SHAKE UP

Robin Carter-Cooper

Eagle eyes are wondering what’s going on at the Oakland County executive offices. Oakland County Executive Dave Coulter (D) has been in office now for nearly 10 months, after being appointed to fill the remainder of the late L. Brooks Patterson’s term last August. Could be just routine job re-alignments after figuring out who works best where – or it could be political jockeying, with deputy executives asserting their influence over a bureaucratic novice. An example is the new Community Affairs task force, where three people from other positions were reallocated to the new communications position, including former economic development director Mike McCready, a former Republican state legislator from Bloomfield, which is outsourced and not on the county payroll. McCready said he is happy to still be working at the county on Coulter’s team. “We report to (chief deputy executive) Hilarie Chambers.” He is also now working with lobbyists in both Lansing and Washington D.C., pushing legislation of importance to the county. Added to the team is Robin Carter-Cooper as chief diversity, equity and inclusion officer, a position Coulter has said from the start he wanted to create. While others report to Chambers, Carter-Cooper will report directly to Coulter.