Ex-Ferndale Mayor Dave Coulter sworn in as Oakland County's new executive

By Steve Neavling

Aug 19, 2019 at 12:33 pm

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City of Ferndale

Ferndale Mayor Dave Coulter.

Former Ferndale mayor Dave Coulter on Monday was sworn in as the first Democrat to serve as Oakland County executive.

"I'm excited to get to work," Coulter said to applause after the brief swearing-in ceremony at noon.

Hours earlier, Coulter resigned as Ferndale mayor, a position he had held since January 2011. He previously served as Oakland County commissioner from 2002 to 2010.

On Friday, the Oakland County Board of Commissioners voted 11-10 to appoint Coulter to replace L. Brooks Patterson, who died earlier this month.

Republicans had held the position since it was created in 1974.

Mayor Pro Tem Greg Pawlica will serve as Ferndale's interim mayor. In the meantime, city council is taking applications for Coulter's replacement, who will serve the remainder of the term, which expires at the end of the year.

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About The Author

Steve Neavling

Steve Neavling is an award-winning investigative journalist who operated Motor City Muckraker, an online news site devoted to exposing abuses of power and holding public officials accountable. Neavling also hosted Muckraker Report on 910AM from September 2017 to July 2018. Before launching Motor City Muckraker,...