Board to Accept Applications for County Executive Position, Commissioner Woodward Resigns
(C. Proxmire, Aug. 8, 2019)
Pontiac, MI- The Board of Commissioners will soon be accepting applications from the public for the office of Oakland County Executive. Applications will be available online at www.oakgov.com/boc starting Thursday, August 8th, 2019. The deadline to submit applications is Tuesday, August 13th, 2019 at noon. The Board will establish a bipartisan candidate evaluation committee to review all applications.
Action on the appointment may be considered at the Board’s next regularly scheduled meeting to be held on Thursday, August 15th at 9:30 a.m. The meeting will be held in the Commissioners Auditorium, which is located in the Oakland County Courthouse (Building 12E) at 1200 N Telegraph Road in Pontiac.
Chief Deputy County Executive Gerald D. Poisson was sworn in as Oakland County Executive following the death of L. Brooks Patterson on Saturday, Aug. 3. Patterson died at the age of 80 from stage 4 pancreatic cancer.
The Board may appoint an individual for the remainder of Patterson’s term within 30 days of the vacancy. If the Board does not make an appointment, Poisson will continue to serve until a special election is held.
County Commissioner Dave Woodward, who had been serving as Chair, resigned in anticipation of the appointment. The Board, however, changed directions after public criticism of the move, as well as criticism by Oakland County Treasurer Andy Meisner who is also interested in the position.
Woodward’s resignation brings the Commission to an even split of ten Republicans and ten Democrats.
Woodward represented the 19th District, which includes the Berkley and much of the City of Royal Oak. Commissioner Marcia Gershenson (D-Bloomfield Township) will assume the role of Acting Board Chairperson.
For more information about the Board of Commissioners, please visit www.oakgov.com/boc or call 248-858-0100.