Oakland County executive discloses his and his chief officers’ interests

By Max Bryan, mbryan@detroitnews.com

After months of dialogue about public officers’ outdoors monetary pursuits, Oakland County Government Dave Coulter launched a disclosure web page Thursday for senior members of his workplace.

The web page, discovered at oakgov.com/authorities/county-executive/disclosures, consists of monetary disclosure types for Coulter, his deputy county executives and his Chief Monetary Officer. The disclosure types require these officers to record employers who paid them past revenue over $1,000 and any unearned revenue equivalent to prizes, inventory dividends or curiosity over $200 in 2025.

It additionally requires them to record employers who paid their spouses or home companions greater than $1,000 throughout that interval, their belongings and any positions they maintain outdoors the provincial authorities.

“The revelations fulfill a dedication Coulter made in December to voluntarily publish annual monetary data for senior executives to strengthen transparency and public belief within the provincial authorities,” reads a Thursday information launch from the province.

Among the many revelations, Deputy County Government Sean Carlson is listed because the proprietor of staffing agency Procurement Consulting Group LLC. Deputy director April Lynch is listed as secretary at rental firm RA Holdings.

Along with proudly owning Procurement Consulting, Carlson can also be a board member of Automation Alley, Oakland Thrive, Oakland Faculties Training Basis and Workforce Growth Board, in accordance with disclosure types.

Deputy Director Megan Sellers is listed as board chair of the Village of Oakland Woods retirement neighborhood, and Deputy Director Mahida Tariq is on the boards of the Metro Well being Basis and the Southeastern Michigan Well being Affiliation in Detroit. Coulter is a board member of the Detroit Regional Partnership and Go to Detroit and a member of the manager committee of the Michigan Financial Growth Company, the shape states.

Coulter’s transfer comes after he stated in December that the Oakland County Board of Commissioners doesn’t have the state’s authority to require monetary disclosures.

“Whereas there isn’t any state legislation but requiring such monetary disclosures for elected officers, I imagine we should lead by instance, which is why my senior management staff and I are making these disclosures accessible to the general public,” Coulter stated in Thursday’s information launch.

Final fall, Coulter urged the county board of commissioners to cross an ordinance that will require monetary disclosures. The initiative ended with the administration formally calling on the Michigan Legislature and Governor to enact laws requiring counties to require monetary disclosure insurance policies for all their elected officers.

Coulter introduced the transfer after months of criticism of Chairman Dave Woodward’s work as a paid advisor for the Sheetz gasoline station chain, which is increasing into Michigan. The Pennsylvania-based chain has plans to construct 50 to 60 areas in Michigan. Coulter stated his push for revelations was not resulting from Woodward’s outdoors involvement.

Moral questions additionally arose when county officers found they’d awarded a $450,000 know-how workforce grant owned by a present county worker.

When requested Thursday why the county fee could not make an analogous disclosure, Woodward confirmed that Coulter, an elected official, voluntarily disclosed his and his appointees’ funds.

He additionally stated commissioners had been hesitant to undertake their very own voluntary disclosure insurance policies “that are unenforceable and don’t have any tooth.”