Coffee and conversation with State Representative Karen Whitsett

Girl with cup of coffee | Photo by StockSnap/Pixabay

This coming Saturday, State Representative Karen Whitsett will host of coffee hour with her constituents. She represents the 9th state house district, which includes the Warrendale and nearby neighborhoods, in the Michigan Legislature.

This coffee hour is a chance for residents and other community stakeholders to get to know her and to hear her perspectives on what is happening in Lansing. It’s also a great opportunity to express any issues or concerns that you might have directly to her.

The next one of these coffee hours will happen on Saturday, February 8 at two locations in her district. She will be at McDonald’s (13676 Grand River) from 10 – 11 a.m. After that, she will be at Mary’s Grill (20804 Plymouth Rd.) from noon to 1 p.m. Both of these instances will allow residents to share coffee and conversation with Whitsett.

Longtime readers of the Warrendale Detroit Blog may recall that I supported Whitsett when she first ran for the Michigan House of Representative in 2018. I appreciate the work that she has done to reform auto insurance in our state as well as the rest of her in work in our community. I expect to support her again this November if and when she runs for re-election.

These coffee hours with Whitsett will continue to happen on the second Saturday of each month. They will continue to be at the same times and locations. If that changes, you will read about it on the Warrendale Detroit Blog.

I look forward to seeing some of my neighbors this Saturday.

"War on police" - rebuttal

Police car - Photo by Free Photos/Pixabay

I posted earlier this week about a Detroit police officer who was tragically killed in the line of duty approximately four miles north of the Warrendale neighborhood. My intention was simply to memorialize an individual who lost his life while heroically protecting our city. I had absolutely no intention of dragging partisan politics into this or causing any type of debate. I simply wanted to memorialize a fallen hero.

When I shared that post on Facebook, the majority of people reacted in much the way that I expected. There was shock and outrage as well as praise for the fallen officer and prayers for his family and all other police officers. This is great and pretty much what I expected when I shared my post.

However, there’s always that one guy.

One individual in particular was rather vehement in his opinion that former President Barack Obama had started a “war on police” and this was the latest example of it. This was followed by repeated usage of Blue Lives Matter hashtag and insults directed toward those who disagreed with him. When I pointed out that a thread dedicated to memorializing a fallen officer wasn’t the best place for partisan politics, he only seemed to double down on his attacks.

This prompted me to do a little bit of research. Here’s the big headline that I want everyone to remember: a carpenter in the United States today is approximately 30% more likely to be killed on the job than a police officer.

In spite of this, no one claims that there is a war going on against carpenters. There has also never been a Carpenters Lives Matter hashtag trending on Twitter or any other social media platform.

As for the numbers, there is an estimated 950,000 carpenters working in the United States, according to official statistics. On average, one out of every 10,000 carpenters died at the workplace each year. In contrast, with an estimated 850,000 police officers in the United States, there are 0.7 out of every 10,000 who die a violent death on the job each year. This translates into a carpenter being 30% more likely to die on the job than a police officer.

Oh, and the reason why I chose carpenters for this comparison is simply because my father, grandfather, and many of my uncles worked in carpentry. I’m the misfit in my family who chose to earn a living with a cell phone and a laptop.

I suspect that much of the reason for this has to do with the fact that police officers expect to encounter danger on the job. As a result, they train and prepare for it. This training and preparation helps them to mitigate the danger and bring the number of deaths down dramatically. Carpenters, in contrast, do not expect to die on the job so they don’t take anywhere near the precautions that law enforcement officers do.

But still, I cannot help but feel that if there was a war going on against police officers - regardless of whether Barack Obama, George Soros, Hillary Clinton, or whoever else was leading it - the result would not be that they would be less likely to be killed on the job than carpenters.

As further evidence that there isn’t a war on police that Barack Obama, George Soros, Hillary Clinton, or whoever else are responsible for, I would simply point out that line of duty deaths for police officers are largely unchanged with them out of office and someone who is the polar opposite replacing them.

It’s a sad fact that I will one day again have to memorialize the tragic death of another police officer or firefighter on this blog. I dread this prospect.

My only hope is that when that tragic moment comes, I won’t have to also worry about someone hijacking the issue with partisan attacks. It is much better, in my opinion, to keep the focus on the fallen hero and the grief that his or her family and friends are going through.

This post is a part of this blog's semi-regular Friday Focus series, which endeavors to highlight news and opinions that, in my opinion, don't get as much attention as they deserve.

Please follow this blog on Facebook for more great content. I'm also on Twitter and Instagram as @fnemecek.

Detroit Elections Department to host job fair for poll workers

Polling station - Photo by John Mousey/Pixaay

In an effort to recruit adequate staff for the upcoming 2020 primaries and presidential elections in Detroit, City Clerk Janice M. Winfrey will host a job fair tomorrow at the New Center Park, (2998 West Grand Blvd.) from noon – 4 p.m. The Department of Elections is looking to hire Election Clerical Assistants and Poll Workers for training and administering elections.

Election Clerical Assistants
Prospective Election Clerical Assistants are required to have a high school diploma or equivalent, six months of general office or clerical experience, knowledge of Microsoft Office and comprehend standard office work methods. Interested candidates must submit a resume for employment and be available Monday – Friday from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. with some required weekends.

Poll Workers
Prospective poll workers are required to be at least 16 years of age. If a perspective poll worker is 18 years or older, they must be registered to vote in the State of Michigan. Training sessions are mandatory for employment.

Voter Registration Drive
During the job fair, the Elections staff also will register prospective voters. Those individuals are required to be at least 18 years old on or before Election Day, a resident of the State of Michigan and a U.S. citizen.

For more information, please contact the City of Detroit Department of Elections Recruitment & Training Division at 313-876-0230 or 313-876-0231. Election Clerical Assistants recruits can bring their resumes to the job fair or submit them to ecajobs [at] detroitmi [dot] gov. Poll worker recruits may also register at www.vote4detroit.net/pollaccess.

L. Brooks Patterson dies at age 80

L. Brooks Patterson with Amalia Raczkowski - Creative Commons photo by ALS of Michigan/Flickr

The longtime County Executive for Oakland County, L. Brooks Patterson passed away earlier today according to published news reports. He was 80 years of age at the time of his passing and had been battling pancreatic cancer for several months.

I have long opposed many of the political stances that L. Brooks Patterson took during his many years in office. Regardless, I am saddened to learn of his passing. My prayers go out to his family that they may be comforted during this troubling time.

There can be no denying that L. Brooks Patterson left his mark on Michigan. His presence will continue to be felt across the Great Lakes State for generations to come.

According to an article published in The Detroit News, L. Brooks Patterson passed away peacefully at 5:30 this morning. He died at his home in Independence Township, surrounded by friends and family.

Rest in eternal peace, L. Brooks Patterson.

Expanding Project Greenlight

I would like everyone's opinion on the proposed expansion of Project Greenlight.

For those who aren't already aware, since January of 2016 more than 500 businesses in Detroit have voluntarily installed high-definition video cameras on their property that are monitored by the Detroit Police Department. This program was expanded to include such cameras in public housing facilities last year.

There is now a plan to expand it again to include cameras on our traffic lights. Some people believe this is an unnecessary intrusion into our privacy. Other residents counter that it helps the police and lowers crime.

I would like to know how my readers feel about this. I've posted a survey form below. I also have a similar one on Facebook. I look forward to hearing thoughts from all of my readers.

With that said, do you support Project Greenlight as it currently is? How do you feel about expanding it to include video cameras on traffic lights?

Please let me know what your thoughts are. I'll report the results from these polls in another week.

Robert Mueller discusses the report

Old Ebbitt Grill in Washington, DC - Creative Commons photo by David, Flickr 

It was a chilly evening in Washington, DC when I stepped into the Old Ebbitt Grill on 15th Street. I had never been here before but as soon as crossed its threshold, I recognized this small restaurant from a dozen other places around the country with a different name but the same feel.

Its dark interior, lit with only a small lamp on each table. The aroma of rich food and fine wine filled the air with a subtle scent of old leather. This is the place where Washingtonians of the Old Boy’s Club could safely meet with outsiders over a meal or drinks.

I spotted the man that I came here to see at a table in the corner. Depending on who one asked, he was either the man who gave Congress a roadmap to impeach the President of the United States or the man who lead a two-year long witch hunt; a witch hunt that would ultimately provide that same President with a total vindication.

“Hi, there, Frank,” he said as I approached his table.

“Good evening, Mr. Mueller,” I replied. “I can’t thank you enough for agreeing to talk with me tonight.”

“It’s okay,” he added with a subtle grin and a wink. “Susan spoke highly of you.”

Back during the summer of 1994, I served as a driver for Congressman John Dingell. He lived less than a mile from me and I got to chauffeur him around from campaign event to the next. It was during those moments driving from one stop to another that Mr. Dingell imparted at least shared of his wisdom with me.

Detroit police commissioners are now majority female

Detroit Board of Police Commissioners | Official Seal

Women’s History Month became especially historic in Detroit this year with the new composition of the Detroit Board of Police Commissioners. For the first time in its 45-year history, a combination of elected and appointed female police commissioners totaled six. This makes women the majority on this 11-member oversight board.

“As the civilian oversight board for the Detroit Police Department, one of our goals for the department’s workforce, as well as the Board itself, is to reflect the demographics of the City of Detroit. This is why the current number of women serving on the Board is historic and truly special,” explained Lisa Carter, the immediate past chair who is in her second term as police commissioner for District 6.

“Still, it is important to remember that each police commissioner comes to the Board with a strong dedication for the important work of ensuring our city has the most professional, responsive, effective, and diverse police department,” Carter added. “We all work together towards that end.”

The BOPC was destined to become majority female last fall when Mayor Mike Duggan named women to fill two vacancies. In addition to Carter, the female police commissioners are:

• Elizabeth “Betty” Brooks, who was appointed in 2015 as one of four at-large members;
• Shirley Burch, who was elected in 2017 to represent District 3;
• Eva Garza Dewaelsche, who was appointed in 2015 to serve at-large;
• Evette Griffie, who was appointed to fill a vacancy for District 2 and began serving in December 2018. The seat became vacant when DMC Executive Conrad Mallett, a former at-large BOPC member who won the district election in 2017, resigned for professional reasons in October 2018; and 
• Annie Holt, who was appointed to fill an at-large vacancy and began serving at the end of February 2019.

The other five members of the board are Darryl D. Brown of District 1 and who serves as vice chair; Willie E. Bell, from District 4, who serves as chair; Willie E. Burton representing District 5; William M. Davis who represents Warrendale and the rest of District 7, and Jim Holley, At-Large.

Tlaib sparks controversy in Congress

Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib - File photo

U.S. Representative Rashida Tlaib (D-MI 13) sparked controversy recently when she said, "we're going to go in there and we're going to impeach the motherf*cker." She was, of course, referring to President Donald J. Trump.

Since these words were uttered, there has been a considerable amount of criticism of Tlaib for her use of profanity. Examples of this can be found here and here.

Since Tlaib represents the Warrendale and surrounding neighborhoods in Detroit, I wanted to comment on this controversy.

Quite frankly, I'm surprised that there is any controversy about these comments from Tlaib at all - especially from the Trump Administration or its supporters. After all, throughout the 2016 campaign, one of the things that conservative voters said that they loved about Trump was that "he speaks his mind" and that he "wasn't afraid to be politically incorrect."

The comments about impeaching Trump were simply Tlaib speaking her mind and being politically incorrect. This is supposed to be something that they like; not something that they condemn.

I guess they only like it when certain people speak their mind and/or are politically incorrect.

Oh, well.

Recreational marijuana comes to Detroit

Marijuana plant - Photo from Pixabay

Voters across Michigan approved a ballot initiative last month that decriminalizes, regulates, and taxes the recreational use of marijuana in our state. This legislation took effect last week. Regardless of this movement at the state level, there are still a multitude of federal statutes, regulations, and ordinances that impact how, when, and where an adult can use marijuana with minimal risk of criminal prosecution.

This is because there is still much about the law that remains unclear; not the least of which are the various laws that are passed down from the federal government. I believe it is, therefore, important for anyone with an interest in marijuana to know these details.

Luckily, the Detroit Police Department and the Board of Police Commissioners will have an information meeting this coming Thursday, December 13 at the McGregor Conference Center on the campus of Wayne State University. This meeting is scheduled to begin at 6:30 p.m.

Free parking will be available in the Law School Parking Lot (475 W. Palmer), which is just north of the McGregor Conference Center. The Wayne State campus is also accessible from the Warrendale neighborhood via the Warren Avenue bus. More information is available on bus routes and schedules here.

Record voter turnout in Warrendale

I voted - Photo by Frank Nemecek

Today is the day.

Today is the midterm election; where we will choose a new governor for Michigan, a new Member of Congress to replace the retired John Conyers, as well as a new state representative and state senator. All of this is in addition to deciding who will be our United States Senator and a host of other elected offices at the state and local levels.

Precinct 337 in Detroit, which is a portion of the Warrendale neighborhood that is south of W. Warren Ave. and closer to the Southfield Freeway, is reporting record voter turnout today. The number of people showing up is eclipsing not only a normal midterm election but is better than normal for when there is a presidential race.

The other precincts in Warrendale - as well as the rest of the Detroit area - seem to have rather large voter turnouts.

Polls will still be open for another couple of hours. Let's keep it going, Detroit.

If you haven't already voted, please get out and do so.

John James puts Nazi swastika in new campaign ad

Republican candidate for the United States Senate John James released a new campaign ad this week that is entitled "Ready to Serve." The ad has appeared on television in the Detroit media market and presumably elsewhere in the state. It's also available on YouTube here.

The thing that is profounding troubling is that there is a Nazi swastika hidden in this campaign ad. The Nazi symbol appears 11 seconds into this 30-second video on the bulletin board that appears on the screen.

I have to ask: why in the world would someone like John James - a Republican candidate for the United States Senate - put a Nazi swastika in his campaign ad?

Members of my family served in the 13th and 101st Airborn Divisions of the U.S. Army during World War II. My family fought the Nazis in Europe. They parachuted into Normandy, France on D-Day; survived the Battle of the Bulge and a Nazi prisoner of war camp.

When they defeated Adolf Hitler and Nazis in Europe, they came home to Detroit to raise a family and live the American dream. They never expected to see Nazis show up in Michigan.

They certainly never expected to see a Nazi swastika show up in a campaign ad for a Republican who wants to serve in the United States Senate.

All of this begs the question: why in the world John James and his campaign for the U.S. Senate chose to include a swastika in their commercial?

I reached out to the John James campaign for a comment earlier today. As of posting this, I have not received a response from them.

If and when John James or his campaign reply with an explanation for the Nazi swastika, I will provide it on this blog in a follow-up.

Update @ 7:26 p.m.
I want to acknowledge that Chris Savage of Electablog published a similar story to mine one hour and 56 minutes before I did. I did not see his story before publishing my version of it. However, I believe it's worth noting that he did independently notice the swastika in that commercial for John James before I did.

Gabe Leland indicted on bribery charges

Gabe Leland at a Warrendale Community Organization meeting
Photo by Frank Nemecek

According to a published report in The Detroit News, Gabe Leland has been indicted on bribery charges by a federal grand jury. Leland has represented the Warrendale and surrounding neighborhood as a state legislator and city councilman for more than a decade.

Leland allegedly received more than $15,000 in cash and services in exchange for his help with a real estate deal, according to this indictment. The full story is available here.

On a personal note, I have known, trusted, and supported Gabe Leland since the beginning of his political career. I've always found him to be a hard-working public servant who has done much to help the Warrendale neighborhood. I'm both shocked and disappointed by this news.

I will have more on this story as it continues to develop.

A few thoughts on the Michigan primary election

The primary elections are over. My friends Sylvia Santana and Karen Whitsett will soon represent Warrendale and the surrounding neighborhoods in the Michigan Senate and House respectively. My friend Marshall Bullock will also represent the area north of Warrendale in the Michigan Senate. Rashida Tlaib will soon be my Congresswoman and I have so much to talk with her about as it relates to Warrendale.

While they didn't win yesterday, I admire the way my friends Jeffrey Nolish and Rico Razo campaigned for the Michigan House in districts east of Warrendale. I look forward to great things from both of them in the near future.

In the governor's race, Gretchen Whitmer is going up against the Jihadist Bill Schuette. After Schuette's stint as Michigan's Attorney General - where he stood against Internet freedom for consumers; refused to protect the Constitution when it came to the Emoluments Clause but still found time to blur the boundary between church and state - I cannot stress enough how important I believe it is for Whitmer to beat this troglodyte.

Also, I would be remiss if I didn't mention how important I believe it still is for all of us to support Matt Clayson for MSU Trustee. I believe he is uniquely qualified to help Michigan State University rebuild in the wake of sexual scandals that have rocked the school.

Anecdotal thoughts on the governor's race

A friend of mine, who I've had the pleasure of knowing for more than a decade, Brenna Lane posted some anecdotal thoughts on the race for governor of Michigan on her personal Facebook page. She addressed some things that she had seen about Democratic candidates Shri Thanedar of Ann Arbor and Abdul El-Sayed of Detroit.

With her permission, I wanted to share her thoughts with everyone as a guest commentary. The following are her observations on Shri Thanadar's campaign as well as her personal experiences with Abdul El-Sayed, which I publish here with only minor editing.

Stock photo by Sanja Gjeneor/Pixabay

Some anecdotal thoughts on the Governor's race here in Michigan:

Story #1
In my economically distressed neighborhood in Highland Park, there are Shri Thanadar signs everywhere. While driving home yesterday, I saw a van in the parking lot at Dean's liquor store at McNichols and Second. It was unmarked, but two men stood at the open back doors, one handing bundles of Shri signs to the five or six men waiting in line to receive them while the other counted cash and gave it to a man who had a bundle of signs under his arm.

I later saw my neighbor go by carrying a Shri Thanedar sign. I asked him if he was pulling it out and he said, "no, I'm putting them in all up and down the block." I asked, "Willie, why are you supporting this guy?" and he replied, "because they gave me $20 if I put out 20 signs."

Story #2
During my junior year of high school, I attended Andover High School in Bloomfield Hills. Abdul El-Sayed was in my grade. We had Calculus and AP Physics together. He was generally kind, humble, and very smart.

One time, I was waiting for our bus with my girlfriend who had presented a paper in one of her classes that day. She was dressed up for the occasion - wearing a skirt (out of character for her) and it was the first day she had ever worn makeup to school (the first time her mother ever allowed it). She was heavy handed with the makeup, and her look that day was a stark contrast to the way she normally dressed, which was a much more conservative, nerdy-bookish look.

Four guys on the basketball team, all seniors, approached us and asked my friend if she was planning to "go to 8 Mile" (that is, become a prostitute). They continued by asking her how much she would charge, making hand signs mimicking oral sex and thrusting their hips as they laughed. She was trying not to cry, I was telling them to fuck off.

Abdul El-Sayed was walking down the hall, saw what was happening and got between us and the guys. He asked them if that's how they thought men behaved. He asked "do you feel proud right now? getting laughs from your friends at the expense of her feelings?"

I don't remember everything Abdul El-Sayed said that day in high school, but it was basically like "you guys are seniors, this girl is a sophomore, pick on someone your own size or better yet, don't be the kind of man who picks on anyone."

The called him a f****t, and her a whore again a few times and then left. Abdul El-Sayed apologized to both of us. He said that things will be different when we were out of high school and the boys grew up to be adults.

Although I'm still not sure he was right on that last part, Abdul El-Sayed was standing up to bullies that were bigger than him and pushing back against toxic masculinity when he was 16 years old. Even if I didn't love his politics, I would still vote for this guy because of his character. He truly is a servant leader.

This is a crucial primary. Please - get out and vote. And if you employ people, please give them the time to vote.

Burton Leland passes away at the age of 69

Burton Leland

Burton Leland, who represented the Warrendale neighborhood in both the Michigan House of Representatives and Michigan Senate for 26 years, passed away this morning. He was 69 years of age at the time of his passing. In later years, Leland represented Wayne County's 6th district on the County Commission.

During his time in the Michigan Legislature, Burton Leland was a tireless advocate for consumer rights. In 1986, while serving the state house, he sponsored Michigan's Lemon Law that protected buyers from defective automobiles.

Burton Leland was also a relentless public servant for the Warrendale neighborhood. Whenever the Warrendale Community Organization needed something during his almost three decades of representing us, he was one of the few elected officials that residents could consistently count on.

Burton Leland's son Gabe Leland continues to represent the Warrendale and surrounding neighborhoods on the Detroit City Council.

Burton Leland was also proud of his Jewish faith. I attended a meeting of the Wayne County Commission a few years back when, at Leland's urging, a Jewish rabbi delivered the invocation. The invocation is normally held before the start of each meeting and his lead by a local religious leader. However, that was the first time in Wayne County's more than 200 year history that a rabbi was invited to perform this ceremonial role.

Details for Burton Leland's funeral are not currently available. When they become public, I will share them here.

On a personal note, I want to add that I write this post with a tremendous amount of sadness. I have spoken with Burton Leland on more occasions than I can remember over the past 30 years - going all the way back to my days as a high school student in a government class. I was always impressed with his intellect, his dedication, and a love for Michigan and its people that will continue to live on with every person that he ever met.

Update @ 10:48 p.m.
I have learned that the funeral for Burton Leland will be at 2 p.m. this Tuesday, February 27. The service will be at the Ira Kaufman Chapel (18325 W. Nine Mile in Southfield). More information is available here.

All 5 endorsed candidates move on to November

The primary election was this past Tuesday across Detroit and the rest of Michigan. It narrowed the field from dozens of contenders to the top two candidates who will move on to the general election in November for the offices of mayor of Detroit, members of the city council, and city clerk.

This blog made a total of five endorsements for these important offices in Detroit. I am thrilled that all five candidates have made it past the primary and will move on to the general election, which is set for Tuesday, November 7.

Congratulations and best wishes, therefore, go out to:

• Mike Duggan for Mayor of Detroit;
• Gabe Leland for City Council (District 7);
• Brenda Jones for City Council (at-large);
• Janee Ayers for City Council (at-large); and
• Garlin Gilchrist for City Clerk.

I wish each of these candidates the best of luck as we move forward the election season in Detroit.

Detroit Police President Condemn President's Trump call for mistreatment of prisoners

President Donald J. Trump - Photo by Gage Skidmore/Flickr

During a speech to police officers in Long Island, New York, President Donald J. Trump called for a harsher treatment of prisoners who are taken into custody. "Please don't be too nice," the President pleaded to law enforcement. In response, the Detroit Board of Police Commissioners passed a resolution last week that condemned his remarks.

The Police Commissioners in Detroit stated in their resolution that rough or abusive treatment of prisoners is not only contrary to the Constitution, it is also counterproductive to efforts of community policing. They also remarked that, "along with (President Trump's) actions through the Justice Department under Attorney General Jeff Sessions, continue to roll back police practices to a rudimentary era of physical abuse, unlawful confinement, and wholesale discrimination that endangers all of our human rights."

Their resolution also condemned President Trump for using "an ethnic slur in his speech, a stark reminder of how ingrained discrimination has been in law enforcement and how some officials have used police powers systemically to intimidate people based on their skin color, religion, sexual orientation, or heritage, as Irish immigrants once experienced. It was especially disturbing that President Trump’s audience included Suffolk County police officers, whose former chief right now faces prison for beating a man."

President Donald Trump has not responded to the Police Commissioner's resolution as of today. If he does have a response at some point in the future, it will be reported on this blog.

The Detroit Board of Police Commissioners consists of seven individuals who are elected by district as well as four members who are appointed by Mayor Mike Duggan. They are mandated by the City Charter set policy for the Detroit Police Department, help to set the budget for the department, and other relevant matters for our police.

More details about the President Trump's speech - as well as a video of it - are available here. The full text of this resolution from the Detroit Board of Police Commissioners is available here.

My endorsements for Detroit's primary

There will be a primary election this coming Tuesday. During this contest, Detroiters will narrow the field for candidates who hope to serve as Mayor or City Clerk of Detroit and who will represent us on the City Council. The full list of candidates for each office is available on Ballotpedia or the City of Detroit's official website.

After much study, I am pleased to present my endorsements for these offices.

Mayor Mike Duggan - File photo

I am pleased to endorse Mike Duggan for re-election as Mayor of Detroit. He has done an excellent job of guiding Detroit out of bankruptcy. During his first term in office, we have seen a dramatic improvement in response times for police, fire, and emergency medical services.

There has also been a tremendous - almost mind-blowing - change in the corporate culture within Detroit City government. When I was president of Warrendale Community Organization during the Kwame Kilpatrick era, the WCO wanted information about police response times and other issues, we were routinely told that this information simply wasn't available.

Today, most of this information is readily available on the City of Detroit's website. This, I believe, is an important departure from the decades of failure that preceded Mayor Duggan's tenure. It shows that - even though there is still work that needs to be done - we have an executive team that is transparent in its dealings and accountable to the residents, businesses, and visitors who make Detroit one of the greatest cities in the world.

I am also pleased to make three important endorsements for the City Council.

Gabe Leland and I at the AIA Detroit Awards

Gabe Leland has represented Warrendale and the other neighborhoods that make up the 7th District admirably during his first term of office. As chair of the council's planning and economic development committee, he shepherded much of the work on the District Detroit project through the council and made sure that there were jobs and other benefits for residents.

His impact on the District Detroit project is particularly important, in my opinion. For decades, one project after another has moved forward downtown with far more benefits for developers than residents. The fact that residents are on track to get a healthy portion of the construction jobs and the more than 1,100 permanent jobs associated with it is impressive.

As one looks beyond our district representation, I am also thrilled to endorse Brenda Jones and Janee L. Ayers to continue representing all Detroiters as at-large members of the City Council. Both of these women have shown a strong, level-headed leadership that I believe has been a tremendous asset to all Detroiters. They have also been passionate about connecting with Detroiters throughout their tenure.

Brenda Jones at a Warrendale Community Organization meeting
Photo by Frank Nemecek

Brenda Jones is a veteran on the City Council, having represented Detroiters since 2005. Janee Ayers is a relative newcomer, having joined the Council in 2015 following the resignation of Saunteel Jenkins.

I especially like the combination of Jones and Ayers as at-large members. Jones brings a tremendous amount of experience with more than a decade on the Council and her previous role as president of the Communications Workers of America, Local 4004. Ayers brings a tremendous amount of energy to her work as she is the only member of the Council to serve on four different committees and she does it while still being an active and vibrant member of our community.

Again, I believe that the combination of Jones and Ayers is a dynamic duo that benefits all Detroiters.

Garlin Gilchrist, II - File photo

Finally, it is my pleasure to endorse Garlin Gilchrist, II to be the next City Clerk for Detroit. He has served with Mayor Duggan as his Director of Innovation & Emerging Technology. In this capacity, he worked to make the information that Detroiters needs about their local government readily available through social media and other technologies.

During his tenure, he implemented a technology solution to make sure city fire hydrants are regularly inspected and repaired. He also enabled anonymous police tips via cell phones and championed the Improve Detroit app which is used extensively in the Warrendale neighborhood.

As our next City Clerk, he is committed to improving the flow of information so that all Detroiters understand what is happening our government. He has also released a plan to help make voting effortless in Detroit.

I am proud of these endorsements.

• Mike Duggan for Mayor Detroit;
• Gabe Leland for City Council (District 7);
• Brenda Jones for City Council (at-large);
• Janee Ayers for City Council (at-large); and
• Garlin Gilchrist for City Clerk.

These are the people who I believe have the dedication, expertise, and passion to continue moving Detroit forward. I am proud to endorse each of them for the primary this coming Tuesday.

Gabe Leland kicks off re-election campaign

Leland kicks off re-election - Photo by Frank Nemecek

Earlier this evening, Gabe Leland, who represents the Warrendale and surrounding neighborhoods on the Detroit City Council, kicked off his re-election campaign. If re-elected, this will be his second term representing District 7 on the Council.

A large group of residents and business owners were on hand to lend their support.

Leland has kept the neighborhoods at the forefront during his first time on the Detroit City Council. He pledged to continue doing that if re-elected.

I supported Gabe Leland in his previous 2013 campaign. I've been proud of his work over the past four years. It is my pleasure to endorse and support his re-election efforts this year.

Vacancy on the Detroit City Council

City Council meeting - Photo by Frank Nemecek

There is a vacancy on the Detroit City Council due to Saunteel Jenkins's recent resignation; one which any resident is allowed to apply to fill. Yesterday afternoon, I submitted my application to fill that vacancy.

For years now, I've screamed into the proverbial wind - both on this blog and elsewhere - about ways that things could be done better in this town. I know it's a long shot that I'll be selected to fill that slot. However, I feel like if I don't throw my hat into the ring, I'll spend years wondering what would have happened if I had done so.

The Detroit City Council will schedule a series of interviews with applicants in January. The Council as a whole will then decide who will fill Jenkins's seat until the next election. I will keep everyone updated as this develops.