September 2022 | Top Stories:
Small Area Health Insurance Estimates Program | Auto Show Recap | Business Forward Expansion | Oakland County at MMPC | Home-Based Businesses Workshop | Childcare Professional Workshop | Holiday Marketing Workshop | Building Economic Recovery Plan After Catastrophic Flood | October Planners Gathering | Going PRO Talent Fund | Great Lakes National Cemetery Fall Headstone Cleaning | Veteran Resource Fairs
A Message From Ingrid Tighe
Oakland County Economic Development Director
Dear Colleagues,
To kick off the fall season, I hope you were able to attend the North American International Auto Show in Detroit. Along with my team and Oakland County Executive Dave Coulter, I was able to meet with global automotive manufacturing companies, suppliers, and innovative startups on the show floor. It was truly an unforgettable experience. Seeing all the diverse companies in attendance at the Auto Show reminded me of our many partner companies – whether local or national, whether large manufacturers or small startups – there is something for everyone in Oakland County.
Speaking of our national neighbors, I would like to send a huge shout-out to John Bry, Ron Campbell and our entire Main Street Oakland County (MSOC) team for the fantastic support they gave to a community in need. In August, Main Street Kentucky contacted MSOC for their expertise and support to build an economic recovery plan after they had experienced a catastrophic flood. To learn the full extent of their support you can read the story below.
For our Oakland County companies, I would like to bring attention to the Going PRO Talent Fund, which has $55 Million in training funds available to develop and retain current and newly hired employees.
For our local businesses and startups, I am pleased to announce the expansion of our Business Forward team. Now more communities than ever will be able to receive business counseling right in their backyard.
Also, if you are looking for an opportunity to honor our community’s fallen heroes, please consider taking part in a headstone cleaning at the Great Lakes National Cemetery in Holly this October.
Our upcoming events include several Business Forward workshops throughout September and October, and Veteran Services Resource Fairs this November and December. We hope to see you there.
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Data Corner |
Small Area Health Insurance Estimates Program
According to recently released data from the Census Bureau’s Small Area Health Insurance Estimates (SAHIE) Program, the rate of Americans under the age of 65 without health insurance has dropped significantly since 2013 (the year before many provisions of the ACA took effect). During that span, the rate of uninsured residents in Oakland County dropped to 4.8% from 10.7%. Statewide, the rate of uninsured residents dropped to 6.4% from 12.9%.
Breakdowns of insurance coverage by race are not available at the county-level but statewide, the uninsured rate for Black residents fell from 17.1% in 2013 to 7.5% in 2020 while the uninsured rate for Hispanic residents fell from 21.9% to 11.5%.
Uninsured Rate, 2011-2020
Age Group: Under 65 years
 Uninsured Rate, 2011-2020
Age Group: Under 19 years
Uninsured Rates in Oakland County:
49,719 – The number of Oakland County residents under the age of 65 without health insurance coverage in 2020, down from more than 117,000 uninsured residents in 2011; Oakland County has the 2nd lowest rate of uninsured residents in the state – only Livingston County ranks better
1.8% – The percentage of uninsured Oakland County residents under the age of 19 in 2020, down from 4.1% in 2011; Oakland County has the lowest rate of uninsured children in the state of Michigan
Interactive resources and related information:
Business
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RECAP: North American International Auto Show (NAIAS), Industry Tech Days
Oakland County Executive David Coulter, Economic Development Director Ingrid Tighe and the Oakland County Economic Development team met with global automotive manufacturers, suppliers, and innovative startups at NAIAS on the show floor at Huntington Place.
Executive Dave Coulter moderated a panel on electrification and accessibility with Oakland County’s Chief Environmental Sustainability Officer Erin Quetell, as well as representatives from the Road Commission for Oakland County and DENSO North America. VIP guests later joined Executive Coulter and the Economic Development team for a luncheon located in the Michigan Economic Development Corporation’s AutoMobili-D Hall. Attendees heard about exciting initiatives and resources available to mobility and advanced manufacturing companies that support our region as the epicenter of mobility.
- The Holly ORV Park is available for both public use and corporate rental for vehicle testing
- M1 Concourse – a great facility in Pontiac – is a 1.5-mile racetrack that is available for companies to lease for testing
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Oakland University is expanding their automotive antenna range
- Oakland County Economic Development and the Road Commission for Oakland County are actively seeking pilot opportunities to increase safety for drivers, pedestrians and others who use our roads
- In July of 2023, Oakland County will host Vehicle & Transportation Technology Innovation Meetings (VTM) Michigan – a two-day international mobility event for OEM and Tier 1 companies, suppliers and manufacturers for a B2B matchmaking session
- Oakland County is organizing EV 101 sessions for our local communities that will be followed by an all-day EV summit in the near future. This summit will highlight the best practices for municipal planning departments implementing EV charging infrastructure in their communities. They will learn about operation and maintenance of the stations and available funding sources.
In case you were unable to attend, connect with us here:
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Business Forward Expands into More Oakland County Communities
Launched in March 2022, Oakland County’s Business Forward was created – in cooperation with community-based organizations – to ensure all businesses have access to the resources they need to succeed. Now Business Forward is expanding to reach more small businesses and communities. We are proud to welcome and announce our new Business Forward Consultants:
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Donna Marie Bauer – Commerce, Union Lake, Walled Lake. Waterford, Wolverine
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Sairy Garcia – Royal Oak, Madison Heights
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Drake Phifer – Novi, South Lyon
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Isaac Wolf – Lake Orion, Oxford
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Oakland County's Business Forward and Business Development Teams Exhibited at MMPC for the First Time
Now in its 41st year, the Michigan Minority Procurement Conference (MMPC) is considered the nation’s premier procurement conference, which focuses on connecting global, national, and local corporations with the top minority business enterprises (MBE) in Michigan and throughout the country. During this year’s conference, held at Detroit’s Huntington Place in August, Oakland County was proud to highlight initiatives that support business development, procurement, and small business growth.
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Professional Development for Childcare Professionals
October 12 | Noon - 1:00 PM
Webinar
Continuously developing your skills and knowledge is an important part of maintaining a high-quality childcare program. Each year, the State of Michigan mandates childcare providers earn a certain number of professional development hours in order to stay compliant with state licensing requirements. This online session will provide the content necessary for childcare providers to maintain compliance and the quality of your childcare program.
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How to Market Your Business for the Holidays
October 13 | Noon - 1:30 PM
Webinar
It can be a challenge developing a winning marketing strategy to drive customers to your business for holiday shopping. Small business owners must balance effective marketing and a tight budget. During this online session, you will be given holiday marketing strategies so you can send off 2022 with a big holiday cheer.
Register at: eventbrite.com/e/how-to-market-your-business-for-the-holidays-tickets-421342335267
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Community
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Building Economic Recovery Plan After Catastrophic Flood, Main Street Kentucky Reaches Out to Main Street Oakland County for Expertise and Support
How do you start to rebuild after flash flooding devastates a region of your state, leaving piles of mud and debris in the houses and businesses that weren’t washed away? One call Main Street Kentucky made was to John Bry, Program Coordinator of Main Street Oakland County (MSOC).
“Being a nationally designated Coordinating Main Street Program, we have access to a U.S. network of people with a variety of expertise areas who support each other through both small and large challenges,” says Bry. “I’ve appreciated the support I have received in the past to help Oakland County communities, and now it is our turn to pay it forward.”
In August, Bry and Ron Campbell, historic preservation architect in Oakland County’s Planning & Local Business Development Division, took a 1,000+ mile road trip to Kentucky and toured the stricken towns, providing onsite design services to businesses and property owners. They met with Main Street Kentucky Program Coordinator Kitty Dougoud; officials and building owners from impacted towns; and a coalition of organizations looking to help the region rebuild, including the Kentucky Heritage Council, State Preservation Office, the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Department of the Interior and National Park Service.
These historic downtowns were in poor, rural areas that did not have the money, manpower, or organizational structure in place to become a Main Street community. On their own, they couldn’t effectively seek recovery funding, marshal resources of volunteers, and develop long-term economic recovery strategies. So, Bry recommended a pilot regional program following the Main Street Framework for these underserved rural communities that were also transitioning from a post-coal economy when the flooding hit.
Consequently, Main Street Kentucky is laying the groundwork for a non-profit Pine Mountain Partnership to help these communities work collaboratively for the region’s recovery and reconstruction. Bry also provided ways to create a regional land and building bank to reclaim buildings that are underutilized; develop low cost placemaking initiatives; launch eco-tourism approaches for their longer-term economic recovery; and use story boarding to craft a strategic regional plan.
“Similar to how MSOC is structured, each town will have both their own issues addressed while collectively addressing the common needs of the region,” explained Bry. “Without seeing it for yourself, it’s hard to imagine the devastation caused by this record rain. The flooding happened so fast because the infrastructure was designed for stormwater removal levels from the 1970s. According to the locals, storms are more intense now and the water flow is amplified by decades of clear-cutting trees and stripping topsoil to reach coal.”
“Not only were homes and businesses washed away, but the cultural records of this region were destroyed or severely damaged by water, mud and debris,” says Campbell. “For example, AppalShop in Whitesburg, located on the North Fork Kentucky River, is a culture and arts center that held a large repository of central Appalachian history. Since 1969, people have made documentaries, recorded music, written poetry and celebrated Appalachia there. Though archivists are coming from many states to help with the restoration, they are estimating it will take a least a year to assess the damage and recover as many items as possible.”
“We had a follow up meeting last week with the Kentucky team and FEMA to further discuss the suggestions we provided,” continues Bry. “We are providing input to their work document and will continue to monitor and be available for follow up conversations. Also, when the Pine Mountain Partnership is ready, we will help them set up a crowdfunding campaign for placemaking support—to bring physical elements in the downtowns back online and as part of the rebuilding.”
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October Planners Gathering to Feature Madison Heights Parcel Redevelopment Program – A New Approach for Managing Tax Foreclosed Properties
Oakland County’s Planning, Zoning and Land Use unit will hold a virtual Planners Gathering on the Madison Heights parcel redevelopment program, October 12, 10-11 AM. Madison Heights City Manager Melissa Marsh will share how this new approach for managing tax foreclosed properties achieves expeditious cleanup, code-compliant renovations, and sale of properties for owner-occupied housing—enhancing both the neighborhood and the City’s tax base.
Registration is required and free at: eventbrite.com/e/planners-gathering-planning-zoning-and-land-use-tickets-410752781627
Workforce
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Going PRO Talent Fund: $55 Million in Training Funds Available
Obtain funding through this innovative program to train, develop and retain current and newly hired employees. Training must be short-term in nature and fill a demonstrated talent need. It also must lead to a credential for a skill that is transferable and recognized by industry.
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State of Michigan initiative with $55 million in training funds available for 2023
- Assists companies with a demonstrated talent need
- Private or non-profit businesses eligible
- Partners design real-time training models that adapt to changing employer needs
- Short-term training that leads to a credentialed, industry-recognized skill
- Employers actively participate in development of training and commit to retaining trainees
Learn how to connect with Oakland County Michigan Works! representatives and get the information you need to apply online for the Going Pro Talent Fund.
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Veterans
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Great Lakes National Cemetery Fall Headstone Cleaning – October 8, 2022
On Saturday, October 8, honor and remember our fallen heroes by taking part in a Fall Headstone Cleaning at the Great Lakes National Cemetery, 4200 Belford Road, Holly. There will be coffee to keep you keep you warm in the morning, and hot dogs, chips, and drinks to refresh you when you are finished. All volunteers must check in, and don’t forget to bring your own five gallon bucket and soft scrub brush.
If you have a loved one of friend resting at Great Lakes National Cemetery and would like to be assigned to their section, please include that information when you register. Otherwise, sections will be assigned at the time of registration.
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 Upcoming Veterans Resource Fairs
All Veteran and their families are welcome to receive benefits, including: housing counseling, career planning, training programs, boxes of food, information on community resources, and more.
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