DELETED EMAILS: Oakland County commissioner admits to telling colleagues to DELETE emails, after getting FOIA request from Heather Catallo WXYZ and Simon Shaykhet WXYZ this week. The emails involve the discussion of replacing the late county executive L. Brooks Patterson, who passed away from cancer days ago.
The Oakland County Board of Commissioners have pushed back, for a second time, a meeting to consider appointing a new county executive.
Earlier Thursday, the family of the late L. Brooks Patterson expressed their disappointment following Acting Board Chair Marcia Gershenson's, D-Bloomfield Township, decision to consider the appointment during a 9:30 a.m. regularly-scheduled meeting on Aug. 15, the day of Patterson's funeral.
A few hours after the family released a statement calling the decision "unforgivable", Gershenson switched gears, opting to hold the meeting at 9:30 a.m. on Friday, Aug. 16.
"Out of respect for the family, we decided to move the meeting to Friday," said Gershenson. "We also heard from a lot of our constituents so we made the change to the interview process."
The board will consider an appointment at that meeting following a five-day public application process and committee review of applications. The appointee would finish out Patterson's term, which expires Dec. 31, 2020.
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Mary Margaret Patterson Warner, one of Patterson's daughters, called the board's initial decision to host a meeting the morning of her father's funeral a "heartless play for power."
"This is unforgivable and has offended the Patterson family," said Warner. "Our father has earned and deserves more respect than this.”
Gerald Poisson, who was sworn in as county executive Saturday following Patterson's death, said the board's decision was "inappropriate." He called the new interview process a "spectacle" and "sham.'
Poisson will remain the county executive until the board appoints a new one or a special election is held next spring. Per state law, the board has 30 days from Patterson's death to appoint a new executive.
Oakland County Treasurer Andy Meisner said he agrees with the Patterson family. Meisner said he will not submit an application and continue working towards seeking the nomination in 2020.
Board chair Dave Woodward, D-Royal Oak, resigned as county commissioner late Wednesday. He will be submitting an application for board consideration to become county executive.
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