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Expanded public transportation happening across Oakland County isn’t just about double-digit increases in ridership, it’s about people like John Chatley of Lake Orion, who is benefitting from North Oakland Transportation Association’s expanded routes and hours to get to vital physical therapy appointments during a time when he can’t drive.
Our Oakland80 initiative isn’t solely for the county’s adult population to get a college degree or certified training. It’s now also for people like Jonathan Thomas, a high school senior who never thought he was a “college-type of person.” But when he visited Oakland Community College, through a partnership between our Oakland80 and the Hazel Park Advantage Alternative High School, he had a lightbulb moment. He’s now enrolled and looking forward to taking classes and applying for paid internships when he graduates from high school in a few weeks.
I’m certainly proud of the progress we’ve made with our Project DIAMOnD initiative, which is providing 3D printers and training in additive manufacturing techniques to companies to help them save time, cut costs and keep production right here in Oakland County and Michigan. Some of those manufacturers are making some groundbreaking advances, like Brian Smith, the director of engineering and Greg Jablonski, a design engineer at Adapt Technology of Auburn Hills. They helped develop and used a 3D printer provided by Oakland County to develop a device that allows hospitals to insert medical feeding tubes in babies in the neonatal ICU. The device is easier to use and protects the baby’s delicate skin.
Sharmilla Thevakanthan, a mother from Rochester Hills, has some peace of mind in part because of a program that will be partially funded through Oakland County’s Housing Trust Fund. A neighborhood in the city is being developed that will include market-rate homes as well as housing for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. She no longer has to worry about her son Gabi, who is on the autism spectrum and will be able to live, safely and independently in one of the homes.
One of our older residents, Chris Fabian qualified for an interest-free loan through the county’s Neighborhood and Housing Development Department to make badly needed repairs on her home in Leonard. The new insulation, floors and windows will allow her to comfortably stay in her home well into her retirement years.
These are the types of personal stories that remind us that our initiatives aren’t just theoretical proposals or a data-driven thesis. They are proof that our programs and service truly are making a difference for people and businesses. And that inspires and drives the work that we do.
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