[{"_1":2,"_110":-5,"_111":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6619492,"mediaKeyId","2835241-24ffd9f7ce264b05a67d0ff211ad44ab","parentId",2835241,"title","At a glance: Oakland County Board actions and votes","audioSeconds",5151,"startMs",29000,"endMs",5180000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2835241-24ffd9f7ce264b05a67d0ff211ad44ab&start=29&end=5180","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2835241-24ffd9f7ce264b05a67d0ff211ad44ab/thumbnail_29000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6619492/Oakland-County/Michigan/At-a-glance-Oakland-County-Board-actions-and-votes","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6619492-6997429109235f77ff4351aa89ccab69/orig.mp4?Expires=1771006655&Signature=NYGSyp1XHANan8vWRvGn-T4Inzwry9UYx69Ny93HbxKizYjP1lxPcQrwJ13xx5KE0SNoArqJP9aO1NMMSrmsTaIJ3pshr22RfQGxNRNTXffJG61Z6jq5DUMJKsBIlS83GcxTzeahcL7frmZUiljf5bRVBPEZ3WzwJVGTqj2Yo1XS4cpoQOLdta1ma907eAIx9w4Lvq7mZMleXftWzd7zdqGDpWO~O0N~pP3aTQlWbiCS8CBimRLEfgndMe4Rc4l~QKgxRsIP5jZYfUob5dmCUZQS7XqKDp~5EwXHS2yEyK4kvLdOULCRMGIlj--rSJiHVVYniCJboc1NGl1AqaT2kw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Oakland County","date","2025-04-01T16:25:07.12Z","article","The Oakland County Board of Commissioners recorded several procedural and substantive votes during the meeting.

Minutes and agenda
- Approved minutes for March 11 and March 18, 2025; motion carried by voice vote.
- Agenda approved after a motion and question about a sheriff marine contract item that was moved to a later meeting.

Communications
- The Board voted to receive and file communications A through F, including ARPA reports and grant applications; motion carried by voice vote.

Opioid settlement allocations
- The Board approved an opioid-settlement allocation package to fund staffing, drug-checking equipment and a centralized resource directory, with direction to staff on interim downtown mitigation. Vote: 7 yes, 0 no. (Mover: Commissioner Sara Powell; Support: Commissioner Zertszewski.)

Prosecutor interlocal agreement
- The Board approved an interlocal agreement to place a behavioral-health and justice liaison from the Oakland Community Health Network in the Prosecutor’s Office to assist people facing potential charges who could benefit from mental-health or substance-use intervention. Vote reported as 6 yes, 0 no.

What this means: The opioid allocation represents the most significant programmatic vote; other votes were largely procedural or acceptance of regular reports and grant actions. Staff will return with implementation details and budget breakdowns for the opioid allocation and other grant-funded programs.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Public Health and Safety Committee Meeting 04-01-25","oneSentenceSummary","Summary of formal votes taken during the meeting, including minutes and agenda approval, communications, opioid-settlement allocations and an interlocal agreement for a behavioral-health liaison.","taxTitle","Oakland County, Michigan","taxId",2835,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6619497,"County reports progress on senior chore program; $75,000 remains for local projects",771,1249000,2020000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2835241-24ffd9f7ce264b05a67d0ff211ad44ab&start=1249&end=2020","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2835241-24ffd9f7ce264b05a67d0ff211ad44ab/thumbnail_1249000.jpg","/articles/6619497/Oakland-County/Michigan/County-reports-progress-on-senior-chore-program-75000-remains-for-local-projects","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6619497-99d4239f0a1ede6fc46452b33a7a4371/orig.mp4?Expires=1771006655&Signature=UNXtaezDyQLGReZiywoX8-~UZxYHwkbMFtwp7lyyMmUo97aDnXh~1w9HfGfuobwqjOqf2dLcVRBBD9FEz9-PYaxumBOoUE3m7WoBcrSfWZbO0n2EOWUWAPpqtHvJ3CkV5NrpUH7AC4nsZJtMTHdZSO6wgHf3i2ffjRk487MaidTqin7lz6JbBkjgh~nKEejWBk2dFK4msFJyNXEoRtwdDAERqICqkzn0Np5SAvv7CA6lg5d~6gVxfMABjWImJfXcQdCabKUQjul5IakpZbWSYQav0bvnY1s2225Codms5BQMy2yGkgwZOlokWigOLwRfxF9uBAbPqWvvUEF777~HcA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Oakland County staff reported that communities using an ARPA-funded chore program — described in the meeting as a senior chore and home-maintenance initiative — have spent the bulk of the $3,000,000 allocation and that about $75,000 remained for the next voucher round.

The program manager said the initiative began in summer 2024, allocated funds to participating communities for services such as snow removal, yard cleanups, brush and tree trimming, minor home repairs and exterior safety work, and is scheduled through July 30, 2026. The county reported one round of vouchers paid through Dec. 31 and expected additional payments in a fourth round over the coming summer.

Why it matters: Commissioners noted senior residents identified chore services as a top need in the county’s senior blueprint. Commissioner Christiansen praised the program’s local partnerships and asked how the services will be sustained after ARPA funds are spent. County staff said communities are planning to shift programs to local grant funds, donations or volunteer models when possible.

Program examples cited to the Board included neighborhoods that pre-paid for driveway snow removal pilots and a contractor in Holly Township who expanded his business after winning county-funded work. Staff said local communities are experimenting with per-home rates and contractor-sharing agreements.

Commissioner Christiansen requested a follow-up report and a detailed budget breakdown for how the $3,000,000 was allocated; county staff agreed to provide contracted amounts and an update in a few months.

Ending: County staff said communities that cannot spend allocated funds in the current round will have those dollars redistributed into the fourth-round pool; staff will return with a more detailed budget and an update on sustainability planning.","Oakland County staff reported implementation progress for an ARPA-funded chore program for seniors and other home services, saying communities have spent most allocations and about $75,000 remains for a fourth funding round.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6619502,"Oakland County youth-assistance program reports $240,100 remaining from ARPA award, says 316 families served",670,570000,1240000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2835241-24ffd9f7ce264b05a67d0ff211ad44ab&start=570&end=1240","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2835241-24ffd9f7ce264b05a67d0ff211ad44ab/thumbnail_570000.jpg","/articles/6619502/Oakland-County/Michigan/Oakland-County-youth-assistance-program-reports-240100-remaining-from-ARPA-award-says-316-families-served","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6619502-cbebcac726bb85a3a5df065cc971abfe/orig.mp4?Expires=1771006655&Signature=SHympLpitR88mcGLkU5ErMvhthf0a1tCkl0Vs8tMNViVbYn-vOgkW515osXtyrHVmiTpNnUYkeJYQtRk9AMOIlPt16CEjjM1btbuun1dT0CoXL7bD9ubyt-Hqea~IB6M9V5Kp7m44BGE7k3FmRBm1EJaU6hWfs1VlSRzxN4OaXXhSEBoNK08SipzhgoL0gOJa5PfgWkOb~lbXB31boEPw4bTPmAtN~JZIojNxSt4~iX9InapnWLRxKrKUmIXx-W90n4oI-dMVHuKUwAbOtAq1AlNxUN78QdVB4CDF6J5JgbCMIHAIUk8A2kz9OKh5jiojaw3WBZryaK9ZCsxyM5anA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Oakland County’s Youth Assistance Coordinating Council reported that a multi-year ARPA allocation intended for youth assistance has been widely used for emergency needs, local prevention programs and mentoring, and that roughly $240,100 remained in the fund.

Liz Smith, chief of Youth Assistance, told commissioners that the county received an award in 2022 described during the presentation as $500,000 (one reference in the report also referenced $550,000) and that, to date, the county has spent about $309,900. Smith said 316 families have received direct ARPA emergency supports and roughly 2,500 children are on local youth-assistance caseloads.

Why it matters: Commissioners asked for more detail on spending, especially the remaining funds earmarked for critical home repair and other large needs. Smith said the local offices are using the funds for emergency housing, mental-health supports, car repairs and program development, and that the Youth Assistance Coordinating Council set a $1,500 per-request cap for emergency needs (the committee has made exceptions in particular cases).

Smith said the program had earmarked money for emergency needs, local programming and training across the county’s 26 local offices. \"To date, we've spent about ... $309,900 of the original ... $550,000. We have a balance roughly of about $240,100. Three hundred sixteen families have been impacted,\" she told the Board.

Program examples cited to commissioners included alternative mentoring initiatives — programs called Bucket of Love in Waterford, Silver Linings in Novi and the Wildcat Cub Club in Oxford — where volunteers meet elementary-school students for weekly mentoring and activities. Smith said some mentoring models partner volunteers with senior centers; others provide small-group supports such as tutoring and mindfulness programming.

Smith told the Board the Youth Assistance program has also received a private gift managed through the Community Foundation of Southeastern Michigan; the interest from that gift is being used to help maintain emergency-needs supports beyond the ARPA award.

Commissioners asked for a presentation by the independent evaluator (Stout) on the legal aid and housing-crisis support evaluation report; several commissioners requested a follow-up session to review the 80-page Stout evaluation in more depth.

Ending: Commissioners asked staff to return with more detailed breakdowns of the remaining ARPA balance and projected spending timelines so the Board can track commitments before the county’s ARPA spending deadlines.","County staff reported progress spending ARPA funds for youth assistance: roughly $309,900 spent, a balance of about $240,100, and services reaching more than 300 families and about 2,500 children on caseloads.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":46,"_47":104,"_49":105,"_51":106,"_53":107,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":108,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":109,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6619506,"Oakland County approves opioid-settlement spending plan as downtown Pontiac businesses press for clinic move",2215,2965000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2835241-24ffd9f7ce264b05a67d0ff211ad44ab&start=2965&end=5180","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2835241-24ffd9f7ce264b05a67d0ff211ad44ab/thumbnail_2965000.jpg","/articles/6619506/Oakland-County/Michigan/Oakland-County-approves-opioid-settlement-spending-plan-as-downtown-Pontiac-businesses-press-for-clinic-move","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6619506-425ff455e30c6a3488a6c54a4132217d/orig.mp4?Expires=1771006655&Signature=bbepOlYyRM5q24XccHZ0T6OA~~YWgTfMJpXQI6d~qFw6IZDUR0JR96lpUIrYWFb2AvIyM7-62CBYCDTJ9B3XbgswXmaOU7~gCPHFlvb-FZA-gA8XgmpgbJl8denRq6u9pFuI8ZIL2rLtPZfSWpFVjWJi-AXHBnZVxpNK9kcBn~C-JeN-bQQb4lKowWE3j~yLzsgZC3cdfXGiWtiXU6bxqwkYC2UwQ9xvRToFwjm9~8X2~in5MU9tPuoEl~6Y7oKBJ02mzzqr-5l2kp18JY-JvADz6yB72ct3Ii9F0TmceAbfUQ8vAK1dG36mOKCW6Y~DDCG1Xt8n-pTTM~uU35WTEw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Oakland County commissioners approved a plan to allocate opioid-settlement funds to expand harm-reduction services, hire clinical staff and build a centralized resource directory, after weeks of planning and a lengthy discussion about disruptive behavior around a downtown Pontiac clinic.

The county’s deputy county executive, Madia, told the Board the steering committee’s goal “was to reduce the incidence of opioid overdose in our county and also reduce ... the addiction and misuse of opiates.” The committee has completed listening sessions, mapped treatment and prevention resources and drafted strategic priorities, Madia said.

Why it matters: Commissioners said the plan aims to pair immediate harm-reduction work with sustained investments so local providers can serve people who use drugs without leaving downtown businesses to absorb related public-safety problems. The Board voted 7-0 to carry the measure.

The plan’s core elements, as described to commissioners, are: (1) staffing and infrastructure investments to stabilize provider capacity; (2) expansion of harm-reduction services and warm handoffs into treatment; (3) broader prevention efforts; and (4) infrastructure projects to improve access and data about local resources.

Barb Hanke, director of public services, said the committee used guidance from the settlement’s Exhibit E to prioritize strategies. \"The first one is staffing and infrastructure,\" Hanke said, adding that the county wants to strengthen agencies’ ability to sustain services after grant funds end. She told commissioners the county would not simply distribute one-time grants but target infrastructure and staffing support to increase long-term capacity.

Health and Human Services staff outlined three specific purchases the committee recommended: upgrading an existing nursing position to a nurse practitioner (to provide wound care and help clients get medically ready for treatment), purchasing a portable FTIR drug-checking device for the county’s harm-reduction office, and funding a web-based, centrally maintained resource directory so providers and residents can find up-to-date treatment and prevention options.

Leanne Stafford of Health and Human Services said the FTIR device would allow staff to identify novel or dangerous drug mixtures in the field instead of waiting for medical examiner results. She said the directory would be a “one source of truth” accessible to providers and the public, with controlled logins for entities that update listing details.

Downtown business owners and residents urged faster, practical fixes while the clinic prepares to move. April Ogg, a downtown Pontiac business owner who spoke during public comment, described repeated safety and cleanliness problems she said were linked to patrons of the nearby clinic at 148 North Saginaw Street. She said clinic clients had used an alcove outside her store as a waiting area, left drug paraphernalia near dumpsters, and that her employees had been exposed to drug use and aggressive behavior.

Steve Norris, director of overdose prevention and recovery support for a local coalition and a member of the sheriff’s Crisis Response Unit, urged immediate use of county assets: “One of the practical things we can do immediately ... the Crisis Response Unit of Oakland County ... would respond to those incidents and help support that clinic in the interim before they’re moved,” he said, urging coordinated outreach and on-the-ground support.

Commissioner Sara Powell (mover) and Commissioner Zertszewski (support) brought the health and human services package forward. Commissioners pressed staff for a parallel short-term plan to reduce public nuisances downtown while the county works to secure a larger, permanent clinic location; multiple commissioners asked for options such as paid on-site monitors, security assistance or other transitional supports.

County staff said the clinic’s lease runs through September and that negotiations are underway with a larger provider site that could house the program sooner if construction and logistics permit. Commissioners asked staff to pursue an accelerated move and to return with cost estimates for interim on-site assistance.

The Board approved the recommended opioid allocations by a 7-0 vote. Commissioners also directed staff to report back with implementation details and short-term mitigation measures for downtown Pontiac.

Ending: County officials said the settlement committee will return to the Board with detailed spending plans and recommended vendors. Meanwhile, staff said they would continue engagement with downtown business groups — including Main Street Pontiac — and public-safety partners to reduce immediate harm while the clinic prepares to relocate.","The Board approved opioid-settlement spending that funds staffing, drug-checking equipment and a centrally maintained resource directory; commissioners and downtown business owners pressed county staff for short-term measures while a harm-reduction clinic prepares to relocate.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

At a glance: Oakland County Board actions and votes

County reports progress on senior chore program; $75,000 remains for local projects

Oakland County youth-assistance program reports $240,100 remaining from ARPA award, says 316 families served

Oakland County approves opioid-settlement spending plan as downtown Pontiac businesses press for clinic move