March 25, 2024
Bi-Weekly Executive Newsletter
Dear Friends,
I celebrated two of the county’s most successful business initiatives last week, programs designed to make our downtowns the vibrant and successful places they are and the reason so many people choose Oakland County as their base for both home and work.
On Tuesday morning, I greeted a conference room full of people dedicated to making the Main Streets of our towns beautiful and successful.
The Main Street Oakland County Summit hosted the communities where $88 million in investments have been made in the last year for improvements like streetscapes, lighting, signage, marketing plans and parking.
These are the corridors that are the heart of our communities, transforming our towns into walkable, livable neighborhoods that people want to call home. Young people are so important to our efforts to grow our population and we know that they want to live somewhere where they can walk downtown to restaurants and shops and gathering spots.
We’re committed to the Main Street program because the investments made since the program started in 2001 have resulted in more than 2,700 new businesses and 8,200 new full-time jobs.
We’re also dedicated to our investment and partnership with Oakland Thrive, the non-profit spinoff of the county’s Business Forward program. This team of 14 small business navigators helps entrepreneurs with all of their needs, from finding federal, state and local resources, loans and grants to crafting a business plan or developing a social media campaign that will help build and grow successful businesses.
We gathered with Oakland Thrive and the small business community at the Royal Oak Farmers’ Market on Wednesday for an evening of awards and celebration.
There are so many success stories from the team, including connections with more than 7,600 small businesses that have been touched by the efforts of Business Forward and Oakland Thrive in the last two years. That’s 8 1/2 times more entrepreneurs than we’ve assisted in the past.
These are the mom and pop shops and small business owners who employ our neighbors and who are the engines that drive Oakland’s economy.
We all have a stake in their success. These companies contribute so much to our communities, not only in economic terms, but they’re who we call when we’re looking for support for that Little League team or to help the school district’s robotics or debate teams or to sponsor beautification efforts in our towns. These small businesses in our towns are the first to kick in and help.
So, it was only right that we took some time to applaud and support these programs. I’m really proud of the work Oakland County is doing to ensure our small businesses and downtowns remain the backbone of the county’s economy.
To find out more about the two programs go to:
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With gratitude,
Dave Coulter
Oakland County Executive
Oakland County Executive Wins Wager Over NCAA Basketball Match Between Oakland University and University of Kentucky
On March 20, Oakland County Executive Dave Coulter and Lexington, Ky. Mayor Linda Gorton made a friendly wager on the outcome of the NCAA basketball game between Oakland University and the University of Kentucky.
The Oakland Golden Grizzlies swiped the win from the Kentucky Wildcats with a final score of 80-76 the following evening. According to the wager, Lexington will send a basket of goods to Oakland County.
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Health Division Recommends a Measles Vaccination Before Spring Travel
Oakland County Health Division advises residents to get vaccinated against measles before traveling. In late February, Oakland County had its first confirmed measles case since 2019. This case was travel-related. As of March 7, a total of 45 measles cases have been confirmed in 16 states across the United States, including cases in Washtenaw and Wayne counties.
“Get vaccinated for measles if you are not. Vaccination is particularly important before traveling as there are outbreaks happening right now internationally and within the United States,” said Dr. Russell Faust, Medical Director for Oakland County Health Division. “Receiving both doses of the vaccine is most effective, but if you only have time to get one dose before your trip, that still provides helpful protection.”
 Join Oakland County at the Great Marshmallow Drop March 29
Experience pure joy and delight as 15,000 marshmallows are released from a helicopter during the Great Marshmallow Drop at Catalpa Oaks County Park on Friday, March 29 beginning at 10 a.m.
Drops will be done by age group. Ages 4 and younger; ages 5-7; and ages 8-12. A drop for individuals with disabilities of all ages will begin at 11:30 a.m. American Sign Language interpretation will be offered.
Participants only need to collect one marshmallow to exchange for a treat bag at the prize tent during this free event.
Volunteers are still needed! Nearly 200 volunteers assist event staff with parking, providing a safe boundary for kids to run in, handing out prizes and other activities to support the event. This is a great option for groups or school service organizations. Two shifts are available from 7:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Complete this registration form to volunteer.
Sponsorships are also available for all budgets. Please review the Sponsorship Guide below for more information on how to be involved with this popular community event.
For more information, call 248-858-0916 or email NawrockiM@oakgov.com.
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