February 2, 2022
Bi-Weekly Executive Newsletter
Dear Friends,
Even though Valentine’s Day is coming up, I don’t limit my celebration of love to Feb. 14. Nor do I express gratitude for the blessings in my life only on Thanksgiving.
Yes, both are noteworthy days, but their significance and celebration are something I carry with me throughout the year.
That’s how I feel about Black History Month too. It’s important to take note of the remarkable achievements of our civil rights leaders, as well as our friends, neighbors and co-workers of color during February.
But I also believe that celebrating successes and championing diversity and inclusion, as well as confronting the systemic struggles and injustice that black people face, is an endeavor that has to happen every day in our personal lives, in our workplaces and in our society.
That’s why I knew one of the most important positions I would add in Oakland County was our chief diversity officer Robin Carter-Cooper, who could help ensure that our increasingly diverse workforce is valued, respected, included and heard, not just during Black History Month, but all year long.
That’s why, over the past year, we created an Equity Council in Oakland County made up of 30 employees from nearly every county department, had our leadership team go through diversity training and commissioned a workplace culture survey for our 5,000-plus employees and contractors.
One of our core values is to foster a thriving, diverse, equitable and inclusive workplace where all employees are welcome and opportunities are plentiful.
When that happens in the workplace, it extends to the services we provide our residents and businesses.
And that must happen every day. Black History Week was started in 1926. It took 50 years until Michigan native, President Gerald Ford, officially proclaimed February as Black History Month in 1976.
At least for me, Black History isn’t a week or a month. It’s a year-long salute.
With gratitude,
David Coulter
Oakland County Executive
 General Motors announces major investment in Orion plant
Oakland County and Orion Township got great news last week when General Motors announced a major $4 billion capital investment in the Orion Township plant. It’s the largest single private investment in the county’s history.
GM plans to expand its footprint at the Orion Township facility to electric vehicle production and an advanced battery assembly line. The automaker will be expanding its facility by 3 million square feet over the next three to five years.
The company also plans to retain the 1,000 existing employees at the plant and add up to 2,300 new jobs for the expansion.
"We're thrilled that the partnership with General Motors, Michigan, Oakland County and Orion Township is still thriving and geared toward the environmentally sustainable vehicles of the future, " said Oakland County Executive David Coulter. "This investment reinforces the confidence General Motors has in the Orion plant, the abundance of a skilled workforce in southeast Michigan and the appeal of Oakland County as an attractive place to locate advanced technology manufacturing."
Coulter spoke in favor of the project during the Michigan Strategic Fund meeting last week when state financial incentives were approved for the project, noting it was boost for GM, Orion Township and the county economy overall.
Oakland County opens grant for development of affordable rental housing
Oakland County is supporting the development of affordable rental housing in the county. The Neighborhood & Housing Development Division will award up to $1 million in total gap funding to developers who are building, buying, rehabilitating or preserving affordable and attainable rental housing.
The county is using a portion of its annual funding allocation from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's HOME Investment Partnerships Program. The HOME Program is the largest federal block grant to state and local governments designed exclusively to create affordable housing for low-income households.
For more information on funding and qualifications, click on
https://www.oakgov.com/advantageoakland/communities/Pages/HOME.aspx
or contact Oakland County Neighborhood & Housing Development at nhd@oakgov.com or 248-858-0493.
 Oakland County Parks and Recreation gearing up for summer
It may be in the single digits outside, but Oakland County Parks and Recreation is gearing up for summer by starting its 2022 hiring blitz.
Applications for jobs in the county’s 14 parks, five golf course, two campgrounds, two waterparks, three dog parks and Holly Oaks ORV Park are available here.
Salaries start at $12.63 per hour for individuals ages 16 and older and training is provided for all positions. Flexible part-time work schedules also are available.
Oakland County childcare providers can participate in virtual job fair
Recognizing the crisis in childcare availability in southeast Michigan, Oakland County Michigan Works!, in conjunction with the Michigan Department of Labor Economic Opportunity, will participate in a virtual childcare job fair from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Feb. 15.
During the fair, childcare providers looking for employees can meet virtually with local job candidates one-on-one. But space is limited to 30 licensed childcare providers from Oakland County.
To register to save a spot, send an email to oaklandcountymiworks@oakgov.com.
Residents looking to get a job in the childcare industry can also sign up for the job fair at Michigan.gov/workforce.
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