County Commissioner, District 17· 2025-01-01 to 2028-12-31 (per MCL 46.410 subsection 2, text read: 4-year term begins January 1 following the 2024 election; current-term start, first-office day unsourced; end December 31, 2028)
Yolanda Smith Charles
Oakland County
No biography on file yet.
Voice
- Meetings spoken in
- 9
- Total speaking time
- 32:32
- Avg per meeting
- 3:37
- Segments
- 345
Want every word Charles has said?
The OpenCity MCP for Claude.ai answers questions like “what has Charles said about housing this year” with one prompt — full speaking history, with YouTube timestamps.
Top issues during term (20)
ICE Enforcement on County Property
Speakers requested $50,000 for legal aid and $100,000 for food insecurity; no funding was adopted.
Sheriff's Office grants and task force agreements
Grant funding and federal overtime reimbursement cover the programs rather than county general funds.
Riethmeier v. Oakland County litigation
Any settlement or judgment in the case could ultimately affect county funds, but no dollar figures were disclosed.
Flock surveillance data breach
The Flock contract is worth roughly $2.5 million; a $150,000 legal aid/food aid package for immigrant families remains pending.
Adoption of the FY 2027-2029 county budget
Sets the authority's spending plan for fiscal year 2027.
Court and victim services grants
Grant amounts aren't listed in the agenda; most are state or federal pass-through funding.
HUD housing and community development funding for Program Year 2026
$5.97 million in federal funds, plus a $469,306.73 match, with three county positions eliminated.
Whistleblower Protection Policy
Community sponsorships
Sponsorship amounts are not listed in the published agenda.
Oakland County Materials Management Plan
Service Agreement Between the Art Institute Authority and the DIA
The agreement affects county funding flows tied to DIA services, though specific dollar figures aren't on the agenda.
Industrial Facility Exemption Certificates
Exemption certificates can reduce property tax revenue from industrial properties.
Contract Extensions Beyond Five-Year Term
Budget amendments are attached but specific totals aren't published in the agenda.
Procurement transparency concerns
Millions in no-bid contracts, including a $1.5 million contract error acknowledged by staff.
Human trafficking enforcement record
Continued county investment in the task force, prosecutor's trafficking division, and sheriff's investigations.
Immigrant legal aid and food assistance requests
$150,000 requested for legal aid and food assistance remains unfunded.
Northern border helicopter patrol funding
Federal grant of $2.1 million covers the program with no direct hit to county taxpayers noted.
Early voting transportation access
Artificial Intelligence governance resolutions
WIC services agreement with OLHSA
Funded through state WIC dollars already flowing to the county.
Decisions during term (288)
Recorded while Charles was in office — not necessarily decisions they moved, spoke to, or voted on.
Approval of Minutes dated September 28, 2026 (including Closed Session)
Approval of Agenda
Enter Closed Session re Johnson v. Oakland County
Authorize Corporation Counsel to proceed on Johnson v. Oakland County
Approval of Minutes
Approval of Minutes dated August 25, 2026
Approval of Agenda
Approval of Minutes dated September 16, 2026
Approval of Agenda
Approval of Minutes dated August 19, 2026
Approval of Agenda as amended
Approval of Minutes
Consent Agenda Adoption (Items 10.a–13.g, excluding Byrne grant items moved to regular agenda)
Appointment of Brad Hansen as OCBRA Coordinator (14.a)
CLEMIS Grant Acceptance — DOJ FY 2026 Byrne Discretionary Community Project (15.a)
Appointment of Deborah Younger to the Land Bank Authority (16.a)
CDBG Funding Allocation Method Amendments (17.a)
Northern Border Helicopter Patrol Grant (17.b)
Byrne JAG Grant Application with Luebs Amendment (17.c)
Law Enforcement Safety Equipment Grant — Kevlar Vests (17.d)
Voting record (144)
Oldest to newest — hover a bar for the item.
CLEMIS Grant Acceptance — DOJ FY 2026 Byrne Discretionary Community Project (15.a)
Concerned about data retention rules and the lack of an independent privacy audit after cloud migration.