  Eric Member Username: Eric Post Number: 1010 Registered: 11-2004 |
Why am I not surprised to see Conyers in the middle of this? Insults fly at Detroit council meeting Monica Conyers has words with Sheila Cockrel November 28, 2007 By ZACHARY GORCHOW FREE PRESS STAFF WRITER A disagreement between two Detroit city councilmembers turned nasty today when Councilmember Sheila Cockrel chided Council President Pro Tem Monica Conyers for allowing another member to speak longer than council rules allow during a portion of the day’s meeting. After Councilmember JoAnn Watson spoke for longer than two minutes during Member Reports, Cockrel said she objected to Watson exceeding the time limit and accused her of grandstanding. Advertisement Conyers, temporarily chairing the meeting because Council President Ken Cockrel Jr. had momentarily stepped away, explained that she, as the interim president, had given Watson a point of privilege to make her remarks even though they exceeded two minutes. Cockrel then muttered something that prompted a tense retort from Conyers. “Did you say something about a bar? Because you drink a lot at the bar when I see you,” Conyers said. Shortly before taking office, Conyers got into a physical altercation at a Detroit bar. Police said she acted in self-defense. When Ken Cockrel returned to the council table, he sought to restore order and commented that it only took him leaving for five minutes for an argument to develop. That prompted Conyers to say: “It’s not that serious. Drunks always have got something to say.” Conyers then went on to accuse some councilmembers of taking her actions personally instead of seeing them as business decisions. She said it could drive her to file a complaint with the city’s Human Relations department for creating a hostile work environment. “If you don’t want to conduct business at this table, then I think you may need to consider another job,” she said. Sheila Cockrel made no further comments during the meeting. She was not immediately available for comment afterward. During the business portion of the meeting, Sheila Cockrel announced that her appointee to the city’s troubled Property Assessment Board of Review, vice chair Clifton Williams, had resigned. The board is under internal and criminal investigation for allegedly granting property tax exemptions to persons who made too much money to qualify for a hardship exemption. Two other appointees previously had been removed. Conyers announced today that she would allow her appointee to serve the remainder of the year, but would replace her in January when new terms begin. http://freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll /article?AID=/20071128/NEWS01/ 71128036 | ||
Ray1936 Member Username: Ray1936 Post Number: 2317 Registered: 01-2005 |
These immature, juvenile outbursts by elected officials just drag Detroit's image deeper down the drain. Terrible. Just terrible. | ||
Iheartthed Member Username: Iheartthed Post Number: 2266 Registered: 04-2006 |
That woman annoys me so much. | ||
Thejesus Member Username: Thejesus Post Number: 2869 Registered: 06-2006 |
So uncivilized. What an embarrassment. Congrats to the citizens of Detroit. I hope this is what you wanted because this is what you're getting by electing these jokers to represent you. unfuckingbelieveable | ||
Bobj Member Username: Bobj Post Number: 3091 Registered: 11-2003 |
Hard to criticize L Brooks when this stuff happens | ||
Jt1 Member Username: Jt1 Post Number: 10883 Registered: 10-2003 |
Conyers is an embassassment. | ||
Detourdetroit Member Username: Detourdetroit Post Number: 355 Registered: 10-2003 |
agreed, but at least they're not bombing Iraq. Wards anyone? | ||
Digitalvision Member Username: Digitalvision Post Number: 459 Registered: 11-2003 |
Another great gem. When will some people realize that they're leaders - and that there is a proper decorum and example that they need to set as leaders of this city? Council elections are a popularity/name recognition play, not an issues one. Unfortunately, for the average voter, the 9 member system is just overwhelming. I know plenty of Detroiters of many political persuasions on opposing sides who only really like 3 or 4 (or sometimes 2), but felt they need to fill up the whole ballot and that's just by who they know. My mom woulda smacked both of them upside the head for their behavior. However, it's the same stuff that happens in Warren and other places. Detroit has the biggest population, is a black run city, and is perceived as completely broken - so it gets more ink. I've seen this kinda stuff everywhere, it's just not publicized as much. | ||
Johnlodge Member Username: Johnlodge Post Number: 3887 Registered: 10-2003 |
TJ, you're not reaching the ears of the people actually voting these people in by saying it on this forum. I doubt many forumers vote for these clowns. | ||
Detroitpetanque Member Username: Detroitpetanque Post Number: 21 Registered: 09-2006 |
Perhaps they should be paid part-time wages; and only meet in online live chat forums... | ||
Thejesus Member Username: Thejesus Post Number: 2872 Registered: 06-2006 |
JL: yeah, well, they need to hear it too. There are enough of them here who support and defend Kwame when no other major city in America would even think of hiring him to pick up their trash, much less run their city, so I doubt they are ALL anti-city council. Many seem to have this perception of the mayor that he's not that great, but not that bad either. This is because they've never experienced real leadership. I suspect their thoughts towards city council are similar. PS: And if I may preempt Jt1, yes, I'm generalizing, and that includes you buddy. (Message edited by thejesus on November 28, 2007) | ||
E_hemingway Member Username: E_hemingway Post Number: 1419 Registered: 11-2004 |
Hour Detroit has a story in this month's issue on the initiative to switch to a ward system for city council elections. It alluded that something could be on the ballot as soon as next year I think. This year's council is a step up from the previous ones. I don't think anyone from this council has been indicted yet and they seem less prone to foolish outbursts and grandstanding. A low bar I know, but it's still better than what we had and more civil than a number of other Metro Detroit councils. For the most part, it seems Ken Cockrel has run a tighter ship this term than past city council presidents. I guess it helps that there are fewer fools this time around. Now if we can only get rid of those clowns, and no I'm not talking about Kwame. | ||
Kjwick Member Username: Kjwick Post Number: 63 Registered: 11-2003 |
who cares. must be a slow day of news. | ||
Hockey_player Member Username: Hockey_player Post Number: 377 Registered: 10-2003 |
Who cares? Who cares that the leaders of this city are stupid, dimwitted embarrassments who cannot behave in a civilized manner? Who cares that the majority of voters of this city are content with this kind of circus representing them, and thus identify with them? Who cares that these are the people making decisions about the city's future, ensuring that progress remains slow? The people who live here and suffer under this, that's who cares. The people who try to make the city better or wish for a better future, then see this and realize it's largely hopeless when imbeciles like this are in charge. Those are the people who are bothered by this. But who cares, right? | ||
Goat Member Username: Goat Post Number: 9978 Registered: 10-2003 |
I only wish our council (Windsor) was divided like this. At the very least it shows some sort of passion. | ||
Hockey_player Member Username: Hockey_player Post Number: 378 Registered: 10-2003 |
Passion? An enraged drunk shows passion. A murderer shows passion. When someone runs a city I'd rather see deliberate, rational thought. Passion implies emotion over intellect. The city's leaders have shown plenty of passion. Look around at the results. | ||
Gannon Member Username: Gannon Post Number: 11011 Registered: 12-2003 |
Or extreme selfishness...self passion. | ||
Urbanoutdoors Member Username: Urbanoutdoors Post Number: 629 Registered: 11-2005 |
I am not the least bit shocked when I have sat in on council there is always name calling and accusations being thrown around. I am amazed that this is the first time it is making it into the paper. | ||
Pennst8 Member Username: Pennst8 Post Number: 10 Registered: 08-2006 |
......Look at some of the people who were elected, and there you have your reason. | ||
Iheartthed Member Username: Iheartthed Post Number: 2267 Registered: 04-2006 |
quote: It's not the first time... Remember the fight between Sharon McPhail and Kay Everett? | ||
Detroitrise Member Username: Detroitrise Post Number: 872 Registered: 09-2007 |
Anyone notices that when a issue with City Council comes up, it always involves JoAnn Watson? | ||
Swingline Member Username: Swingline Post Number: 960 Registered: 11-2003 |
It can be difficult to get an accurate read on these spats when you only get third hand reports. What was really said? What was the tone? We likely won't get the video on Comcast 10. The videotape is probably being snipped out as we speak, er type. | ||
The_rock Member Username: The_rock Post Number: 2019 Registered: 11-2003 |
I'll stick up for you, Monica. No one seems to come forward in your defense. So I will go on record as saying I like you better than your husband. | ||
Terryh Member Username: Terryh Post Number: 578 Registered: 11-2006 |
Adolescent-immature behaviour on the part of adults permeates all levels of our society today. Suburban politicians-overzealous soccer moms and dads: it happens in all cities. | ||
Monahan568 Member Username: Monahan568 Post Number: 251 Registered: 04-2004 |
everyone relax these 9 people will help change detroit in to the city of the future. shitty leadership = shitty city any questions | ||
Hockey_player Member Username: Hockey_player Post Number: 379 Registered: 10-2003 |
Quote: "Adolescent-immature behaviour on the part of adults permeates all levels of our society today. Suburban politicians-overzealous soccer moms and dads: it happens in all cities." That statement is absolutely false. Check out the councils in Sterling Heights, St. Clair Shores or Ferndale, the Royal Oak City Commission or any of the township boards, with rare exceptions like Warren. They are models of decorum, cooperation and friendliness where rational discussion takes place in calm tones. The Detroit City Council is simply a circus of trashy behavior, and no amount of kneejerk relativism changes that fact. | ||
Mwilbert Member Username: Mwilbert Post Number: 16 Registered: 11-2007 |
City councils are not noted for being sensible. In most municipalities, the individual members don't have much responsibility or authority, so they spend their time posturing and quarreling. In systems where there is an separate executive (mayor or strong city manager) the main value of city councils is to provide some oversight of the executive and his appointees. Occasionally it appears the Detroit council does that, but it isn't easy for councils to do this, because the mayor controls whatever goodies there are, and has a lot of leverage over the council members. Probably the Detroit council could be more effective, but ineffectiveness is the usual situation, nothing specific to Detroit. The result is that if you elect a good mayor, you tend to get good governance, and if you elect a bad mayor, you tend to get bad governance, independent of what sort of people you have on the council. Personally I would favor a district/ward based council rather than the current at-large council, but I am not of the opinion that the change would make a lot of difference. | ||
Rjk Member Username: Rjk Post Number: 961 Registered: 11-2003 |
Are the Detroit council meetings on cable TV in Detroit? | ||
Detroitrise Member Username: Detroitrise Post Number: 884 Registered: 09-2007 |
Yeah, Channel 10 on Comcast. | ||
Hockey_player Member Username: Hockey_player Post Number: 380 Registered: 10-2003 |
Quote: "City councils are not noted for being sensible." That is a baseless generalization. Noted by whom, exactly? Was there some definitive study somewhere asserting this blanket statement? Because Detroit's council is absurd, you conclude that this is a law applying to all cities everywhere? Again, relativism does nothing but attempt to mitigate the fact that the City Council is an embarrassment to the city and the voters who choose these people. | ||
Mayor_sekou Member Username: Mayor_sekou Post Number: 1714 Registered: 09-2006 |
The council is filled with a bunch of (pardon my french) bitchy middle aged women who had no business getting elected in the first place so these little squabbles aren't surprising. I would love for once to see a council filled with members who got elected for their individual merits instead of because of name recognition and race baiting. But thats is wishful thinking. | ||
Michigansheik Member Username: Michigansheik Post Number: 243 Registered: 09-2005 |
these women are past middle age. (Message edited by michigansheik on November 28, 2007) | ||
Eric Member Username: Eric Post Number: 1014 Registered: 11-2004 |
quote: I agree, I have more issue with a few individual members not council as a whole. As a group I can't they've made decisions that I thought stupid. | ||
Rob_in_warren Member Username: Rob_in_warren Post Number: 24 Registered: 11-2007 |
Eric, I agree. Warren's city council was must see TV about 5-10 years ago. We had name calling, crowd outbursts, federal investigations.... The above is a disgrace for Detroit. These people are paid well to represent the city and it's interests. They should always be a positive reflection of the good people they serve. | ||
Pffft Member Username: Pffft Post Number: 1416 Registered: 12-2003 |
So what is it, city council members shouldn't be women? Or they shouldn't be middle aged? What's the preferred gender and age group? | ||
Peter Member Username: Peter Post Number: 118 Registered: 02-2007 |
It's truly amazing that these people were elected to run a major city. | ||
Detroitrise Member Username: Detroitrise Post Number: 896 Registered: 09-2007 |
Yeah, it's like being left with only rotten apples to choose from | ||
Novine Member Username: Novine Post Number: 290 Registered: 07-2007 |
They weren't elected to run the city. The Mayor and his administration "run the city". Council is there to set policy and provide oversight, not manage the day-to-day operations of the city. I can't speak to their qualifications to do so but Council isn't supposed to be made up of city administrators. | ||
65memories Member Username: 65memories Post Number: 491 Registered: 10-2003 |
Question: Did Channel 10 edit out most of the conflict last night? |
