers for Youth Board of Directors Chair and owner of Griffin Properties Scott Griffin with proclamations for their work in creating the state-of-the-art "field Zone" Youth Center which has provided area youth a positive learning and recreational environment.
County Executive L. Brooks Patterson presents the first trienniel budget to Oakland County Commissioners at their first evening meeting of 2009. As he laid out the facts, he told Commissioners to expect to face more belt-tightening for the next several years because of declining property values and tax revenues. One proposed budget cut eliminates county cars for elected officials. Another cut would be one staff person for each Oakland County judge. The county executive explained that a three-year budget makes the county better able to prepare for serious financial vagaries and downturns.
Mr. Patterson explained to the Board of Commissioners why he believes the budget he presented will stay balanced despite inevitable vicissitudes in County revenues due to the volatile Michigan economy. Another budget reduction includes across the board 2.5% pay cuts for all county employees. Oakland County Commissioners will begin consideration of the annual budget next week.
An online marriage license application, which saves couples a trip to the courthouse to apply for a marriage license, was among five programs that earned national recognition for the Oakland County Clerk & Register of Deeds Office. Presenting proclamations commending Clerk Ruth Johnson and her staff were Oakland County Commissioner Eric Coleman (D-Southfield), left, and Commissioner Mattie McKinney Hatchett (D-Pontiac). Oakland County Clerk Johnson (R) is in the middle.
Pictured left to right at the Silver Tsunami Meeting held by the Senior Coalition for Oakland County are: Judy Muhn, Area Manager for United Way of Oakland; Oakland County Commissioner and Senior Coalition Chairperson Helaine Zack; Kurt Metzger, Director of Detroit Area Community Information System; and Jim McGuire, Director of Area Agency on Aging (AAA-1B).
The public meeting focused on how the next 25 years of aging baby boomers will impact the economic, social, health and quality of life, and what impact aging seniors will have on housing and economic development, as well as on families and communities across Oakland County and the region. 
Jim McGuire, Director of the Area Agency on Aging 1-B, enlightens the audience at the June 19th meeting on the difficulties that will face Oakland County as Baby Boomers begin to retire.
Oakland County Commissioner Tim Burns with 3rd graders from Barnard Elementary School during the annual Troy and Clawson Flag Day Ceremony that the Commissioner sponsors. The students performed a wax museum skit of famous American historical figures, including Abraham Lincoln, Martin Luther King Jr., Harry Houdini, Helen Keller, and Rosa Parks.
During the Flag Day event, Commissioner Burns presented awards to the Oakland County Volunteers of the Year from Clawson and Troy. Mike Kerr (Troy), Eva Joyce Burns (Clawson), Adam Campbell (Troy) and Howie Airriess (Clawson). Each honoree received a commemorative plaque from Oakland County and a United States flag flown over the nation's Capitol in their honor.
Members of the Oakland County Board of Commissioners honor Greg Kelser for his community service. Mr. Kelser has hosted youth basketball camps in Oakland County since the '70s.
The Commissioners also commemorated Mr. Kelser's historic contributions to college sports on the 30th Anniversary of the 1979 Michigan State Spartans' first NCAA Men's Basketball Championship. The 1979 team featured Kelser and Magic Johnson as the starting guards, and the Championship game featured the first matchup of Johnson and Larry Bird. The excitement generated by that game spawned March Madness as we know it today, and remains one of the most-watched college basketball games in history. As a former academic All-American and NBA player, Greg Kelser currently works as a sports analyst for Fox Sports and the Big Ten Network, where he will celebrate 23 years in broadcasting. A Franklin resident, Mr. Kelser has hosted youth basketball camps in Southfield and West Bloomfield. From June 22 - August 3, he will host camps at West Bloomfield High.
Honoring the Fourth Estate: Pictured left to right: Oakland County Commission Vice Chairman Michael Gingell, Commissioner Sue Ann Douglas, with Annette Kingsbury, journalist, and Gary Winkelman, journalist and community editor, with Commissioner Robert Gosselin and Commissioner Tim Greimel.
Kingbury and Winkelman were recognized and presented with a proclamation for their service to the communities of Rochester, Rochester Hills and Oakland Township during their tenure at the Rochester Eccentric Newspapers. The commissioners thank them for their years of outstanding journalism.
Deputy Oakland County Executive Phil Bertolini talks about the future of Oakland County's economy with attendees at a Town Hall meeting in South Lyon, arranged by Commissioner Jeff Potter (District #8), right. Mr. Bertolini detailed the impact of the changing Michigan economy on future jobs and taxes, as well as structural changes that will keep Oakland County moving forward. Seated, looking on, are South Lyon Council Members Patricia Maida and Harvey Wedell.
Tenth District Commissioner Mattie McKinney Hatchett (middle, brown suit) stands with participants in the 2009 Law Day Event. With the Commissioner, left to right, are: Brian Young, ASAC, FBI; Daniel Bateman, Inspector Michgan State Police; Lt. Bryan Flye, Pontiac Police Department; Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard; Commissioner Hatchett; Chief Val Gross, Pontiac Police Department; Executive Sergeant Kevin Braddock, Pontiac Police Department; Col. Terry Fobes, Pontiac Summit; S. Robin Shoemaker, ATF Assistant SAC; and Eric Strauss, Chief of the Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney's Office. Not Pictured: Jim Mitchell, Journalist and author of a book on Sri Lanka.
Youth in Government Day, an annual event for almost 30 years, gives area students a chance to see and participate in the inner workings of the Oakland County Board of Commissioners. Among the participants this year were students from the Milford area. Pictured are: Milford High School Kyle McGrath with students Jordan Adams, Michelle Hier, Jill Turner, Ashley Micallef, Kari Boyd, Erica Hartwig, Alex Chouinard, Andy Golicz, Alyx Pikus, Nate Kesto, Navin Mohanan, Emily Ribick, Kate Schick, Joe Presutti, Olivia Ghislain and Julia Slintak, Commissioner Christine A. Long and Board Chairman Bill Bullard, Jr. More pictures of the day's activities can be seen here.
Commissioners whose commission districts were included in the congressional district of
former U.S. Representative Joe Knollenberg honored the 8-term congressman upon his retirement from politics. The former Representative's wife Sandi and commissioners from
both parties shared the camera lens with Mr. Knollenberg, who let everybody know that his days of community service are not over.
This is the program from the Inauguration of the 2009-2010 Oakland County Board of Commissioners. Pictures of the swearing-in ceremony follow on the next page.
During the Oakland County Fire and Ice Event in Rochester, Oakland County Commissioner Sue Ann Douglas served coffee and hot cocoa in the Rochester Fire Hall
at the Youth Assistance Spagetti Dinner fundraiser. Commissioner Douglas is a Youth Assistance Board member.
Michigan's National Guard and Oakland County Commissioners are working to apprise
area families of servicemen and women of the services available for them.
Pictured left to right: Michigan National Guard State Chaplain Colonel Heavener,
Commissioner Jim Nash, Oakland County HSCC Coordinator Pamela Barckholtz, and Michigan National Guard Colonel Bartolacci.
An Oakland County Military Service Guide will be developed as a result of these efforts. Included will be free membership in the Oakland County Boy's and Girls Club
being offered to service families for their children. Additionally, child care services are among the various services available to military personnel throughout the county and metropolitan area.
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