Rest In Peace Councilman Mel Ravitz

**kraig** · April-15-10, 08:58 AM

He was one my favorite Councilmembers.

http://www.detnews.com/article/20100...el-Ravitz-dies

**DetroitPlanner** · April-15-10, 09:21 AM

He was my neighbor for a while when I was a kid, used to play with his youngest, Joey.

**detroitbred** · April-15-10, 09:32 AM

My husband and I bought our first home in Rosedale 2 weeks before we were married. Mel lived there and was the "block head" of our street then. He was a character. DetroitPlanner, perhaps you lived on that street as well? Beautiful neighborhood, I still miss that house.

**DetroitPlanner** · April-15-10, 09:41 AM

Originally Posted by detroitbred

My husband and I bought our first home in Rosedale 2 weeks before we were married. Mel lived there and was the "block head" of our street then. He was a character. DetroitPlanner, perhaps you lived on that street as well? Beautiful neighborhood, I still miss that house.

No this might have been to Rosedale they were on Warwick in Franklin Park, a few miles S of Rosedale. I would estimate the time to be late 60's early 70's.

**detroitbred** · April-15-10, 10:40 AM

DP...We lived on Warwick south of Fenkell, but i never hear it refered to Franklin Park if that is this ame area. We lived there in mid 70's

**DetroitPlanner** · April-15-10, 11:15 AM

Originally Posted by detroitbred

DP...We lived on Warwick south of Fenkell, but i never hear it refered to Franklin Park if that is this ame area. We lived there in mid 70's

Franklin Park is down by Plymouth, W Chicago, Joy.

**English** · April-15-10, 12:16 PM

Condolences to his family... a great loss.

**daddeeo** · April-15-10, 01:48 PM

He always seemed to be the guy with the "smarts" on the council.

**swingline** · April-16-10, 09:31 AM

Mr. Ravitz was a true public servant on the City Council in its pre-Clowncil era. Informed, accessible, and dedicated, he worked hard to find effective solutions to the long slow decline of the city. He was deftly able to disagree with Coleman Young on a number of policy matters during his tenure without being branded a racist by other Detroit politicians and community leaders. Not an easy thing to do. The contrast of his service to that of the Scott_Everett_Rose-Collins_Bates_Reeves_Conyers ilk is blinding.

**1KielsonDrive** · April-16-10, 12:02 PM

A true gentleman and scholar. He gave much to his city - Detroit, as well as the entire metropolitan area. I will miss him and his caring nature.

DC48080 · April-16-10, 12:13 PM

And I don't think he ever called a fellow council person "Shrek" or got indicted for corruption. Truly a different breed of politician from what we have seen in recent years.

He is one that many up and coming politicians should look up to as a role model. Sadly, I doubt many of them will.

**English** · April-16-10, 12:32 PM

Originally Posted by swingline

Mr. Ravitz was a true public servant on the City Council in its pre-Clowncil era. Informed, accessible, and dedicated, he worked hard to find effective solutions to the long slow decline of the city. He was deftly able to disagree with Coleman Young on a number of policy matters during his tenure without being branded a racist by other Detroit politicians and community leaders. Not an easy thing to do. The contrast of his service to that of the Scott_Everett_Rose-Collins_Bates_Reeves_Conyers ilk is blinding.

That's because he wasn't. He was a good man and everyone knew it.

**kraig** · April-16-10, 03:37 PM

Originally Posted by swingline

Mr. Ravitz was a true public servant on the City Council in its pre-Clowncil era. Informed, accessible, and dedicated, he worked hard to find effective solutions to the long slow decline of the city. He was deftly able to disagree with Coleman Young on a number of policy matters during his tenure without being branded a racist by other Detroit politicians and community leaders. Not an easy thing to do. The contrast of his service to that of the Scott_Everett_Rose-Collins_Bates_Reeves_Conyers ilk is blinding.

What was wrong with Brenda Scott? The others I know about, but I don't remember anything going on with Scott.

**kathy2trips** · April-16-10, 04:02 PM

So sorry to hear this. A fine man, and a great Detroiter.

**Cincinnati_Kid** · April-17-10, 01:23 AM

Originally Posted by kraig

What was wrong with Brenda Scott? The others I know about, but I don't remember anything going on with Scott.

Nothing but somebody painting all Council members with the same brush, that's all.
Scott was the quiet one in the group, and didn't do anything unsavory as the others, I thought. Maybe someone knows something I don't, about Scott.

**stasu1213** · April-17-10, 07:34 AM

He was on the council when it had diverse members with diverse ideas. The one thing that had hurt Detroit and the common council was the "Black Slate". Voting incompetent people such as Conrad Mallod in only for the reason on color. .

**mwilbert** · April-18-10, 10:16 AM

The thing I specifically think of when I think of Mel Ravitz is the lost opportunity for Detroit in the '73 election when Ravitz came in third in the mayoral primary. Unlike Ravitz or Nichols he had significant cross-racial support, he very likely would have won, and that might have been a somewhat different Detroit.

However for some unaccountable reason the Free Press chose to endorse John Mogk, a perfectly reasonable person who had no chance whatsoever, and if memory serves he got about 10% of the vote, pretty much all from Ravitz.