April 30, 2009


Jenkins announces candidacy for Detroit City Council

BY NAOMI R. PATTON
FREE PRESS STAFF WRITER With the endorsements of some prominent names labor and politics, Saunteel Jenkins, former chief of staff to revered Detroit City Council President Maryann Mahaffey, announced her candidacy for the city council Thursday morning.

Surrounded by family, friends and campaign supporters at Martin Luther King Park off West Grand Boulevard, Jenkins, who worked for Mahaffey for six years, received the endorsements from City Council members Sheila Cockrel and Kwame Kenyatta, AFSCME Local 25 President Al Garrett, Metropolitan Detroit AFL-CIO Executive Vice President David Hecker, Detroit Federation of Teachers President Keith Johnson, and Mahaffey’s husband Herman [[Hy) Dooha.

Cockrel said “wholeheartedly” endorsed Jenkins, offering to welcome her to the council’s “sanity caucus.”

Dooha said he was honored to support Jenkins, who said “her ability to be sensitive means that she will not be an embarrassment to the city.”

“She doesn’t have to learn on the job,” he added.

Jenkins, a Cass Technical High School graduate with bachelor’s and master’s degrees in social work from Wayne State University, is currently director of the residential treatment program at the Mariners Inn shelter and substance abuse treatment center for homeless men.
Cynthia Pasky, president and CEO of Strategic Staffing Solutions, promised robust fundraising as co-chair for Jenkins’ finance committee.
Also attending Jenkins endorsement was former Detroit Police Deputy Chief Gary Brown.



Monica Conyers has been arguing on City Council for 4 years.

Joann Watson has been arguing on City Council for 6 years.

Sheila Cockrel has been arguing on City Council for 16 years.

Sheila's been a part of the insanity of council all by herself. She was always arguing with Sharon Mcphail before Conyers and Watson got there. Now those 3 I can see arguing with. But, she used to argue with Brenda Scott and Maryann Mahaffey all the time too, and those two are polar opposites of the other three. Sheila is always going to argue with someone, it's her nature.

Talk about politics making strange bedfellows. You have Gary Brown there in support of Saunteel Jenkins, who is best friends with Christine Beatty who tried to ruin Gary Brown's life.

You gotta love this city.