Oakland County Executive L. Brooks Patterson spoke to a group of influential people, including Oakland University President Dr. Gary Russi. The Keynote Breakfast address was held by the Auburn Hill Chamber of Commerce and the OU school of business administration  campus.

Auburn Hills Chamber of Commerce Executive Director, Denise Asker, opened the event and acknowledged the partnership that has been built between the OU SBA and chamber of commerce .

Dean of the school of business, Mohan Tannir, said during the event that he hopes that the relationship with the chamber can continue to grow.

The city manager of Auburn Hills, Peter Auger introduced L. Brooks Patterson to the crowd of people by saying that a class could be taught on everything Patterson has been able to accomplish over the past 20 years.

Patterson’s speech revolved around updating the community on what the state of economic growth is and what can be done to improve Oakland County.

Patterson had just returned from a trip to Europe in hopes to encourage various European countries to bring their business to Oakland County.

It is important to develop international leverage as well as community leverage, Patterson said. He went on to say he saw the trip to Italy as an employment opportunity for the community.

Europe can act as a balancing mechanism, indicated Patterson. He also said when our economy is going well, we can help balance Europe if they are going through a rough patch and vise versa.

A great portion of his speech was dedicated to the current fiscal crisis that Detroit is experiencing, and how it effects Oakland County.

“Detroit is in some serious, serious trouble,” Patterson said.

Patterson said what Detroit needs is for an emergency city manager to be installed, but Gov. Rick Snyder is hesitant to act because “Detroit is a timber box.”

An analyst from Standard & Poor did indicate to Patterson that Oakland County is the best AAA county they have ever analyzed. Due Oakland County being sandwiched between Flint to the North and Detroit to the South their “environment” is less than desirable.

“We became very interested in Detroit because if Detroit goes bankrupt (the credit ratting company) Moody’s has told us that we will lose our AAA (credit ratting),” Patterson said.

Patterson said if Oakland County loses their AAA credit rating, it will become more expensive to do business in Oakland County.

Unions are currently fighting Public Act 4 because if Detroit hires a city manager, they will lose most of their government employees, Patterson indicated.

Public Act 4 gives the governor the greater power to install an emergency city manager, who can fire elected officials, sell or privatize public assets and break collective bargaining agreements.

In an effort to fight Public Act 4, unions in the City of Detroit are circulating a petition that, if submitted, would suspend the act until it can be voted on in November.

“If Public Act 4 gets suspended, it would be terrible,” Patterson said.

Patterson also spoke on the growing health sector in Oakland County and how OU’s partnership with William Beaumont hospital is helping to facilitate that growth.

General Motors used to be the largest employer in Oakland County, now that title belongs to Beaumont Hospital, Patterson said.

Although Patterson made it clear that he is in support of the auto industry, he said the future of Oakland County is in the health care sector — not in manufacturing.

Patterson explained  OU’s William Beaumont School of Medicine is bringing the best and brightest to this area.

Through out the event Patterson kept the mood light-hearted making jokes where it was appropriate.

When the topic of “ObamaCare” was brought forth by an audience member near the end of the event Patterson joked God gave us triple bypass surgery and Satan gave us Obamacare.