Jenkins Leaves City Council for THAW

**jackie5275** · October-17-14, 02:29 PM

One of the seemingly better ones going on to something better

http://www.clickondetroit.com/news/saunteel-jenkins-resigns/29197946

**Baselinepunk** · October-17-14, 02:52 PM

What!?!? No scandal chasing a leader from Detroit office? This is truly a new day in Detroit.

**Scottathew** · October-17-14, 03:08 PM

Unless there is a very compelling reason, she really ought to complete her term.

**Homer** · October-17-14, 04:12 PM

Originally Posted by 48307

Unless there is a very compelling reason, she really ought to complete her term.

Agree, "Palin" like bail is a weak move for any elected official. She owes a full term to the voters who put her in office.

**Danny** · October-17-14, 09:15 PM

Former Detroit City Councilwoman Shanteel Jenkins is stepping down her position to work as the new CEO for THAW The Heat and Warmth Fund. Now we have 6 district members. Detroit Mayor Duggan wishes her good luck in the new job.

Any thoughts?

**Cincinnati_Kid** · October-17-14, 09:17 PM

Originally Posted by Homer

Agree, "Palin" like bail is a weak move for any elected official. She owes a full term to the voters who put her in office.

If you were offered a job as CEO of a non profit making probably much more than a counsel member makes, what would you do?

**Honky Tonk** · October-17-14, 09:22 PM

Originally Posted by Danny

Former Detroit City Councilwoman Shanteel Jenkins is stepping down her position to work as the new CEO for THAW The Heat and Warmth Fund. Now we have 6 district members. Detroit Mayor Duggan wishes her good luck in the new job.

Any thoughts?

Yes! I think someone already posted this....

http://www.detroityes.com/mb/showthr...uncil-for-THAW

**poobert** · October-17-14, 10:15 PM

Originally Posted by Cincinnati_Kid

If you were offered a job as CEO of a non profit making probably much more than a counsel member makes, what would you do?

Finish my term. Duh.

It's called your civic fucking duty.

*council

**poobert** · October-17-14, 10:17 PM

Originally Posted by Danny

Former Detroit City Councilwoman Shanteel Jenkins is stepping down her position to work as the new CEO for THAW The Heat and Warmth Fund. Now we have 6 district members. Detroit Mayor Duggan wishes her good luck in the new job.

Any thoughts?

Yeah. That's not her name. Twice.

**Hypestyles** · October-18-14, 12:33 AM

we'll see what happens. I suspect that lots of people will need help this winter with heat and electricity. What does the CEO do for that group? Lots of fundraising pitches?

**Homer** · October-18-14, 12:45 AM

Originally Posted by poobert

Finish my term. Duh.

It's called your civic fucking duty.

*council

Agree, called loyalty to constituants

**motz** · October-18-14, 07:36 AM

Originally Posted by Hypestyles

we'll see what happens. I suspect that lots of people will need help this winter with heat and electricity. What does the CEO do for that group? Lots of fundraising pitches?

Things aren't looking as bad now

**Kevgoblue** · October-18-14, 08:45 AM

Originally Posted by poobert

Finish my term. Duh.

It's called your civic fucking duty.

*council

Normally I would agree with that. But spending years on a council that has effectively been neutered might change my mind

**Honky Tonk** · October-18-14, 08:53 AM

Right. So just as it's time to get working, quit. Says a lot, doesn't it?

**Gannon** · October-18-14, 09:54 AM

When the heat gets too high, the charlatan chefs leave the kitchen?!

**Gannon** · October-18-14, 10:02 AM

Originally Posted by Hypestyles

What does the CEO do for that group? Lots of fundraising pitches?

Skim a stupid amount of cash off the top, it seems.

It's not as if they had to have a nationwide talent search and salary competition for her.

I'm guessing it is yet another 'payoff' to move otherwise controversial and effective people out of the way of possible and probable Duggan-administration critique and political competition. Heck, this could be straight out of the McNamara Playbook!

Some jumped ship and were paid directly under the EM, like Gary Brown and that other guy...perhaps she was seen to be too much for Duggan to handle, LOL! Hell, I even think they bought out the most challenging journalist...because it seems nobody is asking the same questions they did before joining Duggan's Dug-Ins.

**Richard** · October-18-14, 10:46 AM

Originally Posted by Gannon

Skim a stupid amount of cash off the top, it seems.

It's not as if they had to have a nationwide talent search and salary competition for her.

I'm guessing it is yet another 'payoff' to move otherwise controversial and effective people out of the way of possible and probable Duggan-administration critique and political competition. Heck, this could be straight out of the McNamara Playbook!

Some jumped ship and were paid directly under the EM, like Gary Brown and that other guy...perhaps she was seen to be too much for Duggan to handle, LOL! Hell, I even think they bought out the most challenging journalist...because it seems nobody is asking the same questions they did before joining Duggan's Dug-Ins.

Well,I am a Duggan supporter,you are not,which is okay because no politician should be so revered that they can do no wrong.That balance is needed.

The easy way to resolve this is write down all of the city representatives that in the past 3 years that have either jump ship,been removed or even incarcerated and ask your self if they did in fact serve the best interest of the city as a whole and is the city heading towards a better position because of thier absence,the only discriminating factor would be the stuff behind the scenes that most would not be privy to,but considering the shape of the city at the time there was enough out there to make a decision.

I agree with the others that say this is wrong,what happens if now LEO and firefighters take the same stance because it is pretty clear they are not in it for the money.

**Cincinnati_Kid** · October-18-14, 11:36 AM

Originally Posted by poobert

Finish my term. Duh.

It's called your civic fucking duty.

*council

Duh....just because you would do it, doesn't mean 5 others will. I'm not saying it's right, but people do and will take advantage of a opportunity. Other higher profile politicians have done the same, quit before their term is up. It's not the first time it's happened and won't be the last. BTW, thanks for correcting the spelling error.

**Thruster315** · October-18-14, 11:10 PM

Originally Posted by Cincinnati_Kid

Duh....just because you would do it, doesn't mean 5 others will. I'm not saying it's right, but people do and will take advantage of a opportunity. Other higher profile politicians have done the same, quit before their term is up. It's not the first time it's happened and won't be the last. BTW, thanks for correcting the spelling error.

Let's try to look at this from THAW's POV as well.

If THAW wanted her in the position immediately and wanted her to make that decision or the job goes to someone else- what is she left to do? Corporate America doesn't exactly respect terms for politicians and gingerly waits for a term to end; they might have immediate needs that we're not even aware of.

I'm not one to fault her at this moment. I'm sure she had some hard choices to make but in the end she also has to take care of herself, her career, and her family. We as constituents can be miffed and maybe even mad but given the choices she was faced with I'm not so sure I wouldn't have done the same. And maybe she just feels as though it's a good time to bolt seeing the turnaround in Detroit happening. Is there anything that compels her legally to complete her term? Morally maybe; legally no- but again how many of us wouldn't have made the same choice.

**Hypestyles** · October-19-14, 08:41 AM

There needs to be lots of transparency with assistance nonprofits like THAW. It occurs to me that their "product", essentially, is providing emergency payments for utility costs. There should be minimal administrative costs.

**Towne Cluber** · October-19-14, 01:22 PM

I would think that fundraising, managing, and distributing millions of dollars to thousands of people would have more than "minimal administrative costs".

**jiminnm** · October-19-14, 02:44 PM

Originally Posted by Hypestyles

There needs to be lots of transparency with assistance nonprofits like THAW. It occurs to me that their "product", essentially, is providing emergency payments for utility costs. There should be minimal administrative costs.

Their form 990 [[charitable org annual IRS filing) is readily available online. Thaw have revenues about $18 million and their last CEO had a pay/benefit package worth about $226K.

**Hypestyles** · October-19-14, 08:04 PM

So there is a pay bump.

**gvidas** · October-19-14, 09:20 PM

And to the "how much administrative overhead should they have" point:

Their 2010-11 990 shows 80-85% of the money that they take in going right back out [[line 13 / line 8.) To contextualize that number: the NYTimes says "75% is a good benchmark" when picking a charity to give money to. Oregon caps expenses and overhead for charities at 30%.

**Gannon** · October-20-14, 09:52 AM

She WILL make a bunch of friends through this, it is a no-lose move for her...and she gets to do some real good, directly applied. Sure, she could get some political polish out of it all, but that seems quite ancillary to her goals.

She was interviewed for a short moment on WDET this morning...despite my earlier criticisms, I wish her the best. It might be quite a year for THAW, I'm sure they need a solid leader right now in order to be best prepared when the depths of Winter grab us in four months.

Sincerely,
John