OU-Pontiac Initiative Town Hall Meeting

October 29, 2022

• Thank you Teresa…
  
  
• And thank you Glenn and Teresa for your leadership
  and commitment to the OU-Pontiac Initiative.
  
  
• Welcome to Oakland University.
  
  
• We are so proud to be hosting today’s town hall
  meeting. Glenn and Teresa were expecting 100
  attendees, but over 150 registered. Outstanding!!
  
  
• Welcome to Mayor Tim Greimel, Deputy Mayor
  Khalfani Stephens, Dr. Tom Kimble, Pastor Douglas
  Jones, and participants in today’s round table
  discussions.
  
  
• Those of you here to participate in the discussions
  about the next steps of the OU-Pontiac Initiative will
  play a key role in ensuring the advancement of the six
  pillars of the OU-Pontiac Initiative.
  
  
• Here at Oakland. we see our relationship to the city of
  Pontiac as more than just neighbors, we are partners
  and collaborators in an effort to transform the lives of
  Pontiac residents, and the lives and work of Oakland’s
  faculty, staff and students.
  
  
• The essence of our partnership is trust….
  
  
• And how do each of us measure the depth of trust?
  
  
• We are here for each other.
  
  
• We share.
  
  
• We care.
  
  
• We work together for a common purpose.
  
  
• And that common purpose is constructing a present
  and future filled with opportunity, vibrant
  neighborhoods, thriving small businesses, an inspiring
  culture and prosperity.
  
  
• How do we get there?
  
  
• Look around…. This is how.
  
  
  • The talent in this room.
    
    
  • The vision and work of those of us committed to
    Pontiac.
    
    
  • And power of possibility that comes from our
    collaboration.
    
    
• Bringing together the many different interests of
  Pontiac… and partnering with Oakland University faculty and staff creates a dynamic approach to foster a strategy, a shared vision and the type of collaborative spirit that is the impetus for long-term change.
  
  
• We are so proud that for eight years our partnership
  has created many positive changes.
  
  
  • Through the OU-Pontiac Initiative we have made
    connections and forged partnerships with more
    than 75 community organizations.
    
    
• At Oakland University, we believe that we can work
  side by side with our communities to make our
  communities more economically resilient.
  
  
• Why is this so important?
  
  
• Few communities were hurt economically as much by
  America’s manufacturing decline over the decades as
  Pontiac.
  
  
• But there’s a new chapter being written.
  
  
• Through education, key partnerships and innovation,
  the city of Pontiac can become a hallmark of today’s
  thriving cities – economic diversity, a thriving culture
  and flexibility with a commitment to ongoing education
  at its core.
  
  
• We look forward to the many positive outcomes as the
  culmination of our efforts, and working together to bring
  a transformation to Pontiac that benefits all residents.
  
  
• Thank you…