HomeMy WebLinkAboutResolutions - 2026.05.21 - 42953
AGENDA ITEM: Support for the HIRE! Pontiac Pre-Engineering Summer Internship Program
DEPARTMENT: Board of Commissioners
MEETING: Board of Commissioners
DATE: Thursday, May 21, 2026 9:30 AM - Click to View Agenda
ITEM SUMMARY SHEET
COMMITTEE REPORT TO BOARD
Resolution #2026-6475
Motion to approve a one-time allotment of $5,000 from the FY 2026 Board of Commissioners’
General Fund Special Project line-item budget to support HIRE! Pontiac Pre-Engineering Summer
Internship Program. Further, authorize the Board Chair to execute any required agreements on
behalf of Oakland County. Additionally, require that the recipient publicly promote the County’s
support as a primary Sponsor and submit an impact report to the Board of Commissioners by the
end of the calendar year, detailing the outcomes of the concert series, including attendance,
participation, and the number of Oakland County residents served.
ITEM CATEGORY SPONSORED BY
Special Project Angela Powell
INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND
Please provide the full name, title, and organization of the person submitting this request.
Shanell Weatherspoon, Board Member, Pontiac United Education Coalition (PUEC)
Please provide the requester’s email address and phone number.
sweatherspoon@puec.org, 248-425-2409
Please provide the organization’s address and website, if applicable.
402 N. Telegraph Rd., Pontiac, MI 48341
www.puec.org
Please identify whether the organization is a governmental entity, a nonprofit, or another
type of entity, and include tax status if applicable.
Nonprofit organization, 501(c)(3)
Please identify the sponsoring Commissioner(s) for this request.
Commissioner Angela Powell
Describe what you are requesting the Board to fund and what the public will receive as a
result.
The request is for funding support for the HIRE! Pontiac Pre-Engineering Summer Internship
Program. This program provides Oakland County students with structured STEM education,
workforce development training, mentorship, and hands-on project experience aligned with
engineering and technical career pathways. The public benefit includes a stronger local workforce
pipeline, increased access to high-demand career fields, and expanded opportunities for students
from underserved communities.
Is this request best classified as a sponsorship of an event or support for a program?
Program
If this request includes an event, please provide the event date(s), location(s), expected
attendance, and whether the event is free and open to the public.
Not applicable. This is a six-week workforce development program taking place June 22, 2026
through July 23, 2026.
What is the total budget for the overall project, program, or event, and what is the specific
amount requested from the Board of Commissioners? Please present both figures clearly
and explain how the requested amount fits into the total budget.
The total budget for the 2026 HIRE! Pontiac Pre-Engineering Summer Internship Program is
$65,000.
The request to the Oakland County Board of Commissioners is $5,000, representing a portion of the
overall program cost and helping to ensure full program delivery.
Please provide a narrative budget explanation describing what costs exist in the overall
budget and which costs the Board’s requested funds would pay for.
The program budget includes staffing (instructors, mentors, and program coordinators), program
operations (facilities, transportation, materials, insurance, and meals), and direct program delivery
costs. The requested funds will support core program operations and instructional delivery, ensuring
students receive consistent, high-quality STEM education, mentorship, and workforce exposure.
Please describe all confirmed funding partners, matching funds, sponsorships, or in-kind
contributions, and specify the amount or estimated value of each.
Confirmed partners include:
• General Motors: $20,000
• MiLEAP: $7,400
• Pontiac Regional Chamber of Commerce: approximately $20,000 in-kind support (facility
space and program support)
• Charles and Demetra Leonard Foundation: committed support (amount pending finalization)
Please describe what is anticipated, what is pending, and when decisions will be made.
Pending funding requests include SMART (Suburban Mobility Authority for Regional Transportation)
and McLaren Oakland. Funding decisions are expected prior to program start in June 2026.
Additional sponsorships are actively being pursued to fully close the funding gap.
If the Board does not fund this request, what would change, be reduced, or not occur?
Without this funding, the program will be required to reduce enrollment capacity and scale back
program hours and instructional time, limiting the number of students served and the depth of
workforce development programming.
Please explain the public purpose of the project in clear terms, including how Oakland
County residents will benefit.
This program advances workforce development by preparing Oakland County students for high-
demand STEM careers. It strengthens the regional talent pipeline, increases economic mobility, and
expands access to career pathways for underserved populations, directly supporting long-term
economic growth in Oakland County.
Please explain what the County receives in return for the expenditure. If the request is a
sponsorship, describe recognition benefits. If the request is a program, describe program
deliverables and measurable public outcomes.
The County will receive measurable workforce development outcomes, including:
• Delivery of a six-week STEM internship program
• Hands-on project completion by all participants
• Workforce exposure through mentorship, site visits, and industry engagement
• Documented gains in student STEM knowledge and career readiness
• Program completion and participation metrics
Recognition will include acknowledgment in program materials, presentations, and the final student
showcase event.
If this request includes improvements to property not owned by Oakland County, please
explain who owns the property, who will control and maintain the improvements, and how
the public will have continued access to the benefit funded by the County.
Not applicable.
Please provide a clear implementation timeline with start date, milestones (if applicable), and
completion date.
Program Dates: June 22, 2026 – July 23, 2026
Milestones include program launch, weekly instructional and project phases, mid-program
evaluation, and a final student showcase event.
Please describe who will benefit from the project, including estimated number of Oakland
County residents served and which communities or geographic areas are expected to
participate.
Up to 15 students will participate directly in the program, all of whom are Oakland County residents.
Participants are primarily from Pontiac, with additional representation from surrounding communities
including Auburn Hills, Lake Orion, and Oxford. The program also engages families and community
partners, expanding overall impact.
Please describe how success will be evaluated and what measurable outcomes will be
reported.
Success will be measured through:
• Pre- and post-program assessments of STEM knowledge and career readiness
• Program completion rates and project delivery
• Participation in mentorship and workforce exposure activities
• Attendance and engagement tracking
• Student and parent satisfaction surveys
Please confirm that the organization will submit an outcomes report to the Board of
Commissioners by the end of the calendar year and describe what that report will include.
Yes. The report will include participation data, program outcomes, assessment results, and overall
community impact.
If requested, please confirm the organization will provide proof of expenditure, invoices, or
comparable documentation showing how Board funds were used.
Yes.
FISCAL IMPACT: Subsequent QR Budget Amendment Required
Committee members can contact Barbara Winter, Policy and Fiscal Analysis Supervisor at
248.821.3065 or winterb@oakgov.com or the department contact persons listed for additional
information.
CONTACT
Shanell Weatherspoon Board Member Pontiac United Education Coalition (PUEC)
ITEM REVIEW TRACKING
Aaron Snover, Board of Commissioners Created/Initiated - 5/21/2026
AGENDA DEADLINE: 05/07/2026 4:30 PM
ATTACHMENTS
None
COMMITTEE TRACKING
2026-04-30 Full Board - Refer to Finance
2026-05-13 Finance - Recommend to Board
2026-05-21 Full Board - Adopt
Motioned by: Commissioner Michael Gingell
Seconded by: Commissioner Penny Luebs
Yes: Ann Erickson Gault, Michael Gingell, Marcia Gershenson, Robert Hoffman, Karen Joliat,
Christine Long, Penny Luebs, Gwen Markham, William Miller III, Kristen Nelson, Angela Powell,
Robert Smiley, Yolanda Smith Charles, Michael Spisz, Linnie Taylor, Philip Weipert, David
Woodward (17)
No: Charles Cavell (1)
Abstain: None (0)
Absent: Brendan Johnson (1)
Passed