Pontiac, Michigan – Oakland County’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic is capturing national recognition. The county won the Best in Category award for Civic Education and Public Information from the National Association of Counties (NACo) for its #OaklandTogether COVID-19 Tribute. The county also captured 11 other 2021 NACo Achievement Awards including six additional awards for pandemic response, Oakland County Parks & Recreation’s Holly Oaks ORV Park, and the county’s Public Safety Transparency Dashboard.

“These NACo Achievement Awards are a tribute to the hard work and dedication of our Oakland County employees throughout the pandemic,” County Executive Dave Coulter said. “They leaned into the public health crisis to ensure we support and protect our residents and businesses all while continuing to develop and deliver innovative programs to better serve our citizens.”

The county’s award-winning pandemic response programs included:

• Reopen Kits for 15,000 Oakland County businesses and community organizations and a Crowdfunding Campaign which raised over $300,000 for small businesses in downtown areas (both were submitted as a single award).
• Oakland County “Safe for School” Hotline to address parent and school concerns related to sending students to school during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Digital Coronavirus Response which demonstrated transformative adaptability and agility in digital response to the pandemic.
• CARES Act Grant Automation to improve the efficiency of grant applications and processing using Laserfiche.
• Health Connect to manage the deluge of pandemic-related phone calls at Oakland County Health Division.
• The Oakland Together Lifeline to help seniors stay connected with friends and loved ones while social distancing.

“These awards recognize new initiatives that demonstrate how Oakland County continues to innovate, lead and create programs to improve the lives of residents,” Board Chairman David T. Woodward said. “The national recognition is an incredible honor, and we are glad to share these programs with counties across the nation.”

The remaining awards were for the Oakland County Clean, Drain, Dry, Dispose Pilot Program to raise public awareness, change behaviors and build community capacity to stop the spread of aquatic invasive species in Oakland County waters; Oakland County Native Plants Initiative to educate residents on the benefits of native plant species and provide them with tools to take action in their own gardens; and the county’s Cybersecurity Task Force.