Waterford Today

Oakland County Executive Dave Coulter announced Thursday that former State Rep. Jim Ellison will become Oakland County's new Chief of Older Adult Services.

In the position, which Coulter introduced in the 2023 budget that was approved by the Board of Commissioners last year, Ellison will coordinate and help expand and improve the services the county provides to older residents. He also will be working with the county's Senior Advisory Council and the Board of Commissioner's Healthy Aging Ad Hoc Committee.

"We have an aging population in Oakland County that has a wide range of needs. I want to make sure that all of the county's older residents know about the resources that are available to them," Coulter said. "Jim will bring a broad array of experience and vast knowledge of the county that will be a great benefit to our older residents."

Ellison was a member of the State House of Representatives from 2017-22, where he served on several committees, including: Families, Children and Seniors; Health Policy; Tax Policy and Local Government.

Before that, he was the Mayor of Royal Oak from 2003 to 2016, was a city Commissioner for four years and has returned to service to the city as a member of the planning commission. He spent most of his career working for the Barton Malow construction company.

"My time on the Families, Children and Seniors committee certainly opened my eyes to the issues that seniors are facing and now, being a senior myself, that's brought me a new perspective," Ellison said. "I look forward to meeting with older residents and visiting senior centers across the county to see how we can best meet their needs."

Ellison and his wife Jodie, the manager of the Royal Oak Animal Shelter, live in Royal Oak. They have eight children and 16 grandkids. Ellison, the founding chairman of the Woodward Dream Cruise committee, spends his spare time working on a classic 1955 Ford Centerline and caring for the pack of pets they've adopted over the years, including dogs, cats, rabbits, a pig and a Canadian goose.

He will begin the new job as Oakland County Chief of Older Adult Services on Tuesday, Jan. 17.

Original source can be found here.