OAKLAND COUNTY, Mich. – Oakland County has its first new executive in 25 years after former Ferndale Mayor Dave Coulter was sworn in Monday.
Coulter, 59, replaced L. Brooks Patterson, who died Aug. 3. Patterson held the executive position since 1993.
Coulter is the first Democrat to rule from the executive office in 50 years. His appointment was bitterly contested by Republicans.
The Oakland County Board of Commissioners voted along party lines, 11-10. That vote came after a rocky day that even had a judge getting involved.
"Assembling the team is job one, and secondly is the budget because Oakland County has to adopt by the end of September," Coulter said.
Coulter has spent the last nine years as Ferndale's mayor. Hours before being sworn in, he submitted his formal resignation letter to the Ferndale City Council.