It's a wrap for Councilman Kenyatta

**kraig** · May-02-12, 11:28 AM

http://www.detroitnews.com/article/2...text|FRONTPAGE

And he's probably the best one.

**Detroitnerd** · May-02-12, 11:38 AM

Kenyatta's Escape?

**Flintoid** · May-02-12, 11:40 AM

Thank god. Now we just need to get the joke that is JoAnn Watson out of there and we could have a functioning legislative body. Kenyatta has been an embarrassment throughout this fiscal crisis. Don't let the door hit you on the way out.

**Danny** · May-02-12, 11:46 AM

WOW!

Looks like plantation politics in Detroit City Government is coming to an end. I wonder Dan Gilbert can fill in Kenyatta's new district seat in 2013.

**BasementBeat** · May-02-12, 12:12 PM

Originally Posted by Danny

WOW!
I wonder Dan Gilbert can fill in Kenyatta's new district seat in 2013.

Oh God no. Gilbert is doing just fine with his current work.

**kraig** · May-02-12, 12:46 PM

Originally Posted by Flintoid

Thank god. Now we just need to get the joke that is JoAnn Watson out of there and we could have a functioning legislative body. Kenyatta has been an embarrassment throughout this fiscal crisis. Don't let the door hit you on the way out.

Let's hope we Detroiters can finally do some homework on the candidates and vote in some good people. I say all of the current council can follow Kenyatta out the door. They're useless.

**corktownyuppie** · May-02-12, 12:50 PM

Originally Posted by kraig

Let's hope we Detroiters can finally do some homework on the candidates and vote in some good people. I say all of the current council can follow Kenyatta out the door. They're useless.

You have to admit...it's easier to do your homework when you have two candidates and have to pick the one you want. Compare that to an at-large system where 20 names are on the ballot and you research them all and pick your favorite 7.

**Hermod** · May-02-12, 01:28 PM

Originally Posted by corktownyuppie

You have to admit...it's easier to do your homework when you have two candidates and have to pick the one you want. Compare that to an at-large system where 20 names are on the ballot and you research them all and pick your favorite 7.

"At-large voting" was one of the great "progressive reforms" at the beginning of the 20th century [[of course. eugenics was also a great progressive idea).

**Hypestyles** · May-02-12, 01:47 PM

curious. Which of the recently formalized districts does he currently live in? -- was there a recent reform in the city charter that revises the funding aspect to running for city office?

**jj84** · May-02-12, 02:22 PM

He's leaving as he would never get re-elected with the new districts. This way he can save face and say he had a choice in it.

**rjk** · May-02-12, 04:16 PM

Hasn't he had a few health problems?
He doesn't look all that healthy in the photo in the article.
I'm surprised to see he's 56, I would have guessed mid 60's.

**Gistok** · May-02-12, 06:42 PM

I know that he appears to wear his blackness on his proverbial sleeves... he dresses in African attire. But has he really been that bad on the council??

He was a voice of reason during the Kwame Kilpatrick scandal, where he told Kwame to leave office.

Can someone provide specifics on how he's been ineffective as a councilperson?

**jtf1972** · May-02-12, 10:18 PM

He's been one of the council members that I admired. I believe he lives east of Indian Village, near Grosse Pointe. He is the only current member of the council that lives in the new district he will presumably still reside in, so I doubt elect-ability had anything to do with it.

Something I have been wondering... With the new system of Council by District + At-Large seats, how will the At-Large members be elected?

**Hermod** · May-03-12, 03:56 AM

Originally Posted by jtf1972

Something I have been wondering... With the new system of Council by District + At-Large seats, how will the At-Large members be elected?

When you go to vote, there will be a section to vote for the clownsil member from your district and space to vote for the at-large seats which will be on all ballots.

**downtownguy** · May-03-12, 08:42 AM

I agree, Gistok. Kenyatta has been one of the better council members. Some folks can't get past his appearance, or don't bother to accept that any council member can be competent.

**jtf1972** · May-03-12, 09:18 AM

Originally Posted by Hermod

When you go to vote, there will be a section to vote for the clownsil member from your district and space to vote for the at-large seats which will be on all ballots.

How will they run for the at-large seats though? Will you specifically have to run for an at-large seat OR district? Or will you vote for your 1 of 2 and 2 others running out of the whole group, then the two at-large winners take their seats with the [[supposed) loser in their district winning?

**poobert** · May-03-12, 09:26 AM

Originally Posted by jtf1972

He's been one of the council members that I admired. I believe he lives east of Indian Village, near Grosse Pointe. He is the only current member of the council that lives in the new district he will presumably still reside in, so I doubt elect-ability had anything to do with it.

Something I have been wondering... With the new system of Council by District + At-Large seats, how will the At-Large members be elected?

Actually he was in the same far eastside district as Andre Spivey, who lives in East English Village [[as of quite recently). Now Spivey is the only one in that district.

**SWMAP** · May-03-12, 10:05 AM

Actually he was in the same far eastside district as Andre Spivey, who lives in East English Village [[as of quite recently). Now Spivey is the only one in that district.

Am I right that this describes where Kwame Kenyatt lives now? That would be odd, becuase in 2009 he famously walked away from a house and mortgage in Grandmont. Usually west-siders don't move to the east-side and vice-versa.
If he did settle in East English Village, wouldn't it have been in the light of possibly running from a less-crowded [[by other incumbents) district?

**kenp** · May-03-12, 11:42 AM

I dont get all the neagativity about Kenyatta, he is a good man. I dont always agree with him but do respect him. and I do appreciate his time on a very disfunctional council.

**brizee** · May-03-12, 12:54 PM

Originally Posted by kenp

I dont get all the neagativity about Kenyatta, he is a good man. I dont always agree with him but do respect him. and I do appreciate his time on a very disfunctional council.

Yeah it's curious. He seems like one of the more level headed legislators the city has had.

He is unapologetically black. But I'm hoping that's not the source of the animosity.

**swingline** · May-03-12, 01:11 PM

Originally Posted by kenp

I dont get all the neagativity about Kenyatta, he is a good man. I dont always agree with him but do respect him. and I do appreciate his time on a very disfunctional council.

Agree. Plenty of cursory observers of Council look at Mr. Kenyatta's attire and his sometimes pointed statements regarding race and have labeled him as some kind of incompetent Black Nationalist wannabe. A completely inaccurate conclusion. He's been a thoughtful and very capable member of the Council. Far better than the likes of Conyers, Bates, Reeves, Everett and our beloved tiara lady.

**Flintoid** · May-03-12, 01:11 PM

The animosity towards Kenyatta, at least for me, comes from his actions during this entire consent agreement issue. He repeatedly brought up things like "plantation politics" and other completely inaccurate racial issues that did nothing to help the situation. He was at one time a more level headed councilman, but in the past year he has embarrassed himself by providing no realistic solutions for our fiscal issue while drumming up calls of racism. When you sound the same as JoAnn Watson, there's a problem. It's unfortunate that it happened, but I will not miss him at all.

**Detroitej72** · May-03-12, 06:07 PM

Originally Posted by Hermod

"At-large voting" was one of the great "progressive reforms" at the beginning of the 20th century [[of course. eugenics was also a great progressive idea).

And segregation, and denying women the right to vote were great "conservative" policies, so what's your point?