Patterson’s 2018 State of the County Address Reflects on “Sizzling Year” for Oakland County

Welcome to the Oakland County Blog’s coverage of the 2018 State of the County Address. Updates posted below were originally included in our Live Blog and have been reordered chronologically.


Updated: 6:55 PM

Welcome to the Live Blog

Welcome to the Oakland County Blog’s 2018 coverage of the State of the County Address. This year’s event has moved to the brand-new Flagstar Strand Theatre in Downtown Pontiac.


Updated: 7:04PM

Dr. Lucetry B. Dalton Named Oakland County Elite 40 Under 40 Winner

Dr. Lucetry B. Dalton, a clinical psychologist with McLaren Health System, was selected by a public online vote as the winner of the Oakland County Executive’s Elite 40 Under 40 Class of 2018.


Updated: 7:14 PM

A Tribute to Former Congressman Joe Knollenberg

Oakland County Executive L. Brooks Patterson paid tribute to former Congressman Joe Knollenberg of Bloomfield Township. Knollenberg, a longtime advocate for Michigan businesses in Washington, died on Tuesday, February 6th at the age of 84.

“He was accessible and responsive, and personified what a congressman should look like and act like. And boy, we could use him today in Washington,” Patterson said.


Updated: 7:15 PM

A Record Investment Year

Oakland County saw record levels of investment in 2017. During the year, 62 companies invested an astounding 1.2 billion dollars. What was the increased investment’s economic impact?

Economic Impact
  • 9,500 new jobs and 8,400 jobs retained
  • $305 million invested by 27 international companies in new operations and expanded facilities
  • $1 billion in Oakland County’s Emerging Sectors program, creating or retaining 15,500 jobs

Updated: 7:19 PM

County Residents Benefit from Quality of Life Enhancements

Oakland County broke ground on the Sakura Garden at Michigan State University’s Tollgate Farm and Education Center in Novi. The quality of life initiative recognizes Japan’s surging cultural presence in the community as well as its companies and citizens who live here. The garden will feature 17 flowering cherry trees and a pavilion.


Updated: 7:23 PM

Aviation Sector Grows by Leaps and Bounds

Always a reliable indicator of economic vitality, the aviation sector in Oakland County enjoyed continued success in 2017. Royal Air is constructing private aircraft suites on over 3.6 acres at the Oakland County International Airport.


Updated: 7:28 PM

Tech248 Ushers in Exhilarating Growth in Advanced Electronics

Tech248 is Oakland County’s second-largest and fastest-growing economic sector. With companies like Mackevision in Troy, which excel in the field of Augmented Reality, and Fanuc Robotics America in Rochester Hills, which excels in Robotics, Oakland County boasts a robust international tech presence.


Updated: 7:32 PM

Oakland Schools’ Professional Career Campuses Give Students Competitive Edge

From cybersecurity to the culinary arts, Oakland Schools’ four professional career campuses offer students real-world training from industry experts.


Updated: 7:35 PM

Workforce Development Division Narrows Skilled Trades Gap

Under the leadership of Jennifer Llewellyn, Oakland County’s Workforce Development Division narrowed the skilled trades gap in 2017. By administering $2.1 million in grant funding to 86 Oakland County companies, over 1,500 existing employees and nearly 1,600 new hires were trained in skilled trades fields.


Updated: 7:39 PM

County Consults Experts in Proactive Approach to Artificial Intelligence

Acknowledging the fledgling presence of Artificial Intelligence (A.I) and its influence throughout all economic sectors, Oakland County’s leadership is engaging industry experts to look over the horizon and determine the best course of action.


Updated: 7:43 PM

Deputy County Executive & CIO Phil Bertolini Recognized for Exceptional Public Service

See why Deputy County Executive & CIO Phil Bertolini has been nationally recognized for excellence by his peers.


Updated: 7:48 PM

County Adopts Community-Focused Effort to Prevent Opioid Abuse

From the Executive leadership and Board of Commissioners, to the Health Division and Enterprise GIS team, Oakland County has taken on a community focus to prevent Opioid abuse.

Spotlight: Key Opioid Statistics for Oakland County


Updated: 7:52 PM

Oakland County Sheriff’s Deputy Overall Honored

County Executive L. Brooks Patterson paid tribute to Deputy Eric Overall, a 22-year veteran of the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office, who was killed in the line of duty last November.

“I want you to be inspired by how Deputy Eric Overall lived his life,” Patterson said.


Updated: 8:00 PM

Patterson Pays Tribute to Oakland County Sheriff’s Deputy Hack

During his address, Patterson also recognized Deputy David Hack, a 17-year veteran of the force. Hack was critically injured in early January while on the scene of an accident in front of Rochester Adams High School in Rochester Hills.


Updated: 8:04 PM

New Animal Shelter Brings Exceptional Care to Oakland County Animals

Opening its doors in the Fall of 2017, Oakland County’s new Animal Shelter and Pet Adoption Center combines cutting-edge technology with compassionate care to deliver the best-possible service to animals in need.


Updated: 8:09 PM

Main Street Oakland County Creates Vital Downtown Communities

Since the inception of the Main Street Oakland County program, over $740 million have been invested in Oakland County downtowns. Historic preservation and providing a “sense of place” are program priorities.


Updated: 8:17 PM

Patterson Holds Firm on Transit Position: “I will never betray the public”

Addressing continued negotiations over a regional transit plan, Patterson reaffirmed his commitment to allow individual communities in Oakland County to opt in or out of the service, and thus, the increased taxes required to fund the project.

“I want you to know that as long as I’m County Executive, I will respect the wishes of the voters of the select 9 Oakland County opt-out communities. I will not force them, against their will, into a tax machine from which they can expect little or no return on their investment,” Patterson said.


Updated: 8:19 PM

Patterson Thanks Peers for Excellence in Service

Concluding his Address, Patterson thanked Board of Commissioners Chairman Mike Gingell and Vice Chairman Mike Spisz, Oakland County Sheriff Mike Bouchard, Oakland County Water Resources Commissioner Jim Nash, Oakland County Clerk/Register of Deeds Lisa Brown, Oakland County Prosecutor Jessica Cooper, and Oakland County Treasurer Andy Meisner. The Chief Judges of Oakland’s courts, including Chief Circuit Court Judge Shalina Kumar, Chief Probate Court Judge Kathleen Ryan, and Chief District Court Judge Joseph Fabrizio, for their continued service.


For more State of the County information, including the full speech, be sure to visit the Oakland County Executive’s website.


For the latest county news and events, visit our website and use #OaklandCounty on our FacebookTwitterInstagram and LinkedIn pages.

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