FeedsState, county candidates file for election
Several candidates are lining up represent Inkster as a state representative, or a Wayne County Commissioner.
The City of Inkster, combined with the communities of Dearborn Heights, Garden City and a portion of Allen Park, make up District 16. As of 4 p.m. Tuesday, incumbent State Rep. Robert Constan will be challenged by Mario Fundarski, who lost a bid for Westwood Community Schools board seat less than two weeks ago, and Joseph Smith, a resident of Garden City.
Constan, a Dearborn Heights attorney who specialized in elder law before running for his seat, has served one two-year term as a representative. He was also a longtime Dearborn Heights councilman.
“The plight of the Michigan economy and the particular consequence of the artificial devaluation of our currency is one of the biggest issues facing the state at this time,” he said. “These are challenging and important times in Michigan, and there’s still so much that needs to be done.”
Constan said he would push for legislation that would allow the state to forgive the three public school districts that are in deficit, one of which is the Inkster Public School District.
Up for grabs is a seat on District 12 of the Wayne County Commission, which is expected to be hotly-contested because of the retirement of Kay Beard, who served on the commission for more than 25 years.
As of 4 p.m. Tuesday, eight residents filed for election for the commission, including Westland City Council President Jim Godbout, Inkster Mayor Hilliard Hampton, former Inkster City Councilwoman Wanda Harris-Foster, Beard’s former executive assistant Roneale Bowman, Joan Gebhardt, Douglas Kaye, Paul Citkowski and Danny Wilson, the director of a children’s advocacy group.
Beard’s name also appeared on the candidate register, even though she is retiring.
District 12 is made up of the cities of Inkster and Westland, and part of Livonia.
Bowman, who was appointed to the seat on March 6 after Beard stepped down, served as a legislative aid for Beard for more than two years. Prior to that she spent 13 years as the director of the Westland Youth Assistance Program.
Part of her agenda – if elected – would be finding a way to keep people who are risking foreclosure in their homes. “Whatever we can do to give homeowners assistance so they don’t lose their home, we should look into,” said Bowman earlier this year. “The county really does not want to be in the business of owning homes or putting people out of their homes.”
Godbout has also signed on to campaign for the position.
“The county is faced with ever changing challenges and needs leadership with a proven track record,” said Godbout previously. “The residents of the 12th District deserve a commissioner that represents their interests while working with the 14 other commissioners to insure the county is financially strong and providing quality services. I feel I am qualified to fill that role, and I look forward to serving this community as a commissioner for all the people in the district.”
Wilson said a bad experience with the commission and the Lincoln juvenile center downtown spurred his campaign.
“There was a situation where people were having a terrible time picking up their kids at the Lincoln facility,” he said. “they were getting their cars broken into, or stolen, in front of the building. I had no luck getting any response from the Detroit Police Department, the county executive’s office or the commission. I thought, I can do better than that.”
The primary election is scheduled for Aug. 5. The general election is Nov. 4.
