Oakland County commissioners are scheduled to meet Thursday and could decide on a successor to the late L-Brooks Patterson as county executive.
The county board may appoint a new county executive to finish out Patterson’s term. The board could appoint someone within 30 days of a vacancy, or schedule a special election.
Insiders say the board chairman, Democrat David Woodward, could be appointed executive. The county charter requires that a commissioner has to resign from the board before being considered for a full-time county job. Democrats hold an 11 to 10 majority. If Woodward resigns, then the board would be evenly split. Woodward would have to get at least 1 Republican vote to be appointed.
Woodward and county treasurer Andy Meisner announced they would run for the office earlier this year.
Meisner, also a Democrat, says the board is moving too fast, engaging in behind-the-scenes politics.