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Metro Detroit’s ‘Big Four’ leaders weigh in on vaccines, infrastructure, future of region

‘We’re not just surviving, but we’re thriving,’

They are considered the ‘Big Four’ and it’s not often you seem them together, but Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan, Wayne County Executive Warren Evans, Macomb County Executive Mark Hackel and Oakland County Executive Dave Coulter all sat down on Thursday to talk about the future of the region.

The first topic was vaccines and if they were getting enough of them.

“No, but that’s nobody’s fault other than we just need to ramp up production at the manufacturing level,” said Oakland County Executive Dave Coulter. “We could distribute more if we had it.”

“The city went from 5,000 a week to 15,000 a week to now the health department is delivering 30,000 a week,” said Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan. “By April, we need to be up to 40,000 a week,”

“Our potential is only limited by the doses, we get or we’re getting,” said Macomb County Executive Mark Hackel. “With that being said, you know we’re averaging less than 10,000 a week.”

“We’d like to get more vaccines, but we’ve really worked extremely hard with what we’ve had in Wayne County,” said Wayne County Executive Warren Evans. “We’ve probably vaccinated more than 20,000 teachers.”

Although they said they would like more vaccines, they all said they’re making strides in getting people vaccinated. Other topics discussed were regional transportation, infrastructure, federal funding and what they feel will happen once things return to somewhat normal.

“The city of Detroit going to reopen,” said Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan.

“Wayne County is going to move ahead and continue to improve its services to its citizens,” said Wayne County Executive Warren Evans.

“I think by the end of the year, you’re going to see that we’re not just surviving, but we’re thriving,” said Oakland County Executive David Coulter.

MORE: Metro Detroit News