Detroit City Council members shed a few tears while reflecting on the last term, which officially ended on Tuesday.
Most of them will be back to work as usual in January. It was the final meeting for Fred Durhal III and President Mary Sheffield, who vacated their seats to run for mayor. Durhal didn’t advance from the primary; voters elected Denzel McCampbell, who will be sworn in next year to represent District 7. Sheffield was replaced by Renata Miller in District 5.
Council members took time at the end of Tuesday’s meeting to thank Durhal for his work over the last four years. Durhal, a former state lawmaker, said his colleagues “operated with decorum even if we agreed to disagree.” He was among six new members first elected in 2021. Durhal said the group had high expectations amid challenging circumstances. All seven incumbents were reelected in November.
Durhal said he respects District 2 representative Angela Whitfield-Calloway’s professionalism and found ways to work with her despite not always being on the same page. Whitfield-Calloway said Durhal helped her understand the importance of keeping up with the state Legislature in Lansing.
“I remember all of our conversations and the challenging conversations,” Whitfield-Calloway said. “It got a little tenacious but I appreciate that, because you made me a better council member.”
District 3’s Scott Benson said he was impressed with Durhal’s passion for municipal finance. Durhal served as chair of the council’s Budget Finance and Audit committee. Durhal said Benson is a scholar who stays up on the issues and taught him the difference between recycling and composting.
Durhal said he and At-Large Councilmember Coleman A. Young II “go back like a Cadillac with two flats,” borrowing one of Young’s trademark turns of phrase. Young said Durhal set a standard for greatness and taught him patience. Young said Durhal made him a better legislator.
“You constantly taught me how to turn the temperature down, how to see someone else’s humanity, how to disagree without being disagreeable,” Young said.
District 6’s Gabriela Santiago-Romero may have influenced Durhal to be “a little more far left,” he said. Santiago-Romero said Durhal was more moderate but always honest, which she appreciated even if she didn’t like what he was going to say.
“I feel very lucky to be on a council that is able to work together despite our differences,” she said.
Durhal called District 1’s James Tate the “ranking member and dean of the council,” and looks forward to seeing his leadership next year. Durhal called Johnson a “co-pilot,” who helped him understand community concerns in certain moments.
Johnson said Sheffield has been an authentic leader while serving as council president and hopes “that there is a tremendous amount of success ahead of us” as Sheffield prepares to become mayor next year.
Tate said it’s been rewarding to see Sheffield go from the youngest member of the council in Detroit’s history to its first woman mayor.
“I’ve seen the evolution, and I look forward tremendously to work alongside her,” Tate said. “We’re going to push her. That’s our job as a legislative body, to push the executive. I make a commitment to also support her as well, knowing how challenging it is going to be for all of us in this new term.”