Detroit decided

The results from the last election slowly came in after 8 p.m. on election night and were final two hours later. The city clerk stated that there was about 20 percent voter turnout, and I was actually surprised at the timeliness of the announcement of the results.

With the past scandals, deception and all around bad governance from the council, we needed a change. This vote, though small, truly helped achieve this, at least when looking toward the future of the city and the possibility of a restoration of integrity for our public offices.

The next Detroit City Council will feature five new faces: Charles Pugh, Gary Brown, Saunteel Jenkins, Andre Spivey, and James Tate. These candidates will take seats alongside current reelected council members Ken Cockrel, JoAnn Watson, Kwame Kenyatta and Brenda Jones.

The shakeup has thrown Cockrel out of the presidency, and Pugh will take over. Cockrel stated that things had not gone the way he would have liked, but he was happy that he will remain on the council.

I am very happy that Pugh has taken the presidency of the City Council. Pugh became well-known due to his long tenure on FOX 2 News, having been a journalist and a very popular people-person. He chose to give up his lucrative job with the station in order to change the city for the better.

I am also happy for Pugh because he is the first openly gay politician to have been elected to office in Detroit. In U.S. history, there have been less than 15 openly-gay people elected to any office. I will hold Pugh with gay legends Harvey Milk and Jared Polis.

I did not care for Gary Brown due to his lack of substance at the second Detroit City Council candidate panel discussion, put on by Student Council and the Youth Connection on Oct. 28. His biggest reason for winning is the fact that he was fired by Kwame Kilpatrick for leading the investigation against Kilpatrick and Christine Beatty back in 2003. I do admit that he should be commended for going up against a mayor of a large city.

Saunteel Jenkins added to the council. She received her master’s in social work from WSU. I think the council needs some help, and she can provide the instruction necessary to restore integrity and trust in the office. Jenkins is also one  the nicest and most composed people I have ever met, and she was the only candidate on the second panel that actually supported Proposal S.

Ken Cockrel really deserves his seat on council because he kept the council as together as possible during the times of scandal and corruption in the past few years. I would have loved to see him maintain his chair as president, but I will support this respected man of integrity for as long as he chooses to be in public office.

Reverend Andre Spivey served on the Detroit School Board Transition Team and was actually appointed by Gov. Granholm, who is one of my favorite governors, historically and politically. I trust her judgment because she fights for the state and would not allow those with misguided intentions into our offices. Thus, I trust Spivey will aid Cockrel and Pugh in reducing corruption in the city.

I am not a fan of Brenda Jones or JoAnn Watson, and I believe that they should not have run again. Sadly, Lisa Howze came up just one position behind Watson. It would have been nice to see Howze on the council because she had the financial experience the city desperately needs.

Incumbent Alberta Tinsley-Talabi really deserved her loss due to her lack of communication with her constituents as well as her radical history on the City Council. Recently, she was in an uproar over Canada’s 89X radio station billboards which depicted a profanity actually edited by symbols. Where was this fighting mentality when the scandals and crimes occurred?

Though I would have liked to see Watson and Jones not be reseated, and Howze take one of their places, I believe that the city can begin rebuilding and reform.