July 7, 2022
Bi-Weekly Executive Newsletter
Dear Friends,
As I participated in Fourth of July celebrations this week, I wasn’t thinking about the barbecues, the fireworks or the day off from work for most Americans.
I was contemplating the deeper meaning of the Fourth of July, that day in 1776 when the 13 colonies officially signed the Declaration of Independence and severed political ties from Great Britain.
I was thinking about the freedoms we gained as a result of that declaration and still mostly enjoy. The freedom of speech, religion, the press and assembly are the first amendments enumerated in our U.S. Constitution and are the foundations of living in a free society.
But as I was celebrating those freedoms, which are fragile in these increasingly divisive times, I also remembered a quote from an essay by Nelson Mandela, “For to be free is not merely to cast off one’s chains, but to live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others.”
It’s an important distinction for me. Because along with the freedom of speech, comes the responsibility to both listen and engage in civil discourse. Along with the freedom of religion, comes the obligation to accept people of other faiths and the right to freely assemble means respecting the space and safety of others too.
In this day of social media anonymity and people trying to see who can yell the loudest and drown out dissenting voices, freedom of speech, freedom of religion and freedom of association seem awfully fraught.
I try every day to engage in constructive dialogue and listen to all viewpoints regardless of whether you agree with me or not. When I became Oakland County Executive in 2019, I was and still am committed to providing services and programs to all the county’s residents from Orion Township to South Lyon, Holly to Hazel Park and all points in between.
So I hope that when the rest, reflection and relaxation from the Fourth of July wears off, we all can take at least a moment to remember that with freedom comes responsibility and respect.
With gratitude,
David Coulter
Oakland County Executive
Service Highlight of the Week: Mapping
Did you know that Oakland County’s Information Technology Department provides Geographical Informational System mapping services for the county’s 62 cities, villages and townships?
Since the early 2000s, this service, better known as GIS, supports and promotes “location-based” data development for the communities of Oakland County. So, if a community wants to map things big and small, like property information or the location of flood plains or where fire hydrants are located, they can make that request or learn how to do it themselves using free licensing provided by the County.
This is also the technology that allows the county to create maps that show the areas and regions where federal COVID relief funding is being distributed and where people were most affected by the pandemic.
For more information on GIS services: go here.
Raising the Tank paves the way for new community Center
The site clean-up and redevelopment of the former Webster Elementary School in Pontiac took a big step forward last week with the removal of a contaminated 20,000-gallon underground tank. Community members applauded as a crane operator lifted the tank, which used to store fuel oil, out of the ground.
Oakland County received a $425,000 grant from Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) last year to clean-up the property.
The 101-year-old building will be transformed into the Webster Community Center by Micah 6 Community. The community organization, which is dedicated to rehabilitating the Pontiac neighborhood, is investing $21 million to transform the former elementary school located into a center which will provide social and recreational services including six Head Start classrooms, a food co-op, art classes and therapy, performing arts programs, a WIC (Women, Infants, Children) office, a walk-in clinic, a small business incubator, and community event rooms.
The renovation is expected to be completed by the fall of 2023.
Help us Serve You
At Oakland County, we are continually trying to improve the delivery of services and programs, including on our website. We’re undergoing a revamp of the county’s website – oakgov.com – and we’re looking for feedback from you. Is it easy to navigate? Is the content relevant? What more (or less) would you like to see? We want to hear it all.
The county’s website is the first way that many of our residents learn of the services and programs we offer, so we want to make the best first, second and last impression we can. Please take a moment to fill out the questionnaire at this link, so we can improve the look, content and the ease of navigation of the website.
Survey: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/7JHXNSY
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